Advanced Factories 2026

May 5 to 7 at Fira Barcelona, Gran Via

ADVANCED FACTORIES 2025 IN NUMBERS

Attendees

Brands

Speakers

Advanced Factories 2026: Everything you need to know to prepare your booth and stand out as an Exhibitor

If you work in the industrial, tech, or automation sector, there’s one date you should already have marked on your calendar: Advanced Factories 2026, taking place May 5–7 at Fira Barcelona – Gran Via. After breaking records in its previous edition, this trade show has firmly established itself as the go-to event in Spain and Southern Europe for leaders driving the digital transformation of industry.

In this article, you’ll find useful, up-to-date, and practical information to help you plan your participation as an exhibitor—from key stats to hands-on tips for building a stand that truly stands out.

What is Advanced Factories 2026?

Advanced Factories is where companies and professionals shaping the future of industry come together. For three days, you’ll have access to more than 560 companies showcasing the latest in robotics, automation, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital twins, and even concepts that still don’t have a clear name in Spanish.

You’ll also find the Industry 4.0 Congress, featuring over 420 experts—not just there to speak, but to truly inspire. This is where the industry’s big trends take center stage, from how to integrate IoT into factory operations to what “big data”.

When and where is the next Advanced Factories taking place?

The next edition of Advanced Factories will take place from May 5 to 7, 2026, at Fira Barcelona – Gran Via, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. It’s one of the most important trade shows in Europe for industrial innovation and automation.

Results from the 2025 edition:

The 2025 event wrapped up with record-breaking numbers. Over 38,700 professionals attended, and more than 630 exhibiting companies showcased their solutions in automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing. The parallel event, Industry 4.0 Congress, brought together 420 international speakers and became a major hub for knowledge exchange. Overall, it generated an estimated economic impact of 79 million euros for the city of Barcelona.

What kind of visitors can you expect?

One of the main strengths of Advanced Factories is the quality of its attendees. It’s a highly professional event, with a strong presence of technical profiles and decision-makers. You’ll find everyone from plant managers and production directors to CTOs, CIOs, industrial engineers, and consultants specializing in digital transformation. In other words, the people who can directly make or influence a purchasing decision.

What activities complement the exhibition?

Beyond the booth, the event offers several ways to boost your visibility:

Take part in the Industry 4.0 Congress, either as a speaker or sponsor.

Showcase your product in quick-pitch sessions at the Factory Innovation Theatre.

Connect with young, specialized talent through the Talent Marketplace.

And if your company also manufactures machinery, you can take advantage of the parallel event, Advanced Machine Tools.

Are you thinking about taking part?

If you’re considering exhibiting at Advanced Factories for the first time, it’s completely normal to have questions. Is this the right trade show for my target audience? How do attendees behave? What are my competitors doing? Is it a worthwhile investment? Here’s a quick roadmap to help guide you through this initial phase:

Start with the exhibitor brochure: You’ll find it on the event’s official website. It contains valuable information: venue maps, sector distribution, visitor profiles by professional role, and general participation terms.
Look into last year’s edition: Check out the list of 2025 exhibitors, which is often published on the same site. This can help you spot whether your direct competitors were there, what kinds of similar companies took part, and how they presented themselves. You can also look for success stories or press coverage of their experience.
If you’ve never been to Advanced Factories, attending one year as a professional visitor is a great move. You’ll get to walk the halls, see what works, observe how attendees engage, and figure out what you’d want to replicate—or avoid—when you decide to exhibit.
Clarify your goals for the show: Are you looking for leads? Brand exposure? Strategic partnerships? Depending on your priorities, you can choose the right kind of presence—whether it’s speaking at the congress, running a live demo, or going for a more visual, hands-on booth experience.

Tips if you decide to exhibit:

If you’ve already decided to exhibit at Advanced Factories 2026, here are some practical tips to help you get the most out of your investment:

Plan ahead: The best locations and visibility options get booked early. Reserve your space several months in advance.

Be clear on your goals: Before designing your booth, define what you’re aiming for: generating leads, showcasing a new solution, building brand awareness? This will guide every other decision.

Focus on booth design and experience: A visually strong and functional space can make all the difference between going unnoticed and drawing steady foot traffic. At Servis, we help you create a booth that reflects your identity and encourages professional connections.

Prepare your team: Train your staff to communicate your brand message clearly, answer technical questions, and build relationships with potential clients. Attitude and expertise make a big impact.

Build anticipation before the show: Use your communication channels to announce your participation, share behind-the-scenes setup content, and tease what visitors will find at your booth. Creating buzz beforehand is key.

Follow up afterward: Once the event ends, organize your leads, evaluate your results, and follow up as soon as possible. Many deals are closed after the show.

With a clear strategy and a well-executed booth, your participation can become a powerful platform for growth in the industry.

What are other exhibitors doing?

Every year, large and mid-sized companies in the industrial sector use the show to showcase real, working solutions. For example:

Universal Robots set up a live work cell to demonstrate how cobots can be integrated into a production line.
HP brought its 3D printing technology for manufacturing industrial parts.
Siemens presented its digital twin concept for predictive maintenance.

These kinds of setups help visitors not just see your product, but experience it in a real-world context.

Take the next step with your brand

Getting ready for your participation takes time, but with early planning and the right partners by your side, your presence can become a powerful tool for lead generation, brand visibility, and industry positioning.

At Servis, we’ve spent over 60 years supporting industrial companies at trade shows like this one. We design, produce, and build booths that are not only functional and visually appealing but strategically crafted to deliver real results.