Carfulan Group secures nearly £1 million in orders at MACH 2026 exhibition

Carfulan Group, a UK distributor of advanced manufacturing equipment, reported nearly £1 million in new orders during the five-day MACH 2026 exhibition. Deals were signed across multiple brands including Metrios, OGP, VICIVISION, ZOLLER, and SYS Systems, which represents additive manufacturing hardware such as the Origin Two and Fortus 450 Gen 3. The group recorded 1,810 enquiries, with many progressing to on-site visits. Managing Director Chris Fulton described it as Carfulan’s strongest showing, highlighting three UK-first product debuts and two show debuts across metrology, tooling, inspection, and AM.

The order volume signals sustained capital investment appetite in UK manufacturing despite a challenging macroeconomic environment. The 250+ AM-specific enquiries at the SYS Systems stand underscore growing industrial interest in polymer AM for production tooling and end-use parts, particularly through systems like the Origin Two (a DLP platform) and the Fortus 450 Gen 3 (FDM). Carfulan’s bundling of metrology and AM reflects a mature value-chain play: buyers are not just buying printers but full quality-assurance workflows. This aligns with the broader trend where distributors are becoming key adoption vectors for smaller and mid-tier manufacturers who lack in-house AM expertise.

Fulton’s expectation of converting the MACH pipeline into over £3 million in total new business is aggressive but grounded in the show’s typical lead-to-close cycle. The real test will be how many of those 1,810 enquiries turn into installations, particularly for the AM systems where demonstration and qualification visits at the Advanced Innovation Centre are critical. For now, the order book provides a concrete near-term revenue signal for Carfulan and suggests that UK industrial buyers are still willing to invest when the ROI is clearly framed.