UK Garage and Bodyshop Event 2026: what to look for at the NEC

The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event returns to the NEC Birmingham on 3 and 4 June 2026. Free to attend, it is aimed squarely at the independent sector: garage owners, bodyshop managers and technicians rather than the fleet and franchise crowd who go to other shows.

If you have not registered yet, do it now. The show is days away and walk-in registration at the door costs you time queuing.

EV servicing is the main theme this year

With BEVs at roughly 23% of new UK registrations, this show has leaned into the question of what independent workshops actually need to do about it. Expect a lot of floor space given over to high-voltage diagnostics, insulated tooling, and battery assessment equipment. The talks programme covers practical topics: safe working practices around high-voltage systems, what additional training qualifications are worth having, and how to market EV capability to customers who currently go back to franchised dealers because they assume independents cannot handle their car.

The honest answer is that most of the first steps are straightforward. Certified insulated tools, a capable diagnostic platform and some technician training covers the majority of EV work that comes through an independent garage. The specialist stuff, like battery pack replacement, is a different matter, but that is not what most EV owners need most of the time.

Induction heating and bodyshop equipment

Bodyshop technology tends to get good coverage at this show. Induction heating in particular has moved on: the newer units give more precise control and a wider range of inductor shapes than equipment from five years ago, which matters when you are working around underbody components on modern vehicles. If you are still running older induction kit, it is worth spending half an hour looking at what current generation equipment can do that yours cannot.

What to skip

The show floor includes a lot of consumables and accessory suppliers who are fine for comparison shopping but probably not the reason you are travelling. Focus your time on equipment demonstrations where you can actually see kit running, and on talks where the content is practical rather than promotional. The sessions run across both days, so check the programme before you go and plan your time around the ones that are relevant to your work mix.

Logistics

NEC Birmingham, Hall 5. Show runs 9am to 5pm on Wednesday 3 June and 9am to 4pm on Thursday 4 June. Free parking for pre-registered visitors. If you are travelling from outside the Midlands, the train to Birmingham International drops you at the NEC complex directly.

If you want to talk through EV equipment or induction heating before you go, or want to know what we think is worth a closer look on the floor, get in touch.