UK Garage and Bodyshop Event launches brand-new Bodyshop Village for 2026

The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event (UKGBE) 2026 has announced the launch of its brand-new Bodyshop Village, a dedicated feature created specifically to support and showcase the needs of the UK body repair sector when the event returns to the NEC, Birmingham, on 3rd and 4th June 2026.

Designed as a focused hub for bodyshop professionals, the Bodyshop Village will bring together leading suppliers, live product demonstrations and specialist expertise, creating a central destination for repairers looking to explore the latest tools, technologies and solutions shaping the future of collision repair.

The new feature has been launched to create new opportunities for bodyshop suppliers to take part in UKGBE, already attracting a strong line-up of well-known brand names from across the sector.

Exhibitors already confirmed to participate at UKGBE 2026 within the wider bodyshop area, includes Walcom, SATA, Smart Fix and Core Diagnostics. The adapted Bodyshop Village will also welcome several brand-new exhibitors who have never previously exhibited at the show, making their debut appearance at UKGBE 2026. Newly confirmed names include Loctite, Car-o-Liner, Entegral, AkzoNobel and Mirka.

Commenting on the launch of the new Bodyshop Village, Joanne Knowles, Event Director at Messe Frankfurt UK, organisers of UKGBE, said: “Body repair is changing fast, in materials, methods and expectations around safety, speed and evidence of quality. The addition of the Bodyshop Village is our response to that shift – an expanded space built around practical discovery, where repairers can see solutions working live, test ideas with suppliers and leave with knowledge they can use immediately. It’s not about browsing stands,  it’s about helping the sector keep pace with what’s next.”

The Bodyshop Village will offer more brands an expanded area to exhibit and will sit alongside UKGBE’s wider line-up of features and hubs, offering show visitors the latest in training, technology and tools, plus networking opportunities and key insights, for the garage, bodyshop and detailing sectors, further strengthening the event’s position as a must-attend date on the industry calendar.