Well, we thought IMTS 2012 was going to be a blast and we were certainly not disappointed. A record-breaking 100,200 people registered and attended the show, which was a 21.6% increase over 2010! The Techna-Tool booth was busy from the moment the doors opened, and we weren’t alone because there were 1,909 exhibiting companies covering the 1.248 million net square feet of Chicago’s McCormick Place. The show itself had an amazing array of new and emerging technologies and according to IMTS, sales were quite brisk. We were thrilled with all the connections we made, and we certainly walked away with quite a few solid leads.
For us at Techna-Tool, the highlights of the show included:
- Watching the Local Motors Rally Fighter car being built right on the floor over in just five days
- Visiting the new Industrial Automation North America showcase
- The AMT Manufacturing Stage, featuring acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and AMT President Douglas Woods
We were also impressed with the IMTS Job Center, which is something much needed right now in manufacturing. Survey after survey point to there not being enough skilled workers to fill our industry’s jobs; so any effort that can bring qualified applicants together with employers can only help.
Overall, everyone involved had a fantastic and productive time at IMTS 2012, and we can’t wait to return for IMTS 2014!