IMTS gets off to a rousing start

Huge crowds, optimism greet international gathering in Chicago.

Plant Engineering

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The 2012 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) landed in Chicago Monday morning with bright skies and bright optimism for global manufacturing. The five-day event is expected to attract a record crowd of more than 82,000 attendees at a time when manufacturing’s impact on the U.S. and global economy never has been greater. (Sept. 12 update: Registrants exceeded 95,700, according to event organizers.)

Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Dr. Rebecca Blank joined Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) president Douglas Woods in opening the biennial show at Chicago’s McCormick Place. More than 1.2 million sq. ft. of exhibit space will feature the latest technology in machine tools, CNC machine and a growing emphasis on automation in manufacturing.

CFE Media and Hannover Messe will co-sponsor the first Industrial Automation North America (IANA) pavilion at IMTS, and CFE Media is producing the 2012 Global Automation and Manufacturing Summit on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 12 and 13. Keynote speakers at the summit, sponsored by Beckhoff, Molex, SAP and Infor, will include Billy Taylor of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and Karen Kurek of McGladrey on Wednesday. Woods will deliver the keynote speech on Thursday.

Check in throughout the week via social media for news, events and insights from the 2012 IMTS Show. You can  follow CFE Media’s coverage of IMTS at:

Twitter: #CFE-IMTS

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