IMTS 2018 success, new records set

IMTS 2018 – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, opened to record numbers: 1,424,232ft² of exhibit space and 2,123 booths representing 2,563 exhibiting companies. Exhibitors brought in more than 55 million lb of machinery on 4,465 trucks with eight machines weighing more than 100,000 lb. The number of pre-registered visitors exceeded 113,000, which is also on pace for a possible record, and total registrants was 129,415.

“IMTS 2018 is setting records because manufacturing technology has grown exponentially since last show,” says Peter R. Eelman, vice president – Exhibitions & Business Development at AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS. “The rapid growth of digital technology, automation, and additive manufacturing are especially driving interest. The booming manufacturing economy means visitors have capital and are ready to invest.”

Previous show records were 1,415,848ft² of exhibit space at IMTS 2000, 2,407 exhibiting companies at IMTS 2016, 1,475 booths at IMTS 2014 and 121,764 visitors at IMTS 1998.