IMTS

What IMTS does

IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) is the largest manufacturing technology trade show in the Western Hemisphere, produced biennially by AMT — The Association For Manufacturing Technology, a private industry association founded in 1902 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia. The 2026 edition runs September 14-19, 2026 at McCormick Place in Chicago, spanning 1.2 million square feet across multiple buildings and drawing more than 86,000 registrants from over 100 countries and 1,800 exhibiting companies across 10 sectors including additive manufacturing, automation, metal removal, quality assurance, and industrial AI. The show serves manufacturing professionals across aerospace, medical, defense, automotive, energy, and contract manufacturing/job shop verticals, with attendees ranging from corporate management and design engineers to procurement managers and technical supervisors.

IMTS monetizes through four primary revenue streams: exhibitor booth fees (transaction fees on rented exhibition space), conference registration fees ($450 advance / $500 onsite for specialized conferences), sponsorship packages (advertising and brand visibility across conferences, events, and the show floor), and attendee registration fees (with early-bird pricing and complimentary international visitor registration). Beyond the physical biennial event, IMTS operates the IMTS+ digital content platform featuring video series, podcasts, and live shows; the Smartforce Student Summit providing free workforce development programming; and the Miles for Manufacturing 5K community fundraising event that has raised over $250,000 for STEM education since 2014. New offerings for 2026 include the Industrial AI Arena (25 vendors) and the Industrial AI Conference developed with the University of Maryland Center for Industrial AI.

Strategically, IMTS is pursuing expansion of its AI-related content surface and deepening its international reach through a partnership with Mesago Messe Frankfurt that integrates the European SPS (Smart Production Solutions) and Formnext brands into the Automation sector. Core technology partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Mazak, and Fanuc support the Emerging Technology Center's live end-to-end manufacturing demonstrations. As an association-owned, non-profit enterprise, IMTS reinvests revenue into programming, workforce development, and member services rather than distributing profits, making its strategic cadence driven by mission alignment and industry positioning rather than investor-return optimization.

Name

IMTS

Legal name

IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show (produced by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology)

Website

https://imts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IMTS is North America's largest biennial manufacturing technology trade show, produced by the AMT association at McCormick Place, Chicago. It serves 86,000+ attendees and 1,800 exhibitors across aerospace, medical, defense, automotive, and job shop verticals with booth fees, conferences, sponsorships, and the IMTS+ digital platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Shows & Events (Manufacturing Technology)

akta.pro primary industry

Manufacturing, Industrial Equipment & Automation Shows Organizers (THAHABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE)

Keywords

• Manufacturing trade shows
• Industrial exhibitions
• Manufacturing technology events
• Industrial automation conferences
• Advanced manufacturing trade fair

Headquarters

HQ city

Mc Lean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor Booth Fees: Revenue generated from manufacturing technology companies renting exhibition space at IMTS. The show expects over 1,800 exhibitors across 1.2 million square feet.
2. Conference Registration: Fee-based conference sessions including the Industrial AI Conference ($450 advance/$500 onsite), with 9 conferences and 90+ sessions offering additional revenue beyond general admission.
3. Sponsorship Packages: Corporate sponsorship opportunities including Champion and Executive sponsor tiers for the Industrial AI Conference, plus various sponsorship levels for the Miles for Manufacturing 5K event and other show attractions.
4. Attendee Registration: General admission and exhibit hall passes sold to manufacturing professionals. Early bird pricing available with increased rates after August 2026. International visitors receive complimentary registration.
5. Miles for Manufacturing Sponsorships: Race sponsorships with brand visibility benefits including logo placement on race shirts, booth presence, and direct access to IMTS attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IMTS organizes and produces the biennial International Manufacturing Technology Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, bringing together over 1,800 manufacturing technology exhibitors and 86,000+ attendees from 100+ countries across 1.2 million square feet. The company also operates the IMTS+ digital content platform, the Smartforce Student Summit (free STEM/education program), the Miles for Manufacturing 5K fundraiser, and specialized conferences and showcase areas such as the Industrial AI Arena and the Industrial AI Conference.

Product overview

IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) is a biennial trade show and digital content platform for the manufacturing technology industry. The core offering is the IMTS event itself - North America's largest manufacturing technology trade show - complemented by the IMTS+ digital platform delivering video series, articles, and multimedia content. Additional offerings include the Smartforce Student Summit (free STEM education program), Miles for Manufacturing 5K (community fundraising event), and specialized sectors/conferences including the new Industrial AI Arena and Industrial AI Conference for 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMTS+: IMTS+ is the digital platform associated with IMTS featuring video content, articles, webinars, and the IMTS+ Main Stage with keynotes, expert panels, and live shows.
• Smartforce Student Summit
• Miles for Manufacturing (M4M)

Products and services

• IMTS 2026 (International Manufacturing Technology Show) North America's largest manufacturing technology trade show, held biennially at McCormick Place in Chicago, bringing together manufacturing technology innovators, sellers, and buyers for product showcases, networking, and education.
• IMTS+ Digital Content Platform Digital platform providing video series, articles, webinars, expert panels, podcasts, and live shows (IMTS+ Today, IMTS+ Unwind) on manufacturing technology topics, available on-demand for the global manufacturing community.
• Smartforce Student Summit Free educational program at IMTS for K-12 students, university/community college/trade school students, homeschool groups, and educators, featuring hands-on exhibits and interactive experiences in robotics, automation, CNC machining, and digital manufacturing.
• Miles for Manufacturing (M4M) 5K Run/Walk Annual community 5K run/walk fundraising event supporting STEM education programs, held during IMTS, with corporate race sponsorships providing brand visibility to IMTS attendees.
• Industrial AI Arena New dedicated IMTS 2026 sector featuring 25 vendors showcasing AI applications for manufacturing including quality inspection, process optimization, downtime reduction, cybersecurity, ergonomics, safety, and demand forecasting.
• Industrial AI Conference One-day conference developed with the University of Maryland Center for Industrial AI, providing practitioner-focused AI implementation guidance for factory floors, covering predictive maintenance, quality, edge vs. cloud processing, and small models vs. LLMs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86,000+ expected registrants from 100+ countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership bringing European trade show expertise to IMTS. Mesago produces Formnext and SPS (Smart Production Solutions) in Germany. Together they co-produce the Automation sector at IMTS accelerated by SPS. The partnership combines IMTS's position as the largest manufacturing show in the Western Hemisphere with Mesago's experience with Formnext and SPS European events.
• University of MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the University of Maryland Center for Industrial AI to develop the Industrial AI Conference program. The conference focuses on practical, reality-based AI for the factory floor with Dr. Jay Lee's team providing programming and expertise.
• Oak Ridge National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Emerging Technology Center, demonstrating live end-to-end manufacturing systems using hybrid manufacturing techniques for drone airframes.
• MazakcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Emerging Technology Center providing machining expertise for live manufacturing demonstrations.
• FanuccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Emerging Technology Center providing robotics and automation technology for live manufacturing demonstrations.
• SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-producer of the Smart Manufacturing Experience Showcase at IMTS, focusing on education about automation, robotics, machine monitoring, workforce training, and AI for manufacturing competitiveness.
• Miles for Manufacturing Sponsors (GIE Media, CERATIZIT USA, EOS, Haimer USA, SME, Jorgensen, QualiChem, Big Daishowa, Rocklin Manufacturing, Royal Products, Crossroads Steel Supply, MS State IDEE Lab)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors of the Miles for Manufacturing 5K Run/Walk fundraising event supporting STEM education. Sponsors receive brand visibility through race shirts, event signage, and direct access to IMTS attendees.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IMTSchicago
• YouTubeyoutube.com/imtsvideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/IMTS.show
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/10632805
• Instagraminstagram.com/imtschicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IMTS