Published 6/9/2020

IMTS 2020 Canceled in Compliance with Coronavirus Precautions

It is the first time IMTS has had to cancel a show since World War II.

Edited by: MMS Editorial Team

The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) has canceled its 2020 edition, originally scheduled for September 2020, due to health and safety requirements instituted by the state of Illinois for holding conventions. The requirements include the availability of a vaccine for COVID-19 or a highly effective treatment protocol, neither of which are available. It is the first time IMTS has had to cancel a show since World War II.

Over the next several months, IMTS will offer two comprehensive digital programs, IMTS Network and IMTS Spark, to assist exhibitors and the manufacturing community.

Visitors who have registered for IMTS 2020 have the choice to receive a refund on registration or transfer their registration to a tax-deductible donation to Miles For Manufacturing, where every dollar is given to programs that prepare students for careers in manufacturing technology. Exhibitors will receive direct communications from IMTS.

“The show has been held uninterrupted for more than 80 years, but now the global coronavirus health crisis requires the cancellation of what would have been the 34th edition of IMTS for the health and safety of our exhibitors, audiences and local business community,” says Peter R. Eelman, vice president and CXO of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS. “Our organization and its members take immense pride in presenting one of the world’s largest manufacturing technology events, one that dates back to 1927. The cancellation is especially poignant because the show was poised to offer an unmatched breadth and depth of resources to help industry rethink, reestablish and reengage with supply chains disrupted by COVID-19.”

While acknowledging that an in-person show can never be replaced with a digital event, Mr. Eelman says IMTS feels a responsibility to provide exhibitors and visitors a way to connect. “In the near future, we will launch the IMTS Network and IMTS Spark to provide the IMTS exhibitors and visitors with connections, networking opportunities and technical knowledge,” he says. The IMTS Network will live-stream a variety of features and human interest stories from the manufacturing technology sector. IMTS Spark will be a digital platform that connects IMTS exhibitors and visitors, providing educational and networking opportunities.

IMTS is expected to return to Chicago’s McCormick Place as scheduled for its normal rotation in 2022.