OEMs Partner for New Type of Industry Event

Leading machine tool manufacturers are working together to create a new type of event designed to revitalize U.S. manufacturing. Scheduled for September 12-14, 2011 in Las Vegas, the Interactive Manufacturing Experience (imX) will combined the best features of a corporate open house, customer training seminars, client appreciation programs and new-product launch events, organizers say.

Top machine tool builder CEOs worked with the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) to design the event as a new type of forum for engaging and educating customers. For more than two years, executives from DMG/Mori Seiki USA, Doosan, Fanuc CNC America, MAG, Makino, Methods Machine Tools, Okuma America and Sandvik Coromant have been meeting with the two associations and conducting research into alternative ideas for conducting industry events.

The result is a more intimate, experiential and efficient event, organizers say. Rather than the traditional trade show format, in which booth locations are chosen by the exhibiting company and potential buyers must focus on one product or manufacturer at a time, competing suppliers will be located near one another. With an emphasis on collaboration rather than competition, this format is intended to enable attendees to easily compare all available options and ultimately make better decisions. The event will also have a strong focus on education, with learning labs on the show floor providing hands-on demonstrations as well as case studies from suppliers and customers that have already applied technology solutions.

For more information, visit imxevent.com/media.