FABTECH 2011 breaks all records

CHICAGO, Ill. – FABTECH 2011 shattered all records as the recently concluded, four-day exposition and conference at Chicago’s McCormick Place welcomed a historic 35,457 attendees, a 35 percent increase over 2009 – the last time FABTECH was held in Chicago.

FABTECH is North America’s most comprehensive event for metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing companies. This year’s show had more than 1,300 exhibitors, filling a record 522,000 net square feet with attendees from more than 80 countries.

"Exhibitors were enthusiastic about the activity level on the show floor and are looking ahead to 2012," Mark Hoper, FABTECH show manager, said. "Returning exhibitors were happy that leads were up from shows of the past few years and numerous first-time exhibitors proclaimed that the decision to exhibit was a great choice for them."

Many long-time exhibitors described the show as their best show ever.

"We've been exhibiting at FABTECH for at least 20 years, and in my 10-year tenure, this show was our busiest. We received a record number of leads, and we were able to get our message in front of thousands," Betsy Van Duyne, marketing manager, Hypertherm Inc., said. "The results from this show should prove to skeptics that manufacturing is alive and well in North America!"

The many new exhibitors were also impressed with the value they received from the show.

According to Chris Kuehl, PhD, economic analyst for FMA and moderator of FABTECH’s State of the Industry session: "Attendees were preparing for a better year in 2012 and were investing to be ready for it. They were engaged and were finding ways to do things better, faster and more efficiently."

The 2012 show will be held in Las Vegas next November and return to McCormick Place in 2013.

FABTECH is co-sponsored by five industry-leading associations: the American Welding Society (AWS), the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International (FMA), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), and the Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI).