IMTS Turnout: Trade Shows & Events

The final count of registrants for IMTS 2024 reached 89,020, according to AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. That number includes 14,713 students who attended the Smartforce Student Summit, which was held concurrently with IMTS Sept. 9 through 14 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Comparatively, the final count for IMTS 2022 attendance was 86,307, which included 11,715 students at the 2022 Smartforce Student Summit.

So, looking at these data points, there is some good news and some news that, let’s just say, might trigger a shrug.

The good news here is the growth in student attendance — and not just because this year’s gathering attracted about 3,000 more students than in 2022, but because that growth in itself is a positive sign that perhaps word is getting around that manufacturing offers a lucrative and rewarding career option. You read that how you wish; my reading is clearly steeped in hope.

As for the shrug, IMTS 2024 attendance without students was 74,307. IMTS 2022 attendance without students was 74,592 — slightly more than this year’s turnout. You see what I mean about a shrug? The small drop in attendance among industry professionals this year isn’t enough to call it bad. In fact, in my view, I think the turnout was solid, particularly given how the manufacturing economy has been slowing down with each passing month this year. The industry is still growing, just not as quickly as it was back in January.