IMTS 2026 to feature over 1,800 exhibitors across 1.2 million square feet in Chicago

IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show will run September 14–19, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago, bringing together more than 1,800 exhibitors across 1.2 million square feet of exhibition space. Organized by AMT—The Association For Manufacturing Technology—the show bills itself as the largest manufacturing technology exhibition in the Western Hemisphere, drawing manufacturers whose collective U.S. and foreign investment totals $10.5 trillion.

The 2026 edition places machine tools at the center of its exhibition, with a particular emphasis on multitasking, multifunction, hybrid manufacturing, and 5-axis machining centers. New equipment introductions are expected from Okuma America Corp., Index Corp., Tsugami America, Mazak, Matsuura Machinery, Haas Automation, JTEKT, Marubeni Citizen-Cincom, DN Solutions, and others. Additive manufacturing will also play a more prominent role than in previous editions, building on the momentum established at IMTS 2024.

From Formnext Chicago to IMTS 2026

The 2024 show featured a dedicated Additive Manufacturing Sector, accelerated by Formnext, with more than 23 presentations on a dedicated Formnext Stage and a wide range of AM technology—from laser powder bed fusion and binder jetting to hybrid AM-subtractive systems, contract manufacturing services, and new product launches. That edition drew first-time AM exhibitors including Colibrium Additive, Würth Additive Group, Powder Motion Labs, Linde Advanced Material Technologies, GKN Additive Forecast 3D, and Caracol.

Plans to follow that success with a standalone Formnext Chicago event were ultimately set aside. The energy generated at IMTS 2024 was directed into an expanded AM presence at the 2026 show. “We will leverage our partnership with Mesago and GBM to expand the presence of AM at IMTS 2026 to deliver new and bigger benefits to everyone in the AM value chain, including existing AM adopters and industrial manufacturers that represent the future of AM growth,” said Douglas K. Woods, President of AMT, at the time.

Multitasking on the floor

Several significant product launches are scheduled for the September show. Okuma will introduce its Multus U1000 and U2000 multitasking machines, alongside the new LT2000 EX, a twin-spindle turning center in the 6-inch-chuck class. Index will debut the G160 multitasking machine and the MS24-8 CNC multi-spindle, which combines eight spindles with modern setup efficiency. Mazak will present the Integrex i-350S Neo, which integrates turning, milling, and — for the first time in the series — grinding in a single setup, with main and second turning spindles running at 4,000 rpm and a standard milling spindle at 12,000 rpm.

“The most efficient shops are those with machining centers that bring multiple processes or multiple steps together and make them work as one,” said Tim Thiessen, Vice President of Sales at Okuma and a member of the AMT Show Committee.

Edge Technologies will also present advances in bar feeder technology, including auto-adjustment for different bar sizes and RS (revolutionary sliding) technology, which positions the bar feeder farther back on the spindle to reduce the transition zone. According to Executive Vice President Rick Bauer, some shops are running 3/4-inch bar stock at 10,000 rpm in non-guide-bushing mode — a 15% rpm improvement over previous configurations.

Manufacturing is growing in the US

AMT points to a strengthening demand environment as the backdrop for the show. Manufacturing technology orders grew in 2025 for the first time since 2021, and government policy changes — including reinstated 100% bonus depreciation and a doubling of the Section 179 small business expensing cap from $1.25 million to $2.5 million — are cited as additional drivers of capital investment.

“The government is encouraging reshoring and manufacturing technology investment with policy changes and tax code enhancements,” said Woods. “The machines and technology at IMTS enable manufacturers to turn favorable economic conditions and investment incentives into growth strategies for their business.”

Demand from aerospace, defense, medical, energy, and data center infrastructure sectors is also cited as a growth factor. “This growing demand arrives hand in hand with increased product complexity, tighter lead times, and ongoing skilled labor constraints,” said Michael Huggett, President and CEO of Index Corp.

The show will also cover AI, software, automation, and digital solutions as complementary layers to core machine tool capability.