Neff Press at FABTECH 2019 — Chicago

Neff Press was proud to exhibit at FABTECH 2019, held November 11–14 at McCormick Place in Chicago. You could find our team at booth D45138, where we connected with customers, showcased our American-made hydraulic presses, and talked shop with fellow manufacturers from across the industry.

A record-setting show

FABTECH 2019 turned out to be one of the strongest editions yet. Despite some unexpected winter weather, North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event closed with record attendance—drawing 48,278 attendees from 95 countries, a 7% jump over the previous FABTECH Chicago. Across three massive exhibit halls, roughly 1,700 exhibitors showcased more than 500 new products, giving attendees four full days to evaluate equipment, compare technologies, and talk directly with engineering and product experts.

For the first time, the show expanded into the Lakeside Center, with early access that let attendees get a jump on day one. Event leadership framed the timing as especially important given the year’s economic climate and the pace of technology change, emphasizing the value of bringing the whole community together in one place for networking, education, and business development.

More than a trade show floor

Beyond the exhibits, FABTECH 2019 packed in a full slate of programming. The opening FABx Tech Talks—modeled on the TED Talks format—featured industry veterans sharing stories on motivation and team building. Education remained a flagship draw, with more than 175 sessions across 14 technology tracks covering everything from automation and smart manufacturing to 3D/additive manufacturing, welding, cutting, lasers, and workforce development. New additions like the Smart Manufacturing Hub and the Robotics and Industrial Automation Technology Pavilion put a spotlight on the automation, IoT, and 3D-printing trends reshaping the industry, while the AWS Welding Competition gave skilled welders a chance to go head-to-head.

Why shows like this matter to us

For a custom press manufacturer like Neff Press, events like FABTECH are invaluable. They’re where we get to meet the qualified buyers and long-time customers who make the trip to see the latest fabricating technology in person—and where we can have the hands-on, face-to-face conversations that help us build presses tailored to real-world applications. Exhibitors across the show reported robust sales activity from day one, and that energy matched our own experience on the floor.

Looking ahead

Worth noting for anyone planning future trips: the show’s organizers announced that, starting in 2021, FABTECH Chicago would shift from its traditional November dates to September, returning to McCormick Place September 13–16, 2021. The next U.S. FABTECH after 2019 was set for Las Vegas, November 18–20, 2020.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by booth D45138. We look forward to seeing you at the next one.