Bet on FABTECH® 2016

When you think of Las Vegas, I’m sure some pretty epic tag lines come to mind. Sin City. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Viva Las Vegas. Come this November, perhaps we could add Met Fab City to the list? OK, maybe not. That doesn’t change the fact that FABTECH^®, the largest metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing tradeshow in North America, is coming to town.

Four years ago, 25,000+ attendees walked more than 450,000 net square feet of exhibit floor space at the Las Vegas Convention Center. But this year’s show promises to be the largest Las Vegas-held event ever with 1,300+ exhibitors occupying over 550,000 net sq. ft. of floor space to display the latest and greatest in additive manufacturing/3-D printing, arc welding, cutting, finishing, coil processing, bending and forming, and gases.

The show comes at a time when manufacturing is experiencing steady growth amid a lot of uncertainty. The recent Brexit vote in the U.K. paired with the upcoming U.S. presidential election are enough to spark a little volatility in the economic landscape. According to the Institute for Supply Management, its manufacturing index dipped slightly from 53.2 percent in June to 52.6 percent in July. Despite the slide, the agency said July’s numbers indicate expansion in the manufacturing sector for the fifth consecutive month and overall economic growth for the 86th consecutive month.

Whether your company is preparing for growth, a slowdown, a process upgrade, or hiring new workers, FABTECH brings together every aspect of the metal fabricating industry in one location to educate, inform, entertain, and provide networking opportunities to you.

There is more to the show than just browsing through aisles of capital equipment. Educational seminars, social and networking opportunities, keynote speakers, and panel discussions help to keep you informed on the latest technological trends, educate you on how a change in political leadership will affect your business, and connect you to your metal fabricating peers.

Show Info

Dates: Wednesday, Nov. 16 - Friday, Nov. 18

Times: Wednesday, Nov. 16: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 17: 9 a.m. -5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 18: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Venue: Las Vegas Convention Center

FABTECH brings together every aspect of the metal fabricating industry in one location to educate, entertain, and provide networking opportunities to attendees.

Website: Check out www.fabtechexpo.com to see the official floor plan layout, browse a listing of educational seminars, get a sneak peek at the new products that will be unveiled, and brush up on travel accommodations like hotels and shuttles to and from the convention center.

Show Co-Sponsors: Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. (FMA), SME, Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), Chemical Coaters Association Intl. (CCAI), American Welding Society (AWS)

General Show Inquiry Contact:

888-394-4362 (U.S. and Canada)

815-399-8700 (outside U.S. and Canada)

Email: information@fabtechexpo.com

Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram

Mobile App: Carry important show information right in the palm of your hand with the FABTECH 2016 mobile app. Available for iPhone®, iPad®, Android®, and other web-enabled devices, the app allows you to search exhibitors, navigate the show floor, and build your itinerary. Download it for free on your mobile app store today.

Special Events

Wednesday, Nov. 16

Opening Keynote

Technology changes quickly, which is why it’s important to take advantage of opportunities to stay sharp through seminars, demonstrations, or conversations with industry professionals.

Speaker: Sugar Ray Leonard

FABTECH Theater, Central Hall Lobby

9-10 a.m.

Sponsored by Mitsubishi Laser

Boxing legend, entrepreneur, and author of The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring, Sugar Ray Leonard will explain how to achieve greatness by setting fears of the unknown aside with preparation, focus, discipline, determination, and the right attitude. Using real-life stories, his message is meant to inspire metal fabricators.

Featured Expert Panel Session

State of the Industry:

Post-Election Analysis

FABTECH Theater, Central Hall Lobby

12:30-1:30 p.m.

Moderator: William Gaskin, president, Precision Metalforming Association

Panel: Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence; Ned Monroe, senior VP external relations, National Association of Manufacturers; Omar S. Nashashibi, partner, 

The Franklin Partnership LLP

Panelists will review the 2016 election results and discuss the impact on the manufacturing industry and the business climate for capital investment, tax updates, and what it means to your business. At stake in this election is not only the White House and Congress, but control of the U.S. Supreme Court, which will decide many controversial rules long after President Obama leaves office.

Thursday, Nov. 17

WOMEN OF FABTECH BREAKFAST WITH TECH TOUR

FABTECH Theater, Central Hall Lobby

7:30-10:30 a.m.

Cost: $15

7:30-8 a.m.: Breakfast

8-8:15 a.m.: Guest Speaker Jennifer Cipolla,

Center for Additive Technology Advancement Leader at GE

9:30-10:30 a.m.: Tech Tour

Women in manufacturing who are attending the show are invited to this networking breakfast to celebrate the importance of their influence in the manufacturing sector. Speaker Jennifer Cipolla will talk about how GE merges hardware and software to reimagine how products are designed, made, and serviced. This event includes a tech tour of the show floor.

DEVELOPMENT TRENDS IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING AND 3-D PRINTING

FABTECH Theater, Central Hall Lobby

8:30-9:30 a.m.

Moderator: Carl Dekker, president, Met-L-Flo Inc.

Panel: Jennifer Cipolla, Center for Additive

Technology Advancement, GE; David Lakatos, chief product officer, Formlabs; Robert Henderson, director of additive manufacturing, Linear Mold & Engineering Inc.; Bryan Crutchfield, vice president and general manager, Materialise USA

This panel of experts will discuss the technology and materials driving innovations using 3-D printing. Manufacturing demands more customization and faster solutions. Using available and affordable additive manufacturing technologies can increase manufacturing efficiencies for complex products, improve performance, decrease cost, and reduce waste.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING:

CREATING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

FABTECH Theater, Central Hall Lobby

12:30-1:30 p.m.

Sponsored by Plex

Panel: Diego Tamburini, PhD, manufacturing industry strategist, Autodesk; Jerry Foster,

chief technology officer, Plex Systems;

Lonnie Love, PhD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Manufacturing Demonstration Facility

FABTECH HAPPY HOUR

Located Throughout Exhibit Halls

3-5 p.m.

Mix, mingle, and network with exhibitors and show attendees during Happy Hour. Held on the exhibit hall floor, this event is a great way to meet peers in a relaxed, entertaining environment while perusing the technology in exhibitor booths. A complimentary beverage ticket is included with event registration.

Friday, Nov. 18

RUN4MFG 5K

Town Square Las Vegas

6605 Las Vegas Blvd.

6:30 a.m.: Registration opens

7:00 a.m.: Race starts

Cost: $35 on or before Nov. 4/ $50 after. Includes FABTECH 2016 RUN4MFG T-shirt.

Run or walk this 3.1-mile course through the south end of the famed Las Vegas Strip and support the future of manufacturing.

SHOP TALK WITH “COUNTING CARS”

FABTECH Theater, Central Hall Lobby

9-10 a.m.

Kevin Mack and “Horny” Mike Henry from the reality show “Counting Cars” will be on hand to talk with attendees, meet with fans, sign autographs, and take pictures. Stop by and meet the guys who build cars and bikes at Count’s Kustoms, the Las Vegas-based custom chopper and hot rod dealer.

Wednesday, Nov. 16-Thursday, Nov. 17

WELDERS WITHOUT BORDERS:

WELDING THUNDER TEAM

FABRICATING COMPETITION

FABTECH Theater, Central Hall Lobby

Nov. 16: 9 a.m. -5 p.m.

Nov. 17: 7 a.m. -1 p.m.

This is a competition featuring college and high school welders who will fabricate, weld, and cook using their projects. Awards will be given to the teams with the most accurate fabrication projects as determined by judges.

Wednesday, Nov. 16-Friday, Nov. 18

BLUES, BREWS, AND BBQ

Outside of Central Hall

11 a.m.-Show Close

Sponsored by REA Jet

Refuel, have a beverage, and mingle with attendees at this outdoor food and drink venue.