FABTECH to return to Chicago’s McCormick Place in September

FABTECH will be the first large-scale manufacturing tradeshow to return to McCormick Place in Chicago, Sept. 13-16, since the pandemic forced an end to in-person events.

FABTECH will be the first large-scale manufacturing tradeshow to return to McCormick Place in Chicago, Sept. 13-16, since the pandemic forced an end to in-person events. As the state of Illinois moves into its final reopening phase, Chicago will once again be the epicenter of the North American metal fabrication industry with the return of FABTECH. The event brings all aspects of the metal fabricating, forming, welding, and finishing industries together to showcase the technology, innovation, and solutions they provide.

The economic impact of FABTECH is important to the industries it serves, as well as at the state and local levels. “FABTECH is one of the largest events held at McCormick Place, bringing $73 million delegation spending to Chicago,” said Ed Youdell, president/CEO, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. “Our last event in Chicago employed just short of 4,000 laborers with over 110,000 hours of work. This contributed $5.3 million of labor to the overall Chicago workforce. We are looking forward to bringing these jobs back online. In addition, FABTECH will provide an important boost to the hospitality industry, utilizing over 40 hotels as well as many entertainment and restaurant outlets during the 19 days the event brings delegates to Chicago from setup through teardown.”

FABTECH facilitates connections among exhibitors and attendees to conduct business, share knowledge, and showcase the most advanced manufacturing equipment and technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore three halls filled with cutting-edge technology, product debuts, and firsthand product demonstrations from more than 1,000 exhibitors.

FABTECH has coordinated within state and local public health guidelines to develop a plan for return and anticipates more than 30,000 attendees this fall. FABTECH is one of more than 120 conventions planning to return to McCormick Place’s halls as a result of Illinois’ recently advancing to Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan—a framework to guide the reopening of the economy—which allows all industries to return to full operations without capacity restrictions. Phase 5 is based on progress made toward vaccine administration and allows for the return of all conventions, events, and activities across all industries.

“From air circulation to cleaning protocols to guest services, the team at McCormick Place has been working tirelessly to ensure that we meet and exceed best practices for health and safety without compromising the event experience,” said Larita Clark, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. “We greatly value our long-standing partnership with FABTECH and their shared commitment to ensuring a safe experience for their attendees.”

Attendee and media registration for FABTECH 2021 is open now.