FABTECH 2019: What to expect and a McCormick Place history lesson

FABTECH is back in Chicago this year and, as usual, the organizers have a few new things in store—more conference sessions, more exhibits, new pavilions, interesting keynote presentations, and a new location for the tube- and pipe-related exhibits.

It’s 2019 and autumn is upon us. Nights are cooler, leaves are changing color, and this is an odd-numbered year, so the world’s largest annual metal forming and fabricating exposition, FABTECH, is going to be held in Chicago soon (Nov. 11-14).

It’s returning to McCormick Place, which is the largest convention center in the U.S. Situated along the shore of Lake Michigan, it’s named for Robert McCormick, former publisher of The Chicago Tribune and a relative of the inventor of the McCormick reaper, one of the earliest agriculture machines. It’s quite a coincidence that someone in the McCormick family tree knew a thing or two about fabricating metal long before this expo came along and occupied McCormick Place on a biennial basis.

Although McCormick died several years before the builder broke ground for the convention center, he had been a proponent of the project for decades, so it was named for him. The original building was located east of Lake Shore Drive, and although Chicagoans learned a difficult lesson in 1871 when the Great Chicago Fire left 100,000 homeless, the original McCormick Place wasn’t quite as fireproof as many had thought. Heavily damaged by a fire 1967, the expo center was rebuilt and opened for business again in 1971.

Expansions in 1986, 1997, and 2007 on the west side of Lake Shore Drive—the North Building, South Building, and West Building, respectively—brought the exhibition space to its current level, 2.6 million square feet. FABTECH has occupied the North Building and South Building for decades. The South Building has Hall A, which has 840,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space. This hall is home to the forming and fabricating exhibits. The North Building houses the welding exhibits, Hall B. All of this is on Level 3.

Note that maps of McCormick Place refer to Halls A1 and A2 and Halls B1 and B2. The halls can be divided into two sections for small expos, but they are joined for large events such as FABTECH. In other words, when you’re in A1, don’t look for A2; you’re already in it.

Moving along, FABTECH has expanded again, and if you’re reading this, take note: This year the tube- and pipe-related vendors have exhibit space in the original building, across Lake Shore Drive from the main buildings. Now called Lakeside Center and labeled Hall D, it will have tube and pipe, stamping, the FABTECH Theatre, and a bistro. If you’re a member of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA), the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), or the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), you’ll find their booths in Hall D as well.

A covered walkway connects the Lakeside Center to the other part of the campus, but you don’t have to start on the west side and cross to the east—the shuttle routes include stops at Hall D, and you can register in the Lakeside Center as well, so your day can start and end on the east side.

If you want to get a feel for the layout, create a schedule for yourself, review the many conference sessions that will take place, or make any other plans related to the expo visit fabtechexpo.com. If have an article idea you’d like to discuss with any of the editors of The FABRICATOR, STAMPING Journal, The Additive Report, The WELDER, or The Tube & Pipe Journal, stop in at booth D46708 or A2179. If we’re out on the expo floor, just ask anyone at either booth to contact us, and we’ll do our best to connect.

See you in Chicago!