Lessons Learned At IMTS

Achieving the Impossible:
Why Showing Up Matters

From September 15–17, I had the opportunity to represent the Non-Ferrous Founders’ Society and the Talent Pipeline Program at IMTS 2026 at McCormick Place in Chicago. After three whirlwind days on the show floor, two long nights of networking at various venues throughout Chicago and multiple 3-hour flight delays, I came home exhausted and energized at the same time. More importantly, I returned better prepared to serve our members.

The theme of IMTS 2026 was “Achieve the Impossible,” and it was fitting. As the largest manufacturing technology trade show in the Western Hemisphere, IMTS brings together the innovators, sellers and leaders driving the future of manufacturing. The full show ran from Monday, September 14, through Saturday, September 19, with nearly 1,800 exhibitors showcasing machines, technology, resources and solutions for the manufacturing community. You could attend every day and still not see everything.

IMTS takes place every two years, and this was probably my fifth show. Each visit has been memorable, but the past two shows have had a particularly meaningful impact on my career.

In 2024, I supported the Champion Now booth in the Smartforce Student Summit, helping students learn about metalworking by machining wooden pens. Even more significantly, I reconnected with my friend Matt Gilmore and learned about the Talent Pipeline Program Network Coach position at NFFS. That conversation changed my life and set me on the path to the role I have today.

In 2026, I returned with a different purpose: to represent NFFS and the Talent Pipeline Program, learn about new resources for our members and strengthen relationships throughout the manufacturing community.

Three Days of Discovery

The pace was nonstop. I returned to the Student Summit and watched students from across the Chicago area get hands-on exposure to metalcasting, robotics, welding and other manufacturing careers. Seeing young people experience modern manufacturing firsthand reinforced why industry engagement matters. Students cannot pursue careers they do not know exist, and events like the Student Summit allow them to see, touch and understand the technology shaping our future.

Across the exhibit halls, our conversations covered an incredible range of challenges facing foundries and manufacturers. We spoke with companies offering solutions for industrial maintenance, preserving institutional knowledge, collecting production data and improving airflow with Big Ass Fans. We explored 3D scanning for nondestructive testing, tools that digitize old printed drawings and artificial intelligence platforms that can support technology development and operations.

There were plenty of memorable moments. I watched a FANUC robotic arm lift a Corvette. I connected with our new NFFS member, ExOne. I met several machine shop owners who need help sourcing castings, creating potential opportunities for NFFS member foundries. Those conversations reminded me that IMTS is not only a technology show; it is also a place where business needs and industry capabilities come together.

The relationship-building continued after the show floor closed. I caught up with former colleagues, learned about new training centers being developed to engage inner-city youth and recruited a keynote speaker for our Workforce Summit next May. I also confirmed that I definitely prefer an Old Fashioned served with one large ice cube.

Information Is Available Everywhere. Relationships Are Not.

The most important lesson from IMTS was simple: being present matters.

I can gather information through internet searches. I can connect with people on LinkedIn. I can read product announcements, watch demonstration videos and review exhibitor websites. Those tools are useful, but they rarely create the same depth of conversation or trust that develops when people meet face to face.

An email from an exhibitor can sit in an inbox or be deleted in seconds. A meaningful conversation about a member’s challenge, a new training initiative or a potential partnership stays with you. It can become a resource, a referral, a business opportunity or the beginning of a long-term professional relationship.

Because I attended IMTS, I am better at my job. I learned about practical solutions that may help NFFS members. I found new connections for foundries seeking technology, talent and business opportunities. I strengthened existing relationships and started new ones. That value cannot be duplicated from behind a desk.

Nothing compares with getting out of the office and participating in a trade show or conference. The knowledge I gained and the connections I made at IMTS will remain with me long after the exhibitor emails have disappeared from my inbox.

Running a Foundry Is Hard. Doing It Alone Is Harder.

That same value will be at the heart of the 2027 NFFS Industry Executive Conference, taking place February 19–21, 2027, at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego.

I know running a foundry is demanding. Time away from the business is difficult, and there will always be another production issue, customer request or workforce challenge competing for your attention. But doing it alone is even harder.

The IEC gives foundry leaders the opportunity to step away from daily demands, share best practices with peers, explore new solutions and build relationships with people who understand the challenges of leading a foundry. One conversation may introduce an idea that improves your operation, connects you with a new resource or changes the direction of your career. I know firsthand that it can happen.

Reserve your hotel room now and make plans to be where non-ferrous foundry leaders connect. The time you invest in being present may deliver value long after the conference ends.