Back in Action: FABTECH 2021

It’s time to get back to in-person events, proclaimed Steve Prahalis, COO, SME, at a June 15 press conference at McCormick Place, announcing the return of FABTECH to Chicago, taking place September 13-16. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When it comes to metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing, FABTECH is the only event where industry members can experience everything in one place. Attendees can not only view live demonstrations of the latest in manufacturing machinery and new products, they can also explore innovations based on application and industry, and discover new solutions or upgrades to improve productivity and efficiencies.

At the press event, Prahalis underscored the unrivaled value of live and in-person events, where buyers and sellers meet in person to advance commerce and drive the economy. “It is important for us to get together and ultimately get business done,” Prahalis said. “We are a business-to-business event.”

And getting back to business, in a healthy and safe way, is an overarching theme for this year’s FABTECH. There will be more than 1,000 exhibiting companies on the show floor demonstrating the latest manufacturing innovations, technologies and ingenuity. There will also be expert panels and keynote addresses, as well as 150 conference sessions.

During the event, several health and safety practices will be followed at McCormick Place, including an enhanced cleaning process for high traffic and touch point areas; increased ventilation throughout the buildings; new air filtration systems; and a simplified digital badging system.

The entire McCormick Place campus has earned the GBAC Star Accreditation, which means the campus is prepared to host a safe and healthy event for all attendees. “Our entire team is trained in outbreak prevention and control and committed to following state and local guidelines,” stated Larita Clark, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which manages McCormick Place.

Fabricating & Metalworking is proud to present the FABTECH 2021 Product Showcase, which is a valuable guide to navigating the show floor. Make the most of your time at FABTECH by learning about some of the products that will be featured at the pavilions, which includes fabrication, welding, tube and pipe machinery, tooling, systems and accessories.

FABTECH

McCormick Place
2301 South Martin Luther King Drive
Chicago, IL 60616

Monday, September 13
10:00 am — 6:00 pm
East Building (Lakeside Center) opens at 9:00 am

Tuesday, September 14
9:00 am — 5:00 pm

Wednesday, September 15
9:00 am — 5:00 pm

Thursday, September 16
9:00 am — 3:00 pm

Cost to Attend
Show floor admission is complimentary if you register by September 9, 2021. After the deadline, and for on-site registration, the fee is $50 (US).

South Building, Hall A
Forming and Fabricating
3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing

North Building, Hall B
Welding
Welding Automation & Robotics and Industrial Automation

Lakeside Center (East Building), Hall D
Metalform
Tube & Pipe
Finishing

Please note: The booth numbers in the linked webpages were current as of press time.