MT Magazine July/August 2024

THE IMTS ISSUE

28

FEATURE STORY

• E-mail the company or book an appointment. • Save product information and company literature. • Make note of special offers. • Map a route for your booth visits. First-time attendees always underestimate the immensity of IMTS. There are over 40 million pounds of equipment covering 1.2 million square feet of exhibit and conference space. To grasp the scope of IMTS, imagine 5,000 trucks filling 22 football fields! 6. Check Out Exhibitors and Technologies. Many exhibitors have an online showroom on IMTS.com with expanded descriptions, videos, photos, literature, and links. Once you find an exhibitor, click on their booth number to display their location on the IMTS floor plan. 7. Sign Up for the IMTS Insider e-Newsletter. Be the first to know about the latest updates on IMTS 2024. Enjoy stories from the IMTS community at IMTS.com/read. 8. Review IMTS+ for Even Richer Content. Gain inspiration from manufacturing leaders in “The World According To…” series; explore technologies by watching compelling industry shows such as “Manufacturing Explorers,” “Road Trippin’ with Steve,” “Smart(er) Shop,” or listen to the “Tech Trends Podcast” for the hottest news and developments; and pick up practical tips and personal stories from the IMTS community, the people behind the technology. 9. Make Dinner Reservations With Choose Chicago Visit ChooseChicago.com/IMTS to access the IMTS Chicago concierge service to explore dining, nightlife, and other Chicago attractions. With more than 100,000 people visiting Chicago for IMTS, restaurants will fill up quickly. If you want deep dish pizza but don’t have reservations, you’ll be deep in the restaurant’s waiting line. For more tasty recommendations, visit IMTS.com/ChicagoLocals to watch the all-new IMTS+ series “Chicago Locals,” where three of our Chicago locals check in on the latest hotels, restaurants, unique Chicago neighborhoods, and local activities. McCormick Place also has a new food service provider, so look for a wider variety of dining options throughout the facility. On-site dining options include sit-down restaurants, casual cafes, and grab-and-go markets. GAME-TIME PERFORMANCE After you register (you did register, right?) and book your hotel room, you need to be prepared to make game-time decisions, as IMTS 2024 has a lot to offer. To ensure on-time arrival, see “IMTS 2024: Your Essential Guide” on Page 21 by Michelle Edmonson for info on hotel shuttle bus routes, McCormick Place parking locations, registration, and other IMTS-savvy traveler advice. 10. Know the 10 IMTS Technology Sectors. This is just like knowing all the positions and players in a game. IMTS is

PREGAME PLANNING 1. Register. Star players don’t wait in line. If you registered online by Aug. 1 and it was confirmed prior to Aug. 2, then your badge will be mailed to you. If you have not registered, do it now at IMTS.com/Register. 2. Decide Dates To Attend and Schedule Your Time in the Game. IMTS 2024 takes place Monday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept. 14. Scan the website to see the schedule for daily keynote speakers, which includes executives from Fortune 500 companies and Manufacturing USA representatives. Check out the conference calendar (IMTS.com/Conferences). A dozen conferences are taking place and include invaluable networking receptions and special fundraising events and programs. Pro-tip: When deciding when to come, don’t cut your time short. Your time at IMTS is an investment; spend as much as possible. You’ll need more time than you think. And nobody likes riding the bench. 3. Looking for Some Actual Physical Training? There is no better event to get your heart pumping for manufacturing than participating in the Miles For Manufacturing (M4M) 5K (IMTS.com/M4M) on Wednesday at 7 a.m. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, M4M has raised more than $190,000 for manufacturing education at schools and STEM programs throughout the country. The best part is 100% of the funds raised goes directly into manufacturing education. 4. Book Your Hotel. Visit IMTS.com/hotel to reserve your hotel room with AMT's Global Housing Solutions team for the best rates and guaranteed rooms. AMT contracts with more than 90 hotels to secure custom blocks for IMTS, but rooms at hotels with preferred locations fill up fast. Nightly rates range from $289 to $330 and are the lowest rates available at selected properties during IMTS show week. Free shuttles operate daily to and from McCormick Place from most of the hotels. New to the IMTS family of hotels this year are Cambria Hotel Chicago Loop, Hotel Cass, Hyatt Place Chicago/Downtown The Loop, Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile, SpringHill Suites Chicago, and voco Chicago Downtown. Watch “Chicago Locals” on IMTS+ at IMTS.com/ChicagoLocals to check out a few of the new hotels, including Sable at Navy Pier Chicago and Chicago Athletic Association. 5. Create a Free Show Planner Account. The Show Planner is your playbook. It grants you access to planning tools to create a personalized agenda, schedule meetings with exhibitors, gain special offers, and see recommendations. When logged in to the Show Planner (IMTS.com/myshow): • Bookmark companies of interest and recall their location on the floor plan. • Make notes about the company.