Last Call: Set Your Team Up for a Strong IMTS

The IMTS Exhibitor Workshop is just two weeks away. By now, you know what the Workshop is. This is about why it matters.

IMTS moves fast. Decisions get made quickly, and the exhibitors who see the strongest results are the ones who arrive with a plan, an aligned team, and a clear understanding of what success looks like for them. The Exhibitor Workshop is designed to help you get there.

Whether you’re responsible for booth operations, marketing, or the big-picture investment, the Workshop gives your entire team practical, role-specific guidance – so everyone is working toward the same goals when the show floor opens.

Here’s what attendees consistently value most:

Clear, actionable preparation that they can apply immediately to their booth planning
Three focused tracks tailored to operations, marketing, and executive leadership
Roundtables built for conversation. No slides, no sales pitches – just practical discussion with peers who get it
Meaningful networking at two dedicated events – because some of the best ideas come from conversations
A hands-on planning workbook to take back to your team
And an awesome new tote bag to carry it all

Most importantly, attendees leave with more confidence, fewer last-minute questions, and a stronger game plan for IMTS.

If IMTS is a major investment for your company – and it is for most exhibitors – this Workshop is your chance to make that investment work harder.

Vendor Partner Spotlight

Happy New Year from the IMTS Freight Team! With IMTS 2026 planning officially underway, we’re looking forward to connecting with exhibitors early in the process.

One of the best opportunities to do that is in person during the Exhibitor Workshop at McCormick Place, Jan. 27-29, where our team will be available to meet one on one. These conversations are all about you – your booth, your plans, and any questions or concerns specific to your situation. There’s real value in having face time, and this is the easiest way to get clear answers before timelines and decisions start to pile up.

Exhibitors will have the opportunity to book meetings with GES, as well as AMT and Freeman (use the booking code link from the Workshop page), to talk through details, explore options, and make sure plans are heading in the right direction.

We’d love the chance to connect and put faces to names as you prepare for IMTS 2026.

As always, I can be reached at tgilmorejr@ges.com or 630-248-8759.

Gielissen Exhibits and Events

Exhibit design and delivery at IMTS 2026 is what we do while you focus on engaging with your customers. Exhibiting at an event like IMTS can quickly become overwhelming – managing budgets, tracking deadlines, understanding union and facility regulations, and creating an environment that conveys a strong brand message to your target audience. Consider partnering with Gielissen. We are professionals who specialize in managing all aspects of your exhibit program.

Our organization has supported IMTS for over 30 years. We are a Dutch company with full-service offices in the United States and have been providing exhibit solutions since 1937. Gielissen creates face-to-face exhibit experiences that are both meaningful and memorable.

We elevate brands by helping strengthen the connection between our clients and their key audiences.
We educate, innovate, and inspire.
We put people and quality ahead of everything else.
As a global company, nothing matters more to us than the relationships we build and the respect we earn from clients, exhibitors, and attendees alike.

Please reach out to us and learn how we can help.

Mike Moyer, mike.moyer@gielissen.com, 781-308-0707
Joe Forrest, joe.forrest@gielissen.com, 678-736-3339
www.gielissen.com

Got a Big-Picture Question? Schedule a 1:1 Strategy Session at Workshop

Want to confirm you're on the right track with preparations for IMTS 2026? Got a question or idea you'd like to run by an expert? Want you make sure you're ready to apply what you learn at Workshop?

Schedule a free 20-minute one-on-one conversation with our favorite trade show trainer, Robyn, during Workshop. No question is too small! Robyn's here to help you achieve your goals. These conversations focus on your strategy, goals, ideas, and how to put what you’re learning at Workshop into action.

Times are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Book Now

A Great Time To Be in Chicago

If you’re in Chicago for the Exhibitor Workshop, you’ll be here during Chicago Restaurant Week, when more than 500 restaurants across the city offer prix-fixe menus ($30 lunch/brunch; $45 or $60 dinner).

As a bonus, everyone registered for the Workshop will have a chance to win one of three gift certificates to a featured Chicago Restaurant Week restaurant (must be present to win). Use it while you’re here – or save it for IMTS.

Reservations go fast, so book early and enjoy some of Chicago’s best dining.

View Participating Restaurants and Book Reservations

3 Things Exhibitors Should Know

Complimentary parking is available for IMTS Exhibitor Workshop attendees, Jan. 28-29, 2026, in McCormick Place Lot A only. Parking validation will be provided at the on-site registration counter in Room S100. Please note that parking at the Hyatt McCormick Place and nearby hotels is not included.
Your 30% payment is due today, Jan. 15, 2026. Please log in to your e-Kit to submit payment.
The Call for Speakers is open. Abstracts are now being accepted for The IMTS 2026 Conference.

Contact Us

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Confused, curious, or just need a real human? Reach out to Jessica and Asa at 800-828-7469 or info@IMTS.com; we’re all ears Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

INSPIRING THE EXTRAORDINARY
International Manufacturing Technology Show • September 9 - 14, 2026
McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, USA

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