Tom Bassett II, owner of Pro-Cam Services in the Haas Automation booth #338100 at IMTS. Manufacturers attend IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show for different reasons: to build relationships with people who understand their business, discover new technologies, solve production challenges, and compare equipment. While online research and virtual demos can help narrow options, attendees say some of their biggest breakthroughs came from unexpected discussions on the show floor, asking questions face-to-face, and hearing directly from other manufacturers about what works in real-world production environments. Here’s what seven manufacturers say keeps them coming back to IMTS. Register NowBuilding Relationships at IMTS “Relationships between customers, vendors, and partners drive project success,” says Scott Harms, president of MetalQuest Unlimited, who has attended IMTS since 1998. “When buying advanced technology like multitasking machines, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to make full decisions without seeing it in person and talking with the experts behind it.” Ashley Harms, operations manager at MetalQuest, says in-person connections pay dividends. “Every show I attend, I meet more people,” she says. “When you meet someone face-to-face, that person is way more likely to make room for you in their schedule.” Unexpected Opportunities on the Show Floor For Tom Bassett II, owner of Pro-Cam Services, IMTS has repeatedly reshaped the company's direction. In 2016, he discovered Zoller’s (IMTS booth #432018) tool presetting technology and brought it into the shop. In 2024, after watching 5-axis milling in action, he negotiated the purchase of a DN Solutions DVF 5000 (IMTS booth #338919) right on the show floor. “Day-to-day, you get stuck in a bubble of your own shop,” says Bassett. “When you go to IMTS, the whole world opens up to where technology is going.” Pro-Cam machinist Brent Bassett adds, “You meet people. You get a feel for the machine, the company behind it, and how they’ll support you when you need help. You could spend a year watching YouTube videos and still not learn what you pick up in three days at IMTS. If we didn’t go to IMTS, our shop would fall behind.” Hands-on Technology IMTS 2024 featured more than 40 million pounds of machinery, much of it operational. Tyger Hoban, owner and mechanical engineer at DarkHorse Motor Co., says there is no substitute for trying lathes in person. “You can’t put your hands on it or have a personalized conversation online,” he says. “In the motorcycle industry and in machining, putting a face to a name and having someone who knows your business is always better than a chatbot.” Tyger’s father, Tom Hoban, has attended the show more than 10 times. “IMTS gives you an overall picture of manufacturing,” the elder Hoban says. “I always did a lot of tooling investigation. One tool we found at the show reduced die roughing time from 90 minutes to 15 minutes.” Learning From Industry Experts Many IMTS attendees say they attend the show to learn what they don’t know, including Chad Sesing, vice president of operations at JTD Enterprises. At IMTS, Sesing met with his ERP system supplier, ECI Software Solutions (IMTS booth #133361), the creator of JobBoss. “One of their engineers helped us understand how to streamline the way we entered and extracted information,” Sesing says. “Even if you’re a current customer, there’s value in stopping to talk to people.” Start Connecting at IMTS 2026 Who will you meet and collaborate with at IMTS 2026? Start building relationships by registering today at IMTS.com/register. Further ReadingIMTS 2026 Spotlights the Technologies Powering Manufacturing’s Next LeapAutomating the Toolroom for Better Flow and Bigger GainsFirst-Timer’s Guide to IMTS 6 Manufacturers Share Their Best IMTS Discoveries
Here are 7 manufacturers who attend IMTS to build relationships, discover technology, compare equipment, and solve production challenges.
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