U.S. Manufacturing Investment and Productivity Momentum Set Stage for IMTS 2026

The United States continues to see renewed manufacturing investment and output growth, but sustaining reindustrialization depends on accelerating productivity. At IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, the manufacturers and job shops that build America will find the technologies, ideas, and connections that translate capital investment into greater efficiency, resilience, and long-term competitiveness.

U.S. manufacturing generates trillions of dollars in economic output, and IMTS serves as a marketplace connecting manufacturers with technology providers. According to the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report, in the first half of 2026, new orders of metalworking machinery reached a record total of $3.44 billion, up 36% year over year and the strongest half since USMTO began tracking orders in 1998. New orders for manufactured durable goods increased $3.6 billion, or 1.1%, to $339.3 billion in July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, marking the fourth increase in five months. The ISM Manufacturing PMI registered 54.6 in August, the eighth straight month of manufacturing sector expansion, while ISM’s broader economic indicator has now shown growth for 22 consecutive months.

“Economic momentum, demand for a stronger U.S. industrial base, continued reshoring and foreign direct investment, new incentives for capital investment, and the launch of cutting-edge technologies are creating one of the most exciting moments manufacturing has seen in years – and one of the most important reasons to attend IMTS,” says Douglas K. Woods, president of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS. “Across aerospace, defense, medical, AI infrastructure, and other high-demand sectors, manufacturers are looking for the technologies, partners, and productivity gains that will help them compete and grow.”

Manufacturing sector labor productivity increased 2.4% in the second quarter of 2026, as output increased 5.4% and hours worked increased 2.9%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Durable-goods manufacturers performed even better, increasing productivity 3.6% as output grew 7.3%. Manufacturing unit labor costs decreased 0.3%, with productivity gains offset by higher hourly compensation.

U.S. and foreign companies have announced $11 trillion in U.S. investment commitments, according to investments tracked by the White House, underscoring the scale of opportunity for manufacturers and technology providers gathering at IMTS.

The investment momentum aligns with reshoring trends that continue to reshape U.S. manufacturing.

“Manufacturing is surging,” confirms Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative. “Much of that strength is due to reshoring and foreign direct investment staying strong and being projected to reach a near-record 338,000 jobs announced in 2026 alone.”

Moser says balancing the country’s $1.3 trillion goods trade deficit will require a 40% increase in manufacturing and a surge in investment and productivity. The award-winning shops demonstrate how manufacturers can help close that gap.

“As a country, we need to make more things here. Reindustrializing America depends on increasing our total productivity factor by adopting new technologies and business approaches,” says John “Jay” Rogers, co-founder and CEO of Haddy. 

For machine shops, equipment represents their largest capital investment, making IMTS an important venue for evaluating technologies that can improve productivity, expand capacity, and support more confident purchasing decisions.

“By investing in the best-of-the-best CNC and fabrication equipment, we’re able to produce better parts faster, with fewer defects and less postprocessing, which ultimately lowers costs and improves reliability for our customers,” says Jim Belosic, founder and CEO of SendCutSend, an on-demand manufacturing company specializing in custom sheet metal and CNC machining. 

“Walking the IMTS floor shows you the technology. Presentations on the IMTS+ Main Stage, conferences, and networking events provide insight on how to make investment decisions with greater confidence and deliver lasting value,” says Payne.

Van Metre adds, “IMTS brings together the people that have solved these challenges before. We’ll interview these experts so visitors can learn from their experience instead of starting from scratch.”

For more information, visit IMTS.com.

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IMTS 2026 Opens in Chicago as Manufacturing Takes Center Stage in Reindustrializing the United States

With total attendance on pace to exceed 90,000, the manufacturing community at IMTS 2026 represents all 50 states and 113 countries.

Chicago (September 14, 2026) – IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show opened today at McCormick Place in Chicago with 1,788 exhibiting companies (including 400 first-time exhibitors), 1.17 million square feet of exhibit space, and attendance on pace to exceed 90,000. The largest manufacturing technology show in the Western Hemisphere runs Sept. 14-19, and it brings an economic impact of $250 million to Chicago and Illinois. As of this morning, there were 80,697 registrants, including an estimated 15,000 students. IMTS 2026 is also seeing a higher visitor-to-exhibitor-personnel ratio; in previous years, IMTS saw a 1.42 floor-density ratio, meaning that there are 142 visitors for every 100 exhibitor personnel.

The strong turnout comes as manufacturers continue to invest heavily in production technology. New orders of metalworking machinery totaled $605.8 million in July 2026, according to the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report issued yesterday. Through July, orders reached $4.03 billion, up 37.1% compared with the same period in 2025. This is only the second time since USMTO began collecting data in 1998 that orders have exceeded half a billion dollars for five consecutive months.

“America has rediscovered a fundamental economic truth: Ultimately, a country creates value by making, mining, or growing something locally, and all three depend on manufacturing,” said Douglas K. Woods, president of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, at the show’s opening ceremony. AMT owns and produces IMTS. “Investment is flowing into U.S. manufacturing at the same time companies are rethinking and regionalizing their supply chains. The technologies at IMTS give manufacturers the productivity, flexibility, and scale to capitalize on that opportunity.”

Across the show floor, AI, automation, robotics, connected systems, software, additive manufacturing, machining, metrology, tooling, and workholding come together as integrated manufacturing solutions.

“Only IMTS brings the entire manufacturing technology ecosystem together,” said Woods. “This is the one place where you can see all these technologies working together, compare solutions, and understand how they can change what happens in your factory.”

A Global Community
Registrants for IMTS 2026 include people from all 50 states and 113 countries. Visitors include those from the defense, aerospace, automotive, off-highway equipment, power, oil and gas, AI infrastructure (data centers), semiconductor, medical, and other industries. Companies of all sizes are represented, including tens of thousands of small job shops and contract manufacturers, prime defense contractors, AI hyperscalers, and major OEMs.

“IMTS is a solutions-based show and a community of innovators, builders, and people who achieve the impossible,” said Michelle Edmonson, vice president – exhibitions, AMT. “Whether people come from the other side of the world or across the country, they come for the same fundamental reason: They have a challenge to solve or an opportunity to pursue, and they know they can meet the people and companies here who can help them accomplish their goals. Those connections are what make IMTS a community, and they continue long after everyone goes home.”

The manufacturing community has been gathering at IMTS in Chicago for nearly 80 years. First held in the city in 1947 at the Dodge Plant on South Cicero Avenue, IMTS moved to McCormick Place in 1972 and has grown alongside both the manufacturing industry and its longtime host city.
“On behalf of the MPEA McCormick Place campus, we are so excited and proud to welcome IMTS 2026 to McCormick Place and to Chicago, Illinois,” said Larita Clark, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA). “This year marks 54 years together. That is more than a milestone. It is a reflection of true partnership. Through decades of change, nationally, locally, in our industry, and in the way people gather, our relationship has remained strong because of a shared commitment to delivering meaningful experiences to exhibitors and attendees.”

Register on-site for IMTS 2026 and Achieve the Impossible, Sept. 14-19, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

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U.S. Manufacturing Investment and Productivity Momentum Set Stage for IMTS 2026

New manufacturing technologies aimed at increasing output and capacity debut as industry, defense, and AI leaders gather in Chicago.

McLean, Va. (September 10, 2026) – The United States continues to see renewed manufacturing investment and output growth, but sustaining reindustrialization depends on accelerating productivity. At IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, the manufacturers and job shops that build America will find the technologies, ideas, and connections that translate capital investment into greater efficiency, resilience, and long-term competitiveness.

U.S. manufacturing generates trillions of dollars in economic output, and IMTS serves as a marketplace connecting manufacturers with technology providers. According to the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report, in the first half of 2026, new orders of metalworking machinery reached a record total of $3.44 billion, up 36% year over year and the strongest half since USMTO began tracking orders in 1998. New orders for manufactured durable goods increased $3.6 billion, or 1.1%, to $339.3 billion in July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, marking the fourth increase in five months. The ISM Manufacturing PMI registered 54.6 in August, the eighth straight month of manufacturing sector expansion, while ISM’s broader economic indicator has now shown growth for 22 consecutive months.

“Economic momentum, demand for a stronger U.S. industrial base, continued reshoring and foreign direct investment, new incentives for capital investment, and the launch of cutting-edge technologies are creating one of the most exciting moments manufacturing has seen in years – and one of the most important reasons to attend IMTS,” says Douglas K. Woods, president of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS. “Across aerospace, defense, medical, AI infrastructure, and other high-demand sectors, manufacturers are looking for the technologies, partners, and productivity gains that will help them compete and grow.”

Manufacturing sector labor productivity increased 2.4% in the second quarter of 2026, as output increased 5.4% and hours worked increased 2.9%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Durable-goods manufacturers performed even better, increasing productivity 3.6% as output grew 7.3%. Manufacturing unit labor costs decreased 0.3%, with productivity gains offset by higher hourly compensation.

U.S. and foreign companies have announced $11 trillion in U.S. investment commitments, according to investments tracked by the White House, underscoring the scale of opportunity for manufacturers and technology providers gathering at IMTS.

The investment momentum aligns with reshoring trends that continue to reshape U.S. manufacturing.

“Manufacturing is surging,” confirms Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative. “Much of that strength is due to reshoring and foreign direct investment staying strong and being projected to reach a near-record 338,000 jobs announced in 2026 alone.”

To celebrate reshoring, Moser will present the 2026 National Metalworking Reshoring Award to two recipients, AccuRounds and Three M Tool & Machine & Ultra-Grip. Moser says balancing the country’s $1.3 trillion goods trade deficit will require a 40% increase in manufacturing and a surge in investment and productivity. The award-winning shops demonstrate how manufacturers can help close that gap.

Learning and Inspiration
Beyond the exhibit floor, IMTS is a major forum for manufacturing education and networking, with more than 50 sessions on the IMTS+ Main Stage. Presentation themes include domestic manufacturing growth, the U.S. defense industrial base, AI, automation, additive technology, digital manufacturing, aerospace growth, women in manufacturing, next-generation education, technology investment, and more. People and organizations represented include:
• Vice Admiral Robert Gaucher, Director, Submarine Programs for the U.S. Department of War, will focus on how the submarine enterprise is using data-driven insights to drive speed and innovation, particularly in advanced and additive manufacturing, and how industry partners can support their critical mission.
• Representatives from the Warfighting Investments, Resourcing, and Execution (WIRE) directorate at the U.S. Department of War will deliver a presentation titled “Build Freedom: Building the Workforce Behind America’s Manufacturing Strength.”
• A conversation on the U.S. Navy’s growing investment in 3D printing and what it means for the future of defense, featuring Captain Jason Deichler, Chief of Staff, Director, Submarine Programs for the U.S. Department of War, and John Barnes of Barnes Global Advisors.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, which respectively created drones and test flight vehicles that demonstrate surge production capabilities using additive manufacturing, automation, and AI.
• Technology and manufacturing industry leaders from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Autodesk, AWS, Boom Supersonic, Caterpillar, EOS, Google Cloud, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Mazak, Microsoft, Red Bull Technology, and Siemens.
• Investment, financial, and market perspectives from Bain & Co., The Barnes Global Advisors, Cantor Fitzgerald, IMEC, Held Holding, NewCap Partners, and others.
• People who make space exploration possible, featuring retired astronaut Wendy Lawrence and Dr. Sharon Cobb, associate program manager, NASA’s Space Launch System Program.

“As a country, we need to make more things here. Reindustrializing America depends on increasing our total productivity factor by adopting new technologies and business approaches,” says John “Jay” Rogers, co-founder and CEO of Haddy. Rogers will deliver an IMTS+ Main Stage speech on his approaches using AI-powered robotic 3D printing of drone boats and aircraft for military applications, furniture, and show sets for Disney World.

Investing in Productivity
For machine shops, equipment represents their largest capital investment, making IMTS an important venue for evaluating technologies that can improve productivity, expand capacity, and support more confident purchasing decisions.

“By investing in the best-of-the-best CNC and fabrication equipment, we’re able to produce better parts faster, with fewer defects and less postprocessing, which ultimately lowers costs and improves reliability for our customers,” says Jim Belosic, founder and CEO of SendCutSend, an on-demand manufacturing company specializing in custom sheet metal and CNC machining. Belosic will participate in IMTS+ Main Stage events.

New CNCs debuting at IMTS emphasize technologies that increase output per employee and machine, including process consolidation, 5-axis and multitasking capability, hybrid manufacturing, and unattended production. Highlights include:
• DN Solutions’ AM2CNC platform with a 5-axis machining center and automatic workpiece changer.
• Hurco’s BM500U for 5-axis or 3+2 machining, as well as a new eight-station pallet changer.
• Makino’s a630iT 5-axis horizontal machining center with Pro7 Control.Okuma’s MULTUS U1000 compact multitasking lathe and 13-pallet tower system.
• Trevisan Machine Tool’s GT350 with milling and U-axis turning spindles.
• United Machining Solutions’ Mikron Mill E 700 U Prime and AgieCharmilles CUT P 600 wire-cutting EDM.

To assess the technology unveiled at IMTS 2026, MakingChips podcast hosts Mike Payne, president and owner of Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication, and Paul Van Metre, co-founder of ProShop ERP, will host afternoon sessions on the IMTS+ Main Stage on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

“Walking the IMTS floor shows you the technology. Presentations on the IMTS+ Main Stage, conferences, and networking events provide insight on how to make investment decisions with greater confidence and deliver lasting value,” says Payne.

Van Metre adds, “IMTS brings together the people that have solved these challenges before. We’ll interview these experts so visitors can learn from their experience instead of starting from scratch.”

Manufacturers looking to increase productivity, expand capacity, and capitalize on renewed investment in U.S. manufacturing can connect with technology providers and industry leaders across IMTS exhibits, conferences, stages, and events. Register for IMTS 2026, Sept. 14-19, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago, and Achieve the Impossible.

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