FABTECH Overview

History

Two prominent industry trade shows, the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show joined alliances in 2005. In 2008 the METALFORM trade show came on board. All three shows in their own right have brought millions of buyers and sellers together from around the world. In 2009 the Chemical Coaters Association, International joined to sponsor the Finishing Pavilion and Conference. The union of these three shows with the expansion of the Finishing technology at the show created the current FABTECH. This annual trade show and conference is the longest running North American event dedicated to showcasing a full spectrum of sheet metal forming and fabricating, finishing, tube and pipe, stamping and welding equipment

Today

FABTECH is North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event.
The event has brought together over a half million buyers and sellers from around the world. This premier industry trade show and conference is cosponsored by the American Welding Society (AWS), the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, International (FMA), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) and the Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI). Industry partners for this event are the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT).

Cosponsors of FABTECH

FMA
Based in Rockford, Ill., the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International is a professional organization reaching more than 135,000 industry professionals world-wide focused on improving the metal forming and fabricating industry. Founded in 1970, FMA brings metal fabricators and fabricating equipment manufacturers together through technology councils, educational programs, networking events, award-winning magazines and co-sponsorship of FABTECH. FMA has a technology affiliate, the Tube & Pipe Association, International (TPA), which focuses on the unique needs of companies engaged in tube and pipe producing and fabricating. Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs™ is the charitable foundation of FMA. Visit http://www.fmanet.org for more information.

SME
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world's leading professional society supporting manufacturing education. Through its member programs, publications, expositions and professional development resources, SME promotes an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and helps keep manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies. Headquartered in Michigan, SME influences more than half a million manufacturing engineers and executives annually. The Society has members in 70 countries supported by a network of hundreds of chapters worldwide. Visit SME at http://www.sme.org.

AWS
The American Welding Society (AWS) was founded in 1919 as a multifaceted, nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying. Headquartered in Miami, Florida and led by a volunteer organization of officers and directors, AWS serves more than 60,000 members worldwide and is composed of 22 Districts with 250 sections and student chapters. For more information, visit www.aws.org.

PMA
The Precision Metalforming Association is the full-service trade association representing the $113-billion metalforming industry of North America—the industry that creates precision metal products using stamping, fabricating, spinning, slide forming and roll forming technologies, and other value-added processes. Its nearly 1,000 member companies also include suppliers of equipment, materials and services to the industry. PMA leads innovative member companies toward superior competitiveness and profitability through advocacy, networking, statistics, the PMA Educational Foundation, FABTECH and METALFORM tradeshows, and MetalForming magazine. Visit http://www.pma.org/.

CCAI
The Chemical Coaters Association International is a technical and professional organization that provides information and training on surface coating technologies. CCAI's foundation is it's series of active localchapters across the U.S. that conduct technical meetings on all aspects of organic finishing. Chapters serve as an excellent forum to discuss regional concerns while offering outstanding networking opportunities for finishers and suppliers. CCAI works to raise the standards of finishing operations through educational meetings and seminars, training manuals, certification programs, and outreach programs with colleges and universities. Visit CCAI at www.ccaiweb.com.

Industry Partners

NAM
The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 11 additional offices across the country. Visit the NAM web site at www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.

AMT
The Association for Manufacturing Technology represents and promotes the interests of American providers of manufacturing machinery and equipment. Headquartered in McClean, VA., its goal is to promote technological advancements and improvements in the design, manufacture and sale of members' products in those markets and act as an industry advocate on trade matters to governments and trade organizations throughout the world. Visit AMT at www.amtonline.org