Inside the Industry: North America’s 20 Biggest Engineering & Manufacturing Shows

North America’s 20 Largest Engineering & Manufacturing Trade Shows

Explore the top engineering and manufacturing expos in North America with full details on attendance, exhibitor counts, keynote speakers, show dates, and how to save on travel and lodging for each event.

North America is home to some of the world’s largest and most influential engineering and manufacturing expos—and the 2025–2026 calendar is packed. From IMTS and Conexpo-Con/Agg to the NECA Show and Lubricant Expo, these events attract thousands of professionals looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. Whether your focus is automation, industrial AI, construction equipment, or electrical contracting, there’s a show that puts your sector at the center of innovation.

Many of these expos offer more than just exhibit halls—they’re full-scale networking arenas with keynote speakers, technical training, and hands-on product demos. For companies seeking new suppliers, technologies, or partnerships, these shows are a strategic opportunity to grow. And with events spread across the U.S. and Canada, travel planning becomes a big part of the experience.

To simplify it all, engine.com offers exclusive hotel, flight, and rental car discounts for business travelers heading to these expos. Whether you're sending a full team to Chicago for IMTS or planning back-to-back shows across multiple cities, engine.com makes it easy to manage bookings, reduce costs, and keep travel stress to a minimum. It’s free to use—and designed to help your business get the most out of every trip.

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Top 20 Manufacturing Shows for 2025-2026

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1. Conexpo‑Con/Agg

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: March 3–7, 2026

Attendance: ~139,000

Exhibitors: ~2,400

Cost: $60–$90 entry; education packages extra

Speakers: Construction equipment technology leaders

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/conexpo

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2. International Builders’ Show (IBS + KBIS)

Location: Orange County Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: February 17-19, 2026

Attendance: ~100,000+

Exhibitors: ~2,000

Cost: Varies by access level

Speakers: Residential construction and hardware industry executives

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/ibs

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3. IMTS – International Manufacturing Technology Show

Location: McCormick Place Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: September 14-19, 2026

Attendance: ~83,000–130,000

Exhibitors: ~1,800–2,500

Cost: $40–$60 expo pass; $500–$1,500 conference

Speakers: Global leaders in CNC, AI, and industrial automation

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/imts

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4. National Farm Machinery Show

Location: Kentucky Exposition Center (nearby lodging)

Date: February (annual)

Attendance: >300,000 (includes general public)

Exhibitors: ~800

Cost: $10–$20

Speakers: Agri-tech and equipment manufacturers

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/nfms

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5. FABTECH

Location: McCormick Place Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: September 8–11, 2025

Attendance: ~30,000–48,000

Exhibitors: ~1,900

Cost: $50–$80 expo; $200–$400 for conference sessions

Speakers: Fabrication, welding, and forming industry specialists

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/fabtech

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6. PACK EXPO International

Location: McCormick Place Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: October 18–21, 2026

Attendance: ~48,000–77,500

Exhibitors: ~2,600–2,700

Cost: $30–$100

Speakers: Packaging automation executives

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/packexpo

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7. AHR Expo (HVACR)

Location: Orange County Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: February 2-4, 2026

Attendance: ~50,000+

Exhibitors: ~1,600

Cost: Free expo; educational add-ons available

Speakers: HVAC and sustainable building tech leaders

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/ahrexpo

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8. IME West (MD&M West + Co-Located Shows)

Location: Anaheim Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: February 3–5, 2026

Attendance: ~14,000

Exhibitors: Hundreds

Cost: $50–$70 expo; ~$300 for conference access

Speakers: Medical device, packaging, automation experts

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/imewest

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9. WESTEC

Location: Anaheim Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: October 7–9, 2025

Attendance: ~10,000+

Exhibitors: Hundreds

Cost: ~$60 expo; conference pricing varies

Speakers: Aerospace, machining, and robotics leaders

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/westec

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10. HOUSTEX

Location: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

Date: November 4–6, 2025

Attendance: ~10,000

Exhibitors: ~350+

Cost: $50–$100

Speakers: OEMs, manufacturers, and innovation leaders

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/houstex

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11. EASTEC

Location: West Springfield, MA

Date: May 11–13, 2027

Attendance: ~9,500–13,000

Exhibitors: ~700+

Cost: $30–$50/day

Speakers: Precision manufacturing experts

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/eastec

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12. PACK EXPO East

Location: Philadelphia Convention Center

Date: February 17–19, 2026

Attendance: ~8,000

Exhibitors: ~500

Cost: Free registration; education priced separately

Speakers: Pharmaceutical and CPG packaging leaders

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/pack-expo-east

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13. The ASSEMBLY Show

Location: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center

Date: October 21–23, 2024

Attendance: ~6,500

Exhibitors: ~200–300

Cost: ~$50; add-ons for workshops

Speakers: Assembly process and lean manufacturing experts

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/tas

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14. Motion + Power Technology Expo

Location: Huntington Place

Date: October 21–23, 2025

Attendance: ~6,000

Exhibitors: ~300

Cost: $50–$100

Speakers: Motion control, robotics, and automation speakers

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/mpte

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15. Design Automation Conference (DAC)

Location: Moscone Center (San Francisco)

Date: June 22-25, 2025

Attendance: ~6,000

Exhibitors: ~100

Cost: $800–$1,200 for full conference

Speakers: Electronic design, semiconductors, and AI leaders

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/dacshow

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16. NECA Show (Electrical Construction)

Location: McCormick Place Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: September 12-15, 2025

Attendance: ~5,500

Exhibitors: ~300

Cost: $50/day; technical sessions cost more

Speakers: Electrical systems, grid modernization

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/necashow

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17. SAMPE Conference & Expo

Location: Seattle, WA (convention center TBD)

Date: April 27–30, 2026

Attendance: A few thousand

Exhibitors: ~300–400

Cost: ~$700 full conference registration

Speakers: Aerospace, composites, materials experts

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/sampe

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18. PLASTEC West / PLAST-EX

Location: Anaheim Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: February 3 - 5, 2026

Attendance: Several thousand

Exhibitors: Hundreds

Cost: $40–$70/day

Speakers: Plastic manufacturing & polymer science

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/plastec

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19. American Biomanufacturing Summit

Location: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

Date: April 14–15, 2026

Attendance: A few thousand

Exhibitors: Targeted vendors and biomanufacturing suppliers

Cost: ~$300–$700

Speakers: Biotech and pharma manufacturing execs

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/abs

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20. ATX West (Automation Technology)

Location: Anaheim Convention Center (nearby lodging)

Date: February 3-5, 2026

Attendance: Part of ~14,000 IME West total

Exhibitors: Hundreds

Cost: $50–$70 expo; extra for conference

Speakers: Factory automation and robotics developers

Corporate Travel & Lodging Rates: Offered through Engine.com/atxwest

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