(IMTS: McLean, VA) -- Plans are well underway for the 2012’s premier manufacturing event, the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), which will be held Sept. 10–15, 2012, at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

The show theme for 2012 is “Be There.” It is a call to action for the more than 82,000 industrial decision makers from more than 106 countries who will attend IMTS to get ideas and find answers to their manufacturing problems—and most important, to stay ahead of the competition.

Early results on participating exhibitors and exhibit floor square footage contracted, which are both ahead of the 2010 pace, reflect the strong resurgence of manufacturing.

“We are making an investment in innovative and strategic thinking to make IMTS 2012 the must-attend manufacturing event,” says Peter Eelman, vice president for exhibitions and communications at the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), which produces and owns IMTS. “From never-before-seen technology to an abundance of educational opportunities, IMTS is the place to be next September.”

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