Top Trade Shows for 2011

25 Trade Shows to Visit this Year

By Beth Goodbaum

 

Discover the latest developments in your industry or market; mingle with experts; and see first-hand what your peers are doing. There are plenty of industry trade shows to visit this year. Here's a sampling of 25 to consider.



AG CONNECT Expo
Jan. 8-10, Preview Day: Jan 7 (with special admission), Atlanta, Ga.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers will offer educational sessions and networking opportunities for the global agriculture industry and attendees will include producers and suppliers from around the globe.
NAHD International Builders' Show
Jan. 12-15, Orlando, Fla.
The National Association of Home Builders will present the largest annual light construction show in the world, featuring educational sessions for various backgrounds, including tailored programs for 50+ housing professionals, sales and marketers, in addition to remodeling information and custom building ideas.
Northwest Food Manufacturing & Packaging Expo
Jan. 16-19, Portland, Ore.
Considered the largest regional food processing expo in North America, the NWFPA will showcase a mix of industry speakers, information sessions and special interest pavilion areas for specific industry professionals — in addition to equipment, services and supply centric exhibits.
Medical Device & Manufacturing West
Conference: Feb. 7-10, Exposition: Feb. 8-10, Anaheim, Calif.
At the West Coast Medical Design and Manufacturing exhibition, attendees will have access to the latest products and technologies via live demonstrations presented by thousands of suppliers. The conference will cover key industry issues including R&D, engineering, product development and design.
North American Association of Food Equipment Mfg. Show
Feb. 10-12, Orlando, Fla.
This year's NAFEM show will feature a blend of supply solutions and new equipment, with over 500 exhibitors and complimentary sessions that will highlight corporate responsibility, future trends and innovative thinking.
ProMat
March 21-24, Chicago, Ill.
At the ProMat trade show and educational conference, the materials handling and logistics industry will showcase the latest manufacturing, distribution and supply chain solutions via hundreds of exhibits, two keynotes and educational sessions.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG
March 22-26, Las Vegas, Nev.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers will produce a show with more than 2,000 exhibitors for construction industry attendees, and offer exhibits with technical experts; a special highlight includes new certification programs.
ITE Technical Conference and Exhibit
April 3-6, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers show will be focused on road safety and will feature tools and resources to help eliminate injuries and fatalities, in addition to performance measuring strategies.
ICE International Converting Exhibition
April 6-8, Orlando, Fla.
The launch of ICE USA 2011 will bring together more than 200 leading suppliers from around the world to showcase innovative machinery, services and programs from all the key areas and processes of flexible material converting.
Composites Manufacturing Conference
April 12-14, Dayton, Ohio
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers will highlight processes and best practices, as well as composite applications, with technical presentations, exhibitors, workshops, tours and keynote speakers.
IEEE RFID
April 12-14, Orlando, Fla.
The world's largest professional association for the advancement of technology, IEEE will feature a trade show focused on the exploration and research behind Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Co-located with RFID Journal LIVE!, the event will have attendees from around the globe.
Iron & Steel Technology Conference & Expo
May 2-5, Indianapolis, Ind.
At AISTECH 2011, attendees can meet purchasers, designers and others involved with the production and processing of steel and iron; new processes, products, technology and research and development updates will be featured.
EASTEC
May 17-19, West Springfield, Mass.
The East Coast's largest annual manufacturing event, produced by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, EASTEC will focus on five exhibit categories: precision manufacturing equipment and systems; design, engineering and rapid technologies; tooling, workholding and machining accessories; plant, energy and environmental efficiency; and automation, quality and process improvement.
Institute of Industrial Engineers Annual Conference & Expo
May 21-25, Reno, Nev.
At the 61st Annual Conference & Expo, the Institute of Industrial Engineers will feature expert keynote speakers, workshops, vendor presentations and sessions featuring proven solutions from applied industrial and systems engineering.
Medical Device & Manufacturing East
Exposition: June 7-9, Conference: June 6-9, New York, N.Y.
The East Coast MD&M show will explore the latest advances in medical grade designs, components, materials and more with industry experts, on-floor presentations, informative sessions and complimentary admission to five industry related shows that are co-located.
SEMICON West
July 12-14, San Francisco, Calif.
An event for the global microelectronics industry, SEMICON will feature new products and technologies geared for design and manufacturing, in addition to a showcase for emerging markets born from the industry.
Pack Expo Las Vegas
Sept. 26-28, Las Vegas, Nev.
At this packaging and processing show, exhibitors will showcase products to over 25,000 attendees, who can view a showcase of packaging innovations sponsored by The Dow Chemical Company.
International Construction & Utility Equipment Expo
Oct. 4-6, Louisville, Ky.
Managed by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the 2011 Demo Expo will feature both indoor and outdoor equipment exhibits, educational program sessions and a new sustainable energy pavilion for eco-friendly buyers.
National Business Aircraft Convention
Oct. 10-12, Las Vegas, Nev.
The National Business Aviation Association's convention will feature educational sessions on maintenance and operation and, new this year, the show will feature an outdoor static display of real aircraft for buyers to view.
METALCON International
Oct. 11-13, Atlanta, Ga.
This event on metal construction products, technologies and solutions will highlight strategies for integrating metal into sustainable construction through various detailed demos and exhibit tours.
Materials Science & Technology Conference & Exhibition
Oct. 16-20, Columbus, Ohio
MS&T will partner with leading materials societies to highlight current research and applications affecting materials science and technology.
ISA Automation Week
Oct. 17-20, Mobile, Ala.
At the ISA technology and solutions event, automation and control professionals can attend the technical conference and a vendor showcase featuring software, systems and equipment.
Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Show
Oct. 20-21, Dayton, Ohio
AMTS, produced by the Dayton Tooling and Manufacturing Association, is an annual trade show that enables advanced manufacturing and technology professionals to network, assess trends and review new technologies.
2011 APICS International Conference & Expo
Oct. 23-25, Pittsburgh, Pa.
The Association for Operations Management will showcase educational conferences that address sales and operations planning, operations management and more for supply chain management professionals and the like, who can network with others from across the globe.
ATCE - Society of Petroleum Engineers Technical Conference & Expo
Oct. 30-Nov. 2, Denver, Colo.
At this annual technical conference and exhibition, exploration and production professionals can participate in networking events, view 250 companies showcasing current products and services and attend technical sessions focused on oil and gas production.