IMTS 2008 shifts to new time schedule

AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology has announced that beginning in 2008 it will adjust the schedule of IMTS - the International Manufacturing Technology Show held every even numbered year in Chicago, IL. IMTS 2008 will become a six-day event, opening Monday, September 8 and will run through Saturday, September 13, 2008.

IMTS, which will continue its traditional schedule of opening the Wednesday following Labor Day in 2006, but will change to start one week after Labor Day in 2008. The overall show calendar, which currently covers a nearly five-week schedule, including move-in and moveout, will be reduced one week with a break for the Labor Day Weekend.

"The change from an eight to a six-day format is a direct response to exhibitor feedback from surveys, letters, and calls to examine the length of the show," says Peter R. Eelman, AMT Vice President Exhibitions. The IMTS schedule has largely been in place, with only minor variations, since 1955. "Obviously since then, travel and transportation have vastly improved," explains Eelman.

The new schedule is designed to promote increased efficiency, cost control, and measurable results. "We see many advantages for both exhibitors and visitors that will save time, money and optimize resources," says Eelman. "We believe this is a strategic move that will insure the long-term success of IMTS into the 22nd century."