3 takeaways from FABTECH 2021

FABTECH 2021 has come and gone, well before any hint of brisk winter air approached the Lake Michigan shoreline. I’m not going to lie, it was strange not spending September, October, and the first part of November furiously preparing for our industry’s biggest annual event.

Since the show ended a little more than two months ago, I’ve had time to process some of my takeaways. Here they are.

1. It was still a massive show.

Maybe it was the date change from November to September. Maybe people just wanted to get out and see a bunch of big machines in action or network with others in the industry. Maybe more fab shops looking to add technology wanted to talk with exhibitors face to face instead of virtually.

Maybe it was all of the above.

While FABTECH was a wee bit smaller than we’re used to seeing inside Chicago’s McCormick Place, it was still a big show. And well attended. Almost 1,000 exhibitors stretched out across the North, South, and Lakeside halls, attracting 24,000 visitors during the four-day event.

While it was difficult not to notice the absence of some key players in the welding industry, that simply gave attendees a chance to visit other booths. Most everyone my colleagues and I spoke to on the first two days were extremely impressed not just by the quantity of attendees, but also by the quality of attendees.

Simply put, the attendees at this year’s show were there to do business.

2. FABTECH struck a healthy balance between technology and personality.

FABTECH isn’t all machine tools. It’s also an event that can shed light on how those machine tools or technologies are a small part of a grander purpose. The show seemed to find a healthy balance between highlighting the technologies and personalities that make this industry so diverse and unique.

We got to hear from David Ankin, CEO of ToyMakerz; Adam Genei, owner of Mobsteel and Detroit Steel Wheel Co.; and Adam Steltzner, leader and chief engineer of NASA’s 2020 Mars mission with the Rover Perseverance during keynote addresses. These individuals reflect the innovation, creativity, and ingenuity that make metal fabricating great.

3. The welding community was reunited, and it felt so good.

I’ve said more than once that the welding community is a unique, tight-knit, and supportive group of people. You see that reflected on social media, but, man, is it apparent when you see it live and in person.

It’s a small community too. For example, I got to meet Gina Cutts, Aluminum Etc. columnist, for the first time in person. As we were hanging out in the AWS Fusion Lounge, I saw another familiar face – Nate Bowman, aka The Weld Scientist. I wrote about Nate this past spring, but had never met him in person either.

Gina and I introduced ourselves to Nate and had a nice chat. Nate and Gina live in the same part of the country (Washington state), and it turns out they have a common acquaintance in the welding education world. They exchanged info, and, who knows, maybe they’ll collaborate on a project someday.

While FABTECH 2021 was indeed different, it was still something that the industry as a whole needed. Getting people back together face to face – even if those faces were covered with masks – and making connections is something that just can’t happen virtually. Here’s hoping we see more of that in 2022, and at FABTECH in Atlanta next November.