Inside IMTS 2026: The Technologies Shaping the Future of Manufacturing

The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) — the largest manufacturing trade show in the Western Hemisphere — took place September 14-19, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. With over 1.17 million square feet of exhibit space, more than 1,700 exhibitors showcased the most advanced, business-impacting manufacturing technology innovations available for the 90,000+ attendees to view and experience.

Photo: The Acumatica team and partners on-site at IMTS 2026.

Many of these  attendees found their way to the Acumatica booth, where  team members and representatives from partners including Aktion, CBIZ, Net at Work, and WM Synergy showcased Acumatica’s award-winning, AI-enabled cloud ERP platform and connected Manufacturing Edition that unifies production, operations, and financials in one place. And according to Angie Rowley, Senior Product Manager (Manufacturing), Acumatica’s industry-specific solution that adapts to discrete and process manufacturing needs generated considerable interest on the show floor.

“There was strong booth traffic and many visitors responded positively to Acumatica’s consumption-based pricing model and were impressed by the breadth of functionality available within a single ERP platform,” she says. “The ability of Acumatica Manufacturing Edition to connect production, inventory, operations, and financials within one platform was a meaningful selling point, particularly for manufacturers looking to replace disconnected or legacy systems.”

What IMTS 2026 Was All About

During IMTS 2026, the manufacturing automation, equipment, and digital solutions found on the exhibit floor were broken down into eleven primary technology sector exhibits, from Industrial AI Arena, Abrasive Machine/Sawing/Finishing, and Fabricating & Lasers to Quality Assurance, Software, and Tooling & Workholding and everything in between.

As attendees navigated thousands of exhibits, they witnessed firsthand the most advanced robots available today, including cobots, robotic arms, robotic platforms, and so much more, along with Aerospace and Defense technologies, such as aerospace vehicles. These live-action exhibitions along with the core manufacturing solutions, software, and tools across the board clearly demonstrated that AI-enabled technologies are rapidly upleveling manufacturing technology.

AI, when implemented practically and responsibly, delivers powerful results. It can help manufacturing companies increase production efficiency, factory throughput, cost control, scheduling, and product quality. For Acumatica, IMTS 2026 was the perfect launching point for highlighting the benefits of an AI-based manufacturing ERP.

In fact, Sarah Kurpe, Director, Strategic Sales Development says AI, automation, and real-time visibility generated significant interest amongst attendees. “Manufacturers were focused on practical ways to improve efficiency without adding more complexity to their operations.”

For Angie, AI wasn’t the typical starting point for her conversations, but she says, “Interest grew when we demonstrated Acumatica’s AI Assistant and agent capabilities, explaining how they could support everyday business processes.”

Advanced Manufacturing Leaves IMTS 2026 Attendees Excited

Photo: IMTS 2026 attendees learning how Acumatica can empower their manufacturing businesses.

IMTS 2026 attendees, who spent their days visiting exhibitors and attending the concurrent educational programs, left excited and optimistic about the future of manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing technologies, like Acumatica, are here, changing the way manufacturers are able to increase capacity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Says Angie, “My hope is that the manufacturers I spoke with at IMTS learned that Acumatica can address their needs to replace disparate systems and enable them to embrace advanced capabilities such as AI.”

Chris Okamuro, Principal Technical Product Manager, had similar conversations. “Many attendees were from mostly smaller companies with a small legacy ERP or no ERP at all, and they had questions about how Acumatica can handle their pain points, such as inventory accuracy, quick estimating, schedule accuracy, and more. Between myself and our partners in the booth, we were able to properly contextualize their problems and the appropriate systems solutions, which I believe helped move the needle from skepticism to trust.”

Photo: An Acumatica Manufacturing demo happening in the booth at IMTS 2026.

Acumatica Opens the Door to Manufacturing Excellence at IMTS 2026

Acumatica Manufacturing Edition delivers real-time visibility, helping manufacturers optimize scheduling, manage inventory, control costs, and manage regulatory compliance to become a resilient, growing business. This is what Venture Engineering, a UK Motorsport engineering company, was counting on when they chose Acumatica’s cloud ERP for manufacturing to replace their spreadsheets and reliance on QuickBooks.

“Before Acumatica, tracking bigger projects was an absolute nightmare,” says Adrian Perkins, Co-Founder and Operations Director.

Real-time manufacturing data and comprehensive features like MRP, stock control, and project modules along with Acumatica’s flexibility, user-friendly design, and customizability transformed Venture Engineering. They gained real-time visibility, streamlined workflows, and accurate project tracking as well as improved inventory management, quoting accuracy, labor tracking and more.

“The traceability and accountability we have through the system has been game-changing for us,” says Andrew Williamson, Director.

By exhibiting at IMTS 2026, Acumatica was able to engage with manufacturers that are dealing with many of the same concerns Venture Engineering had prior to implementing Acumatica.

“Many owners know their legacy systems are making it harder to manage scheduling, inventory, costs, and overall performance, but Acumatica’s ability to connect everything together, including production, inventory, operations, and financials, resonated with attendees,” Sarah says. “Many are accustomed to working across disconnected systems and immediately understood the value of having one consistent view of the business.”

She adds: “There is a growing openness to change. Manufacturers see Acumatica as a native cloud solution that’s moving forward to support their changing needs. They’re cautious, but they’re also recognizing that connected technology, real time data, and practical automation can help them build stronger and more adaptable businesses.”

Acumatica’s goal is to build the future of business, together, and manufacturers eager to grow their businesses can contact our team today to learn more.