Event Partners Cite Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic
TORONTO, March 23, 2020 /CNW/ -- SME, FMA, AWS, PMA and CCAI, FABTECH event partners, have announced that FABTECH Canada, scheduled for June 16-18 in Toronto, has been postponed until June 2022 due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.
"This is a decision that none of the FABTECH partners took lightly, and we explored every option to find a way to do something in 2020 in Canada," said Sandra Bouckley, executive director and CEO of SME. "That said, we are focused first and foremost on the health and safety of our exhibitors, attendees, speakers, sponsors, employees, along with supplier partners and venue staff. This decision will allow the industry to focus on its pandemic response, allowing manufacturing to once again step up to do its part and help our countries get through this crisis."
FABTECH Canada has taken place biennially since 2012, and is Canada's largest event focused on metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing. Event partners were quick to reassure the community that they are evaluating other options to serve the industry prior to FABTECH 2022.
"The North American metal processing, forming, and fabricating industries remain vital to the Canadian and American economies, and it's important that FABTECH continue its strong support of these companies and professionals," said Ed Youdell, President and CEO of Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International. "We have the benefit of technology providing us digital options as well as traditional in-person choices to serve the forming and fabricating community, and we are actively considering a number of alternatives to provide value to the FABTECH Canada community between now and summer 2022."
The five event partners also emphasized that the original FABTECH event, supporting these industries across North America, is still on schedule for November 18-20, 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and that FABTECH 2020 will be an opportunity to re-engage the community in person.
"For more than 100 years, AWS has supported and advanced the North American welding community," said Ray Shook, CEO/Executive Director of the American Welding Society. "FABTECH has been a key element of our efforts, and we have been especially pleased to work alongside our partners, the Canadian Welding Bureau Group (CWB), to present Canadian welders the latest in technology and information. We look forward to working with the CWB to ensure that Canadian welding companies and professionals can join us in Las Vegas and continuing the tradition of providing them a venue to meet with suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, find the tools to improve productivity, and discover new solutions for their needs."
More than 1,700 exhibiting companies and more than 35,000 attendees are expected to participate in FABTECH in Las Vegas, which will feature over 650,000 square feet of exhibit space. FABTECH 2020 will also feature more than 200 educational sessions on critical topics to the manufacturing industry.
About FABTECH Canada
FABTECH is Canada's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event. The event provides a convenient, "one-stop-shop" venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, and find the tools to improve productivity and increase profits. FABTECH Canada is organized by event partners SME, AWS, FMA, PMA and CCAI. Together, these associations bring unmatched technical proficiency and industry insight to FABTECH. Read more about FABTECH's event partners here.
SOURCE SME
Christopher Barger, Senior Director of Communications, SME, [email protected], Mobile +1 313.269.0721, http://www.sme.org
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