FABTECH, North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing event, will return to Las Vegas, NV, for the first time since 2016, welcoming an expected 31,000 attendees. Taking place Oct. 21-23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the event returns to the Western U.S. at a moment when manufacturers are making critical decisions on equipment, workforce, and modernization.
"Manufacturers are navigating tighter margins, persistent workforce constraints, and the pressure to modernize without disrupting output," said Tracy Garcia, CEM, FABTECH Group Director at SME. "For many, the question is no longer whether to invest, but when and in what. FABTECH brings equipment, suppliers, and technical expertise together in one place, giving attendees direct access to solutions and the experts behind them."
The 2026 show floor will span 725,000 sq. ft., equivalent to roughly 12 football fields, and feature more than 1,400 exhibitors across 40 product categories. Whether running a job shop or a large-scale operation, attendees can evaluate automation systems, smart factory solutions, and precision fabrication technologies in operation; compare capabilities side by side; and make more informed investment decisions based on live demonstrations. For shops managing material cost volatility, staffing gaps, and the compounding cost of falling behind on modernization, the show floor offers a single environment to assess what is worth investing in now.
Aerospace, defense, energy, and advanced manufacturing companies are heavily concentrated across the Western U.S., and many are in active investment cycles, evaluating equipment upgrades, expanding production capacity, and building supplier relationships to meet growing domestic demand. FABTECH's return to Las Vegas brings the event directly to one of the country's most active manufacturing regions.
Workforce challenges continue to reshape hiring, training, and long-term planning across the industry as experienced workers retire faster than new entrants replace them. FABTECH's conference program will address these issues directly, with educational sessions covering manufacturing operations, technology adoption, and workforce development across all skill levels. The Emerging Leaders Program also returns as a dedicated resource for professionals 35 and under, offering a half-day program focused on leadership development, peer networking, mentorship, and technical training.
"We are excited to bring FABTECH back to Las Vegas this year, and the timing could not be better," said Mark Hoper, Senior Vice President of Expositions and Media at FMA. "U.S. manufacturing is in a period of genuine momentum, and FABTECH is where the people shaping the industry's future can come to see what is possible, make real connections, and leave prepared to turn ideas into action."
Registration is now open. To secure a complimentary exhibit hall pass, register at fabtechexpo.com.