Condit Supports Two Large Exhibit Footprints, Multiple Brands in Same Space
IMTS, The International Manufacturing Technology Show, is held every other year and is one of the largest manufacturing shows in the world. Hosting 1,600 exhibitors and just under 90,000 attendees, the 2024 event was held at McCormick Place in Chicago and supported by Condit’s Midwest office.
The IMC Group, their five primary companies (ISCAR, INGERSOLL, TUNGALOY, NTK, and TOOLFLO), and their four satellite companies (IMCO, PCT, SUPERMILL, and MORSE) are all producers of high-quality carbide cutting tools used in the metal cutting industries in the USA and around the globe. These organizations exhibited at IMTS 2024 with two island exhibits, a 60×100 and a 50×50. These projects were a collaborative effort between The IMC Group’s marketing team, Condit’s Chicago facility, and multiple vendors.
The IMC Group has tremendous international presence in the metalworking industry. The group’s companies partake in many worldwide metalworking exhibitions, and this global presence is reflected in both the IMTS exhibit designs and the expert partner selection. Nearly one year in the making, the exhibits were not only large but also exceedingly complex – requiring Condit to coordinate many vendors and partners (electrical, A/V, rigging) in order to ensure the exhibits were cohesive and functional at show site.
Goal
The IMC Group exhibited in two separate spaces, the first was a 6,000-square-foot island that focused on their primary companies (ISCAR, INGERSOLL, TUNGALOY, NTK, and TOOLFLO). Hadas Zeira, The IMC Group’s Marketing Communications Manager, said of the larger exhibit, “The concept was to achieve more exposure and engagement with customers and visitors. The confined area created the right atmosphere to achieve this goal while providing a cost-effective solution by a central hospitality area and joint booth logistics.”
The second space, a 2,500-square-foot island, showcased IMCO, PCT, SUPERMILL, and MORSE, the four IMC companies that produce and market solid carbide tools. They “shared a joint booth complex with a common goal of creating strong exposure for The IMC Group’s strength in this field of cutting tools.”
Each company and its subsidiaries have their own unique corporate branding (colors, fonts, graphic styles). It was a challenge, solved through teamwork, to craft exhibits flexible enough to allow each unit its own ‘personality’ while still fitting under the company umbrella and within the two booth spaces.
Inside the 60×100 Booth
The 60×100 island exhibit included four video walls, seven hanging signs, a large hospitality bar, and raised/illuminated diamond-plate flooring – all surrounded by custom video content and graphics. The booth design concept incorporated the five primary companies mentioned above: ISCAR, INGERSOLL, TUNGALOY, NTK, and TOOLFLO. The booth space was divided into specific regions for each company with a shared hospitality area that ran on an engaging schedule of various gastronomic delights throughout show open.
Inside the 50×50 Booth
The 50×50 island exhibit featured 55-inch monitors for each of the four business units, corresponding with two 8×12-foot lightboxes for each business unit (8 lightboxes total), and similar raised/illuminated diamond-plate flooring with custom video content and graphics. The booth design concept incorporated the four satellite companies, IMCO, PCT, SUPERMILL, and MORSE, divided by company with a separate fifth region for hospitality.
Building Both Booths
The entire booth complex was managed by Andrew Benson, president of ISCAR USA, and his marketing team, who coordinated with the other companies and the satellite companies to ensure the success of the project. Both exhibits were collaborative partnerships, designed and directed by Hadas Zeira. The custom product kiosks were fabricated by Goldenwill, based in Shanghai, China.
Condit handled I&D and managed the shipping and logistics of the exhibit properties as well as the client product. Condit also provided the rental conference storage room structures, built and painted the angled and rectangular partitions, provided full pre-show inspection of Goldenwill components, show set-up, managed the A/V, truss, and lighting while producing and printing all of graphics. Condit’s detailing department executed all AutoCAD drawings, and Condit account management coordinated payments to GES and Freeman on behalf of The IMC Group. The captivating lighting, which differentiated area/color-coding for product displays and overhead canopies, was constructed with Eric Cope, Freeman Lighting Designer.
Hadas continued, “The booth portrayed a new design concept for each of the IMC companies. I believe that our booth designs must be different from one IMTS to another. Altering booth designs create a refreshed marketing approach and showcase diversity for both customers and the staff operating the booth. The new booth designs portray a refreshed approach and create a positive change as a catalyst assuring an advanced pace with a runway for growth. Aside from the booth architectural design, the use of contemporary graphic designs, and product display designs encapsulate the project in an eco-system geared to capture the audience’s attention.”
Result
Hadas said, “The attendance rates are of utmost importance and are our method of measuring if the investment was worthwhile. With nearly 90,000 people visiting the 2024 IMTS Show, we received quality leads. These new leads will enable The IMC Group to expand its reach and engagement with new customers.”
The event showcased a vast array of manufacturing innovations across 1,226,523 square feet of exhibit space, including over 40 million pounds of machinery. Attendees had the opportunity to explore advancements in automation, digital manufacturing, and solutions aimed at enhancing productivity.
Located in the West Building, Level 3, within the Tooling & Workholding section, the IMC Group exhibits stood out in the show hall, receiving attention from at least two manufacturing industry publications and a feature as an Exhibit City News WOW exhibit.
Hadas continued, “The booth designs and well-built complexes by Condit enabled the achievement of The IMC Group’s marketing strategy. Customers reacted well to the exhibits, which were consolidated in a common space. Most customers come to see what’s new, as they know that the group’s companies are world innovators of advanced cutting tools and metalworking engineering processes.”
The IMC Group’s presence at IMTS 2024 underscored their commitment to providing dynamic and comprehensive solutions in precision carbide metalworking tools, catering to a wide array of metal cutting applications.
Value
Hadas said, “Our cooperation with Condit has proven that we have a highly dependable working partner for exhibitions in the USA. It is apparent that the success of the project relies on people. The ongoing booth designs for the The IMC Group’s marketing strategies are evolutionary and aim to reflect the connection between engineering and manufacturing. As we overhaul the booth designs from one show to the next, our booths will continue to bring new and refreshed marketing concepts to our customers in the USA and around the globe.”
This was The IMC Group’s eighth IMTS collaborating with Senior Account Executive Johnny Frank, beginning in 2008. “Johnny Frank is a great working partner and professional with whom we have structured a strong working relationship. Johnny and the Condit team understand our needs and provide the flexibility required to assure the success of our exhibition-related projects.”
Condit’s Chicago office, formerly Exhibit Source, Inc., is located in South Holland and strategically positioned just over 20 miles from McCormick Place. This proximity allows them to provide local design, fabrication, logistics, and show services, including shipping and storage for large machinery and heavy equipment, streamlining the exhibit process for their IMTS clients like The IMC Group.
Your Full-Service Exhibiting Partner
With decades of experience designing, manufacturing and installing exhibits for heavy industries and manufacturing clients, Condit is a reliable partner for IMTS and beyond. By leveraging their extensive experience and local resources, Condit offers effective event marketing solutions for manufacturing companies aiming to make a significant impact at IMTS and other industry events. To get started on your next exhibit project, complete our project form or contact us.