IME West, the nation’s leading advanced design and manufacturing event that brings together established trade event brands Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West, WestPack, Automation Technology Expo (ATX) West, Design & Manufacturing (D&M) West, Plastec West, and CannPack West, will return to the Anaheim Convention Center from April 12-14, 2022, reconnecting the advanced design and manufacturing communities across multiple verticals and industries. 

With the smart manufacturing sector poised to reach nearly $590 billion by 2028 as automation and advanced technology propel the marketplace, the industry is ready to meet face-to-face at IME West. The annual trade show serves as a springboard for innovation, networking, deal-making and education.

This year it is a Smart Event, which gives exhibitors and attendees additional digital opportunities before, during, and after the live event. The Smart Event allows registered attendees to research exhibitors and products, access exclusive on-demand content, engage in live discussions and schedule meetings. The online platform will open on March 14 and is accessible to all registered visitors. Event registration is live; secure your pass here to engage with the industry’s most cutting-edge companies and thought leaders.

Industry Support

Event organizers, Informa Markets – Engineering, are anticipating a strong turnout of buyers, C-suite executives, and engineers with decision-making power and have already locked in prominent industry partners, including: 

• California Cannabis Association 
• California Life Sciences 
• Flexible Packaging Association (FPA)
• MedExecWomen 
• Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)

With more than two months still to go, the industry is throwing its full support, providing the valuable and business-critical opportunity for in-person discovery, demos, deal-making, and expert-led education. Among the suppliers already confirmed across trade event brands include 3M, ATS Automation, Beckhoff Automation, Bosch Rexroth, Canon Virginia, Caplugs, Capmatic, Coherent, Denso Robotics, Engel, FANUC, Formlabs, GF Machining Solutions, Husky Injection Molding, Igus, Maruka USA, Multivac, Packline USA, ProMach, Protolabs, Qosina, Reiser, Sumitomo Demag, Teleflex Medical OEM, Zeus Industrial Products Inc., among many others. 

New Offerings 

“IME West serves a broad range of applications within the advanced design and manufacturing sectors, serving as the industry’s most important event fueling advancement — we are so excited to announce registration is live and provide the industry a valuable platform to grow their business,” says Adrienne Zepeda, group event director, IME West, Informa Markets. “As our industry learns from past challenges and introduces new technologies to keep up with growing demand, it’s important for us to cater our education and show floor offerings to mirror the unique needs of our community. That’s why, this year, we’re thrilled to bring several new experiential elements including keynote speakers, an opening reception, enhanced smart manufacturing and additive manufacturing education, and more.”     

The introduction of keynotes speakers, which are free to attend for all event participants, supports the industry’s need for high-level education and forward-looking insights addressing timely topics such as collaborative robotics in the workforce and supply chain challenges. Informa Markets – Engineering will announce the speaker lineup in the coming weeks. 

Health and Safety 

At this time, we are adhering to California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines for large events. We have implemented a mask mandate and will require proof of vaccination OR negative COVID-19 test for all participants of IME West. Additional measures will be in place to ensure the confidence of event participants, including increased medical staff, additional hand sanitization stations, increased convention cleaning, and much more. 

“We are eager to reconvene the industry for much-needed connection following a few challenging years safely and productively per local and state-mandated health protocols,” Zepeda remarked. “The safety of our community is of utmost importance to ensure a constructive live event that advances the dynamic advanced design and manufacturing sectors that rely on IME West for new business partnerships and continued education.”