Manufacturing Trade Shows in May 2027
25 manufacturing and industrial trade shows start in May 2027, sorted by date. List or update a show
MHEDA Annual Convention
May 1–5, 2027
Annual convention and exhibitor showcase for material handling equipment distributors and manufacturers.
IWLA Convention & Expo
May 2–4, 2027
Annual convention and expo for third-party warehousing and logistics providers and their equipment suppliers.
AISTech
May 3–5, 2027
Iron and steel technology conference and exposition.
NPE: The Plastics Show
May 3–7, 2027
The largest plastics trade show in the Americas.
OTC (Offshore Technology Conference)
May 3–5, 2027
Offshore energy technology conference and exhibition.
EWPTE (Electrical Wire Processing and Technology Expo)
May 4–6, 2027
Wire harness, wire and cable processing show.
Interwire
May 4–6, 2027
Biennial trade show for wire, cable, fiber and the machinery that makes them.
Automate
May 10–13, 2027
North America's largest automation, robotics and machine vision show.
Food Safety Summit
May 10–13, 2027
Food safety conference and expo covering processing equipment, sanitation, testing and compliance.
EASTEC
May 11–13, 2027
New England's manufacturing exposition.
NAED National Meeting
May 11–13, 2027
Annual meeting for electrical distributors and the manufacturers that supply them.
ASQ WCQI (World Conference on Quality and Improvement)
Expected May 2027
Annual conference on quality management, Lean, Six Sigma and continuous improvement.
Fastener Fair USA
Expected May 2027
Fasteners, fixing technology and distribution show for manufacturers, distributors and OEM buyers.
Foam Expo North America / Adhesives & Bonding Expo
Expected May 2027
Technical foam, adhesives and bonding supply chain expo.
PMTS (Precision Machining Technology Show)
Expected May 2027
Biennial show for precision machining: Swiss and CNC machines, tooling, workholding and metrology.
WasteExpo
Expected May 2027
Waste, recycling and organics show covering collection trucks, processing equipment and facility operations.
WERC Annual Conference
Expected May 2027
Annual warehousing and distribution center conference for operations leaders and material handling suppliers.
XPONENTIAL
Expected May 2027
Drone, robotics and uncrewed systems show for commercial and defense buyers.
ACT Expo
May 17–20, 2027
Clean commercial transportation show covering electric, hydrogen and alternative-fuel trucks, buses and infrastructure.
Forge Fair
May 18–20, 2027
North American forging industry's biennial exposition for forgers, suppliers and buyers.
AIA Conference on Architecture & Design
May 19–22, 2027
Architecture conference with an expo of building product manufacturers.
MD&M East
May 19–20, 2027
Medical design and manufacturing show for the East Coast, covering contract manufacturing, components and equipment.
CLEANPOWER Conference & Exhibition
May 24–27, 2027
Wind, solar and energy storage conference and exhibition for equipment makers and developers.
Railway Interchange
May 25–27, 2027
Rail industry conference and exhibition for equipment, track, signaling and parts suppliers.
American Coatings Show
Expected May 2028
Biennial show for paint, coatings, raw materials and finishing equipment suppliers.
No trade shows match those filters.
Try broadening your search, or tell us about a show we're missing.
Coming up next: The next confirmed may manufacturing trade shows are MHEDA Annual Convention (May 1–5, 2027), IWLA Convention & Expo (May 2–4, 2027), AISTech (May 3–5, 2027).
Organizer or exhibitor? List or update a trade show
Don't see your show, or spot a wrong date or location? Send it in. Listings are free, and we check every submission against the official site before it goes live.
- Add a new show or a missing edition
- Correct dates, venue, or the official link
- Flag a show that has been cancelled or renamed
Exhibiting this year? Mention it in the form and Jake will also send ideas for a show landing page and pre-show Google Ads.
Loading form…
How Many RFQs Is Your Site Losing?
Take our free 2-minute scorecard and see exactly where engineers bounce before they ever request a quote.
Exhibiting at one of these shows?
Booth space is the expensive part. We help manufacturers get meetings booked before the doors open: a show landing page, QR lead capture at the booth, and a geo-targeted Google Ads campaign around the show city.
Trade Shows vs. Digital Channels: Where Should a Manufacturer Spend?
Trade shows are still one of the few places where an engineer, a buyer and your sales lead can stand in the same aisle. But a booth is a one-week event, and most buyers start researching suppliers online months before they walk the floor. Most manufacturers do best using the two together.
| Trade show booth | Google Ads + website | |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | Whoever walks past, for a few days | Buyers searching for your capability, any week of the year |
| Cost shape | Large fixed cost: booth, travel, staff time | Spend scales up or down by month |
| Best at | Relationships, demos, closing complex RFQs | Capturing active RFQ intent, measurable cost per lead |
| Follow-up | Badge scans and business cards | Every lead tracked in your CRM from the first click |
If a show is already on your calendar, the cheapest upgrade is to run ads in the show city and a landing page for visitors a few weeks before, then book meetings instead of hoping for foot traffic. If a show is not worth the booth cost, the same budget in Google Ads and your website often produces more trackable RFQs. Before you exhibit, make sure the site those visitors land on is ready: see our pre-show website checklist. Read how to handle the leads afterward in our trade show lead follow-up guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest industrial trade shows in 2026–2027?
The largest US industrial trade shows include IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) in Chicago, FABTECH for metal forming, fabricating and welding, Automate for robotics and automation, and PACK EXPO International for packaging and processing. This directory lists 178 manufacturing and industrial expos across all major sectors, sorted by next date.
How do I find the right trade show for my manufacturing company?
Filter by industry, region or month. A precision machining shop often gets better leads at a regional SME show like EASTEC, WESTEC or SOUTHTEC than at a huge general expo. If you serve several industries, events like IMTS or the Design-2-Part shows give broader exposure to OEM and contract manufacturing buyers.
Is this a complete list of manufacturing trade shows?
No list is complete, but this directory focuses on recurring US shows that manufacturers actually exhibit at and attend. Each listing shows when it was last verified against the organizer's site. If a show is missing or wrong, use the form on this page to add or correct it. Industry associations like SME, AMT and NTMA also publish their own event calendars.
How often are the dates updated?
Every show lists a "verified" date. Dates are rechecked against the official organizer sites on a regular schedule, and shows whose next dates are not published yet display the expected month instead of a guess. Organizers can send corrections with the form on this page.
How can I find automotive industry trade shows?
Filter the directory by the Automotive, Aerospace & Transportation category. Key events include WCX (World Congress Experience) by SAE International in Detroit, and the Design-2-Part shows, which bring OEM buyers and contract manufacturers together in several US cities each year.
What are the best strategies for trade show marketing for manufacturing companies?
Start before the event: email your database, schedule meetings on LinkedIn, and run geo-targeted Google Ads around the show city. At the show, send visitors to a dedicated landing page by QR code instead of collecting paper forms. After the show, follow up within 48 hours. See the trade show lead follow-up playbook for the step-by-step system.
Popular Industrial Trade Show Searches
By City
By Month
- Trade Shows in January
- Trade Shows in February
- Trade Shows in March
- Trade Shows in April
- Trade Shows in May
- Trade Shows in June
- Trade Shows in July
- Trade Shows in August
- Trade Shows in September
- Trade Shows in October
- Trade Shows in November
- Trade Shows in December
By Season
By Industry
- CNC & Machining Trade Shows
- Robotics & Automation Expos
- Metal Fabrication Conferences
- Industrial Packaging Shows
- Medical Device Manufacturing Expos
- Welding Trade Shows
- Plastics & Composites Shows
- 3D Printing & Additive Shows
- Automotive, Aerospace & Truck Shows
- Supply Chain & Logistics Shows
- Foundry, Forging & Steel Shows
- Water & Wastewater Shows
- Construction, Ag & Heavy Equipment Shows
- Maintenance & Reliability Events
- Asphalt & Paving Shows
- Flooring, Epoxy & Concrete Shows
- Material Handling & Warehouse Shows
Why Attend Manufacturing & Industrial Trade Shows?
Face-to-face networking is still one of the most effective marketing channels for industrial companies. Trade shows let OEMs, fabricators and distributors demonstrate capabilities, evaluate competitor technology, and move complex, high-value RFQs forward in a way email and ads can't.
How to Maximize Your Trade Show ROI
- Start before the show. Email your database and use LinkedIn outreach to schedule booth meetings weeks ahead. Foot traffic alone rarely covers booth cost.
- Build a dedicated landing page. A mobile-friendly event page on your own site with a QR code at the booth captures lead data instantly instead of relying on badge scans.
- Follow up within 48 hours. Response rates on show leads drop quickly after the first two days. Set up the follow-up sequence before the event.
Choosing the Right Event for Your Company
Not every show fits every manufacturer. A precision CNC shop may do better at a targeted regional SME event than at a massive general expo where buyers are overwhelmed. Filter the directory by your niche and region, then open a show's page for its dates, past editions and similar events.