HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS 2020 Canceled

HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS staff have been closely monitoring the impact COVID-19 has had on its members, our exhibitors and visitors, and the industry. We sincerely hope that you, your family and your business remain healthy and safe.

As you may know, we have spent the past several weeks trying to get clarity from Illinois Governor J. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot regarding the exact requirements for trade shows to take place in Chicago. In early May, Governor Pritzker introduced a five-phased plan to reopen Illinois businesses. As it reads, the plan specifically states that conventions are included in phase 5 of the plan. The conditions that must be met for the implementation of phase 5 feature either the availability of a vaccine for the COVID 19 virus or a highly effective treatment protocol, neither of which are expected to occur in the coming months.

In light of these difficult and challenging circumstances, HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS, scheduled for September 14-19, 2020 had to be canceled. While this saddens us, the health and safety of our exhibitors and audience remains our top priority.

We know live in-person HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS can never be replaced with a virtual event. We do, however, realize and understand that even though there is no physical event in 2020, it is our responsibility to provide the HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS exhibitors and visitors with connections, networking opportunities and technical knowledge. We do not take this responsibility lightly and, to that end, we are supporting IMTS to launch two programs that will accomplish these goals.

IMTS Network: We will participate in hosting the IMTS Network, live-streaming a wide variety of features and human stories from the Manufacturing Technology sector. More information about the IMTS Network will be provided very soon.

NEW - IMTS Spark: IMTS Spark, a comprehensive digital platform that connects IMTS and HANNOVER MESSE USA exhibitors and visitors, provides educational and networking opportunities and offers first rate experiences, will launch in the near future.

At this time, the HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS Boards are considering the impact of this cancellation on all involved. We will reach out to you with more information as soon as it is available.

On behalf of HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS Staff, we would like to thank you for your patience, loyalty and partnership as we move through these unprecedented and challenging times.  We truly appreciate you.

Best regards,

Larry Turner
President and CEO
Hannover Fairs USA​