Chicago as an industrial trade fair venue in the United States

Chicago as an industrial trade fair venue in the United States stands for size, proximity to production and economic substance. The city is located in the heart of the Midwest and has historically been a centre of industry, trade and transport. This industrial DNA continues to shape the trade fair profile to this day. With McCormick Place, Chicago has the largest contiguous exhibition centre in North America. The hall space is spread over several buildings along Lake Michigan. The dimensions allow for leading international trade fairs with several thousand exhibitors as well as specialised conferences. Chicago is a geographical hub. Railways, motorways, inland ports and international flight connections bring together flows of goods and people. This location in the centre of the country makes it much easier to reach the rest of the country. This makes the location strategically advantageous for exhibitors from industry and mechanical engineering.

Infrastructure and capacities in Chicago

McCormick Place is designed for large-scale trade fair events. High halls, spacious loading areas and modern conference rooms enable complex setups, for example for heavy machinery or industrial demonstrations. Hotels in the city centre and direct connections to public transport ensure a steady flow of visitors. The exhibition centre is characterised by:

• Very large contiguous exhibition areas
• Technical infrastructure for heavy industrial exhibits
• Direct connection to rail and road networks
• Strong hotel capacity in the downtown area

Industry structure as a foundation

The industrial character of the region shapes the event profile. Mechanical engineering, metalworking, packaging technology, the food industry and the construction industry are strongly represented at trade fairs. Accordingly, trade fairs with a clear B2B focus dominate. The proximity to manufacturing companies ensures high numbers of trade visitors from real sales markets. Unlike pure show locations, Chicago is closely linked to the industrial value chain. Medical congresses also play a role, but the backbone of the trade fair location remains the manufacturing and production industry. New technologies such as automation, robotics and industrial digitalisation find an economic environment here that enables investment and concrete business deals.

Economic significance in the Midwest

Chicago serves as the commercial and industrial centre of the Midwest. The trade fair venue benefits from a strong regional base in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. This industrial concentration creates a stable visitor market potential. The location stands for substance. Events are work-oriented, technically focused and less geared towards spectacle. This makes Chicago one of the most important industrial trade fair venues in the United States.

Which leading trade fairs take place at the Chicago Exhibition Centre?

• Chicago Auto Show: North America's largest automotive trade fair.
• Fabtech: North America's leading event for metal forming, welding and manufacturing.
• IMTS: One of the world's largest industrial trade fairs for manufacturing technology.
• National Restaurant Association Show: The most important trade fair for the hospitality industry in the USA.
• NeoCon: The world's leading platform for commercial interior design.
• Pack Expo International: The largest packaging trade fair in North America.
• RSNA: The world's most important congress and trade exhibition for radiology.