I Went to Automatica 2025. Did You?

Many professionals—doctors, teachers, dentists; you name it—make time for continued education, networking, and training. Why should the automation industry be any different? Staying sharp in your field means staying connected to new ideas and technologies. That’s why Scot Lindemann, CEO at Mission Design & Automation, traveled to Munich, Germany for Automatica 2025, and why he encourages others in the industry to get out to shows.

Why Automatica?

Scot Lindemann (second from left) with FANUC Europe Team Members at Automatica 2025

Held this past June, Automatica is one of the world’s leading trade fairs for smart automation and robotics. While the team at Mission regularly attends many U.S.-based shows; Lindemann recently made the trip to Munich for Automatica 2025. He saw it as a chance to break out of the usual circuit, step into new conversations, explore the latest tech, and bring fresh insights back to the team.

“Go to Automatica because it’s different. Your tradeshow strategy should be multi-pronged: go to your favorite industry show that you go to every year and go to one other industry event—that’s my challenge,” Lindemann said.

Even though Mission primarily serves the U.S. market, global events like Automatica are valuable for our business (and other U.S.-based automation businesses) to learn of emerging technologies, gain new perspectives, and build valuable connections.

“If you go to these other shows in different regions or industries, you will see something that will make you or your company better, and you’ll meet different people,” Lindemann said.

Trade shows aren’t just about tech; they’re also about people. Reconnecting with familiar faces, meeting new ones, and simply being present in a space where everyone “gets it” can be just as valuable as the demos and discussions.

The next Automatica isn’t until 2027, but we’d recommend making plans to attend if you can. In the meantime, consider exploring trade shows beyond your usual list during the off year.

Investing in Trade Shows for You & Your Team

When your business is busy, it can feel like it is too large of an investment to pull yourself or your team from work to attend an industry show. However, taking a purposeful break from day-to-day work and giving your team the opportunity to zoom out and see the broader industry landscape can be exactly what’s needed to move forward.

“It’s not a small commitment to take 3-4 days to attend industry events, but it is so valuable. Other careers have requirements to continue education, and so do we. Trade shows are one of the ways we continue to develop our teams and keep up with the industry,” Lindemann said.

“It may seem like there is always something more important, but is there really? This is a valuable use of time,” Lindemann added.

Manufacturing & Automation Shows You Don’t Want to Miss

Interested in attending an automation show? Here are some of the shows we make sure to attend every year:

• FABTECH USA: Held in Chicago, Illinois, FABTECH is a metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event. This year, the event is taking place September 8-11, 2025.
• AUTOMATE: The leading robotics and automation event in the Americas is heading back to Chicago, Illinois for 2026! Check it out next June 22-25, 2026.
• PACK EXPO: Explore the latest advancements in packaging and processing at the PACK EXPO, September 29 – October 1, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• IMTS: The International Manufacturing Technology Show will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, September 14-19, 2026.
• MODEX: A premier manufacturing and supply chain show, MODEX will be held April 13-16, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
• A3 Business Forum: Exclusive to A3 members, the 2026 A3 Business Forum is planned for January 19-21, 2026, in Orlando, Florida.

We’re also checking out some new shows this year:

• SPS (Smart Production Solutions) Atlanta 2025: A renowned global industrial automation show organized by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, SPS is coming to the U.S. for the first time in 2025. This event is taking place September 16-18, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia.
• FOCUS: An intelligent vision & industrial AI conference held in Seattle, Washington, on September 24-25, 2025. This event is organized by A3, the Association for Advancing Automation.
• SEMICON West: Making its debut in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 7-9, 2025, SEMICON West is a semiconductor and microelectronics exhibition in North America.

Follow Mission on our social media to stay in the loop on which shows we’ll be at!