Seen and Heard at IMTS 2014

IMTS 2014 saw record attendance, with a 14% increase in registrations over 2012. Total attendance came in at 114,147, and these folks had LOTS to see. Did all of them visit the Okuma booth ? Seems like it! Check out this video where we managed to squeeze in a quick walk-through of our booth. We also captured some comments about the show from our folks on the front lines, and thought you’d enjoy them too.

“People are loving the 'real life' parts we’re showing. They’re not just demo parts. The oil field people are very interested in machines like our LB4000 EX-II because we have it configured just how they want it. The Okuma booth has been SWAMPED. If this is an indicator of the future, it’s going to be very bright for everyone.”
-Rick Kimmins, Inside Sales Specialist, Okuma America Corporation

“IMTS attendees enjoy being able to see the real operations they run in their own shops, so they can ask questions about their processes. Yes, it’s kept me busy! In three days, I haven’t been able to eat, drink or go to the bathroom.”
-Germano Zerbini, Applications Engineer, Okuma America Corporation

“The interest level is very serious this year, a lot of people are coming to buy. I also notice that attendees are more technology-driven than they used to be. Right now I’m seeing that even start-up companies are buying higher technology like multifunction CNC machines rather than the 2-axis they used to gravitate toward. Our job as salespeople is to be counselors so we can help customers make the best technology choice for their business.”
-Tad Shanks, Sales Manager, Hartwig Inc.

“This is the 15th IMTS I’ve attended. The biggest thing I notice this year is the level of technical questions has been MUCH higher than usual.”
-David Fischer, Lathe Product Specialist, Okuma America Corporation

“One of the things that really stands out this year is Okuma’s commitment to demonstrate new product. This draws a crowd, and in fact it’s been difficult to even walk this the booth! Of course, customer applications vary, but I’ve seen a lot of interest in the MU-6300V and the MB-4000H with pallet changer options, and the VTM-2000YB – all have been hits with attendees.”
-Don Spaethe, Morris Midwest

“The turnout has been extremely strong. In previous years there were slow periods in the day, but this year has been continuously strong.”
-Ed Leeson, Applications Engineer, Okuma America Corporation

“This year I’ve noticed the mixture of people. We see all ages – senior, middle-age and young professionals. It’s great to see the young generation because they’re not afraid of anything. They just jump right in and start punching the control. They love things like the simulations on the control – this taps into their ‘video game mentality.’ I’m very excited about the new generation coming into our industry.”
-Jeff Estes, Director, Partners in THINC, Okuma America Corporation

“There’s a real excitement at this show. People have come here excited to do business.”
-Brendan Cunningham, Area Sales Manager, EMEC Machine Tools Inc.

“I’ve been to 20 IMTS shows, and this one is very crowded. It’s been much busier than usual here in the Okuma booth.”
-Olafs Gaibiselis, Sales, Gosiger

“We’ve had a lot of activity with customers from Mexico, and it’s been great to show them all the new technology in the Okuma booth. We’re also meeting with a lot of U.S.-based companies that have business in Mexico.”
-Jonathan Friedman, Project Manager, HEMAQ

“The positive energy and vibe of the attendees and the exhibitors really indicates that manufacturing is on the rise. Throughout the show you could literally feel the excitement pulsing. People were engaged and enthusiastic about exploring the machines and technology. They asked great questions and walked with purpose, signs that they’re keenly interested in learning about the equipment and processes. Our whole team really enjoyed IMTS 2014 and I believe the attendees walked away with lots of great ideas that will improve their business.”
-Julie Murphy, Director of Marketing, Okuma America Corporation

What did you see and hear at IMTS 2014? We welcome your comments below.