Forge Fair 2019, North America’s largest forging-industry trade show, was held in late May. The Forging Industry Association (FIA), which organized the event, claimed that overall attendance of nearly 2,000 people broke previous Forge Fair records.
The show was held at Cleveland’s Huntington Convention Center, the same modern venue that held the exhibition and conference in 2017 and 2015. It was announced that Forge Fair 2021 will be held May 18-20 in Detroit’s Cobo Center.
Forge Fair opened with a brief welcoming speech by FIA President Jim Warren. In a change from the previous two Forge Fairs, each day of the event was opened by a keynote speaker. On the first day, the keynoter was Jeremy Bout of Edge Factor, which creates cinematic media that addresses workforce challenges and business and career building.
After the keynote speech, the exhibit floor was opened to attendees, by which time all the exhibitors had their booths ready for floor traffic. Some meals and beverages during the event were served on the exhibit floor and sponsored by major participating companies. This format gave exhibitors and attendees a chance to conduct business over a light meal.
After lunch on the exhibit floor, the technical program began. It was kicked off by the FIA Marketing Committee’s presentation “Forging 101 – Why Forgings?” All subsequent technical presentations were held in six concurrent tracks of 25-minute presentations. The six concurrent tracks were categorized as follows: Presses & Hammers, Heating, Tooling & Materials, Facilities & Processes, Software Simulation and Automation. The technical program consisted of more than 60 papers.
Keynoters
Forge Fair 2019 was different from previous years in that each day began with a keynote speaker. During his talk, Bout spoke of entering the manufacturing industry, his relationship to it and how it inspired Edge Factor, which provides regional solutions to national workforce development challenges. He used a number of cross-metaphors to describe the way he saw the world of manufacturing. In one example, he portrayed machine-tool manufacturers as “surgeons of steel.”
“Edge Factor empowers communities across North America by telling manufacturing stories through filmmaking,” Bout said.
Dr. Amy Elliott, a researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, science TV personality and additive-manufacturing (AM) expert addressed the breakfast crowd on Wednesday before the exhibit floor opened. Dr. Elliott, who received her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, spoke extensively about AM, its real-world applications and its potential applications in markets ranging from automotive, aerospace, medical devices, food, fashion and general manufacturing. Additionally, she cited some of AM’s benefits as keys to the success of the process. For example, it costs about as much to produce a complex part as a simple one with AM. “Complexity is free,” she said of the process. Her presentation ended with a brief panel discussion with Q&A from the audience.
Keynote headliner Rocky Bleier completed the guest speaking program on Thursday morning. He proved to be a well-prepared and engaging speaker and was a friendly presence on the exhibit floor during the rest of the morning. Bleier, a 16th round NFL draft pick in 1968, went from Notre Dame to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also drafted by the U.S. Army to fight in Vietnam, where he injured his leg and was told he would never walk again. He spent months in the hospital, but through determination and hard work he not only walked again but rejoined the Steelers. He worked his way through the practice squad and into a starting role, where he became an important part of the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s, winning four Super Bowl rings that he brought along to show attendees. “We’re all in the hope business,” Bleier said. “All of us.”
Conclusion
There is nothing like the experience of a trade-show conference to gather an international group of presenters, exhibitors and attendees. Forge Fair 2019 was a record-breaking event, having attracted nearly 2,000 total attendees. The fair was well-organized, and the keynote speakers added some variety to the program.
See you in two years, when Detroit hosts the event.
2019 Forge Fair Exhibitor List
Exhibitors came from around the world to showcase their technologies and products at Forge Fair 2019.
About 180 companies and organizations offered displays in the exhibition hall.
ABP Induction LLC
Absolent Americas
Absolute Welding Inc.
ACE – Automated Cells & Equipment
Aceralava
Advanced Machine & Engineering
Advanced Machine Design Co., Inc.
Advanced Structural Technologies, Inc.
Advanced Technology International
AED Automation GmbH
Ajax TOCCO Magnethermic Corp.; Ajax-CECO
Alliance for American Manufacturing
Allied Mineral Products Inc.
Alpha 1 Induction
American GFM Corporation
AML Industries, Inc.
Anand Engineers Pvt. Ltd. (Molygraph Lubricants)
Angstrom Corporation
ArcelorMittal
Asahi Forge Group
Asil Celik Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S.
ASO Siderurgica S.p.A. Unipersonale
ASW Steel, Inc.
B.O.S. Field Machine, Inc.
Bahco bandsaw Blades
Barnhart Crane and Rigging
Blast Cleaning Technologies,Inc
Bloom Engineering Co.
Bosch Rexroth Corporation
Bulldog Tools, Inc.
Campbell Press Repair
Carlesa NDE Services
CEFI Induction Heating
Charter Steel
Clansman Dynamics
Clinton Machine, an Inductotherm Group Company
CMI Industry Americas Inc. (EFCO)
CombusTech Ltd.
Condat Corporation
Consolidated Industries, Inc.
Cor-Met, Inc.
Dango & Dienenthal Incorporated
Direct Energy Business
DSS America Inc.
Dynamic Surface Technologies International
Eaton Steel Bar Company
Edgerton Forge, Inc.
EDRO Specialty Steels
Electralloy
Electrotherm
Ellwood Quality Steels Co.
Ellwood Specialty Steel Co./Walter Metals
Enomoto Machine Co., LTD.
Enprotech Industrial Technologies, LLC
Erie Press Systems
ERS Engineering Corp.
Eureka Welding Alloys
Fabreeka International Inc.
FAGOR ARRASATE S. Coop
Feedall Automation
FICEP S.P.A.
Finkl Steel
Fives North American Combustion, Inc.
Fontijne Grotnes, Inc.
Ford Tool & Machining
FORGE Magazine
Forge Die and Tool Corp./Forge Precision Co.
Forge Systems Inc.
Forging Equipment Solutions
Forging Industry Association (FIA)
Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation
Forging Magazine
Friggi N. A. Inc.
FRISA Steel
Fuchs Lubricants Co. Lubrodal Division
Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems
Gemini Precision Machining Inc.
Geo Corp, Inc.
Georg Maschinentechnik
Georgsmarienhütte GmbH
GERB Vibration Control Systems, Inc.
Gerdau (GSN)
GERLIEVA Spröhtechnik GmbH
GLAMA USA Inc.
HASTEC Group
Hatebur Metalforming Equipment Ltd.
Hauhinco
Heating Induction Services, Inc.
Heiko Machine Tools, LLC
HILMA - Division Carr Lane Roemheld Mfg. Co.
Hitachi Metals America, LLC.
Houghton International
Hydromec s.r.l.
Inductoheat Inc.
InfoSight
Interpower Induction USA
IQ Technologies Inc.
Jackson Transformer Company
Jade-Sterling Steel
Jorgensen Conveyors Inc.
Kinkelder USA
Kojima Iron Works
Kreher Steel Company, LLC
LASCO Engineering Services L.L.C.
Latrobe Specialty Steel Distribution
Linsinger
Long Reach Division/Allied Systems Company
Macrodyne Technologies Inc.
Mayfran International
Meritor, Inc.
MFRC (Metal Forming Research Corporation)
Midwest Brake
Moffitt Corporation
Moresco USA, Inc.
Moseley’s Equipment Repair LLC
National Machinery Exchange, Inc.
National Machinery LLC
NF&M Titanium
Nikolic Industries Inc.
Nord-Lock Group
Noritake/Daichi Jitsugyo America
Nucor Steel Memphis, Inc.
Nutec Bickley S.A. de C.V.
Oelheld U.S., Inc.
Oilgear
Onex, Inc.
Pangborn Group
Pat Mooney Saws - Nishijimax
Penn Fan and StarFlite Systems
PhotoGAUGE
Plant Engineering Services, Inc.
Powell Systems, Inc.
Premier Thermal
Presstrade AG
QForm/Forge Technology, Inc.
Raffin Construction Co.
Rattunde Corporation
Republic Steel
Rimrock Corporation
S & S Die Company
Saarstahl
Sander Automation
Schaefer Equipment Inc.
Schuler Group
Scientific Alloys Inc.
Scientific Forming Technologies Corp.
SGGT Hydraulik GmbH
Siempelkamp L.P.
Silini – Hot Forging Presses
SMS Group
Somers Steel
Spectrum, Inc.
Steel Dynamics - Engineered Bar Products Div.
Superior Die Set Corp.
Surface Combustion, Inc.
Sutherland Presses
System Seals
ThermTech
THORS eLearning Solutions
TimkenSteel Corporation
Titan Conveyors
Transcon Conveyor
Transvalor Americas Corp.
Triangle Die & Tool
Tsune America LLC
Turret Steel, A div. of J.T. Ryerson & Son, Inc.
Uddeholm USA
Universal Stainless
V. K. Engineering
VACCARI
Valbruna Slater Stainless Inc.
Verichek Technical Services
Vibro Dynamics LLC
Videx Machine Engineering Ltd.
Weld Mold Company
Weldaloy Products Company
Wepuko Pahnke Engineering, LP
