ON THE ROAD: 2026 Makers on the Move Bus Tour

Start Time: October 2
End Time: October 9

Event has Passed

MAKERS
BUS
TOUR.

Details

Location

Various Stops in Illinois
Partners
Contact

Jaclyn Kolodziej

jkolodziej@imec.org
  • Event Tags, ,

    • What is Makers on the Move?

    Designed to showcase modern manufacturing which is high-tech, clean, diverse, and sustainable, the Makers on the Move bus will visit manufacturing facilities, colleges, and high schools across the state to highlight the innovative manufacturing sector and amazing job opportunities that are available today.

    Where Are We Going?

    EVERYWHERE.  Okay, maybe not… but on Friday, October 2nd the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and IMEC will be embarking on a seven day “Makers on the Move” bus tour across Illinois to celebrate Manufacturing Month.  Join us for a stop or take a picture of the bus while we are enjoying the country (and city) views of our great state!  Event details and stops are available at www.makersonthemove.org.

    Bus Schedule

    Friday, October 2

    TCCI Manufacturing | Decatur
    Plastipak | Champaign
    Inprentus | Champaign
    Triptych Brewing | Savoy

    Monday, October 5

    University of Illinois Springfield | Springfield
    American Buildings Co. | El Paso
    WeatherTech | Bolingbrook
    Freedom Boat Club by Brunswick | Chicago

    Tuesday, October 6

    Lake Park West High School | Roselle
    Chicago Glue | Itasca
    Aurora Specialty Textiles | Yorkville
    Elgin Community College | Elgin

    Wednesday, October 7

    Highland Vans | Elk Grove Village
    Swiss Automation | Barrington
    Polar Wire | Wauconda
    Scot Forge | Spring Grove

    Thursday, October 8

    Ferrara | DeKalb
    J.F. Glidden Homestead | DeKalb
    Custom Aluminum Products | Genoa
    Regal Rexnord | Marengo
    FMA Sparkforce Gala | Hoffman Estates

    Friday, October 9

    Daley College | City Colleges of Chicago
    Ability Engineering | South Holland
    Apparel Redefined | Crestwood

    More to come!

    More Upcoming Events

    SEE
    WASTE
    CLEARLY.

    May 21, 2026:  11:30 am - 12:30 pm

    • Webinars

    SEE WASTE CLEARLY: Using IIoT to Reveal and Remove the 8 Wastes

    Join us for this webinar to learn how IIoT enables smarter decision-making, clearer insights, and faster improvement across the shop floor.

    Learn More

    DEVELOP
    YOUR
    LEADERS.

    September 22, 2026 
    November 10, 2026 

    • In-Person Events

    DEVELOP YOUR LEADERS: Well-Rounded Leadership Foundation 8-Week Training Program – Chicago (Spanish Version)

    An 8-week program equipping new supervisors with key skills to lead teams, improve communication, and achieve organizational goals in spanish!

    Learn More

    GROW
    YOUR
    BUSINESS.

    October 22, 2026:  11:00 am - 12:00 pm

    • Partner Events
    • Webinars

    Jam Session: Welcome to the 2026 State of Marketing to Engineers Report

    Welcome to the 2026 State of Marketing to Engineers Report Jam Session with Wendy Covey, CEO of TREW Marketing.

    Learn More

    ISO
    14001
    EVOLUTION.

    October 22, 2026:  11:30 am - 12:30 pm

    • Webinars

    ISO 14001 EVOLUTION: Understanding the New Revision and What It Means for Manufacturers

    With the release of the revised ISO 14001 standard, now is the time to understand what has changed and how it may impact your business.

    Learn More

    TALENT
    PIPELINE
    PROGRAM.

    October 29, 2026:  11:30 am - 12:30 pm

    • Webinars

    America’s Talent Pipeline Program: Winning the War for Talent

    In this webinar, participants will learn how America’s Talent Pipeline Program helps employers build and implement stronger talent systems that reduce workforce instability, improve productivity, support business growth, and increase manufacturing capacity.

    Learn More

    Practice
    Makes
    Improvement.

    November 3, 2026:  11:30 am - 12:30 pm

    • Webinars

    PRACTICE MAKES IMPROVEMENT: Why Kata Matters at Every Level in Your Organization

    In this webinar, you’ll discover why Kata is a mindset and method that drives continuous improvement from the front line to executive leadership.

    Learn More

    Real
    Applications.
    Real
    Manufacturers.
    Real
    Impact.

    November 12, 2026:  8:00 am - 4:00 pm

    • In-Person Events

    NextGen Manufacturing AI Summit – Downers Grove

    Discover how AI is transforming the future of manufacturing at the NextGen Manufacturing AI Summit.

    Learn More

    LOOKING
    TO
    2027.

    November 19, 2026:  11:30 am - 12:30 pm

    • Webinars

    LOOKING TO 2027: Growth Trends Manufacturing Leaders Should Build Into Their Next 3 Year Plan

    Explore the growth trends, emerging technologies, and value drivers manufacturers should be building into their 2027–2029 roadmap—using an 8 driver value framework—to maximize performance today and enterprise value tomorrow.

    Learn More

    IMA
    Annual
    Luncheon.

    December 11, 2026:  10:00 am - 2:00 pm

    • In-Person Events
    • Partner Events

    133rd IMA Annual Luncheon

    IMA’s cornerstone event, the Annual Luncheon, attracts nearly 1,000 business leaders and elected officials. A sellout event each year, it’s important to reserve your seats and sponsorship early.

    Learn More

    SAFETY
    AND
    HEALTH.

    January 26, 2027:  8:00 am - 5:00 pm

    • In-Person Events

    SIOSH/SAFETYCON 2027 – Edwardsville

    SIOSH/SAFETYCON is not just a conference, but an annual gathering of occupational safety and health professionals. 

    Learn More

    View All Events