The energy was unmistakable at the Edmonton EXPO Centre this April. WMTS 2025 wasn’t just a trade show — it was a powerful reminder of how strong, agile, and ambitious Western Canada’s manufacturing sector has become.
Over three days, more than 2,000 manufacturing professionals walked the aisles, filled the Tech Hub sessions, and engaged in thousands of real, on-the-floor conversations. Whether it was the hum of live machinery, the curious clusters forming around new automation demos, or a handshake over a lead scan — the show floor pulsed with purpose.
According to Mike Ballerscheff, Business Development Manager at Elliott Matsuura, “The quality of leads at WMTS was impressive. We had direct conversations with technology leaders and business owners who were genuinely interested in what we offer. The traffic was solid, and the discussions were focused and productive.”
Innovation That Moved
WMTS 2025 delivered a technology showcase that was as tactile as it was forward-thinking. The show floor was alive with live equipment demos — from high-precision CNC machines to collaborative robots and laser-guided inspection tools.
The debut of the SmartMTX Pavilion, curated in partnership with the MEE Cluster & EMC, added a future-facing lens: AI, digital twins, data-driven production — all accessible and explained in plain terms by experts who know the shop floor as well as the strategy room.
Just steps away, the Discovery Zone spotlighted 8 emerging companies: Discovery Solutions International, Elementiam Materials and Manufacturing, Integrys, Javelin, Next Level Advanced Manufacturing, Paterson Consulting, Smart LEAN mfg and Work Based Learning Consortium, many of whom launched technologies at WMTS for the first time in Western Canada.
Learning That Mattered
Across the Tech Hub and partner stages, WMTS 2025 featured more than 30 curated sessions designed to tackle the real-world challenges manufacturers face today. Topics ranged from solving workforce shortages to scaling ERP systems, reshoring strategies, and interpreting CSA welding standards.
Whether sitting in a packed theatre or catching a Q&A on the floor, the learning felt immediate — practical, focused, and deeply relevant.
Connection That Counted
This year’s show offered more than aisles and stages — it delivered community. Co-located with the Automation Expo & Conference (AEC), produced by the ISA Edmonton Section, WMTS 2025 created a rare convergence of manufacturing operations, control systems, and emerging tech ecosystems.
From networking receptions to casual conversations between sessions, the atmosphere was collaborative, open, and forward-looking — a place where introductions turned into ideas, and ideas into action.
Real Partnership. Real Results.
None of it would have been possible without the support of key partners, including the ISA Edmonton Section, Canadian Machine Tool Distributors Association (CMTDA), Canadian Tooling & Machining Association (CTMA), CWB Group, EWI, Manufacturing & Export Enhancement Cluster (MEE Cluster), and Next Generation Manufacturing. Their leadership helped shape WMTS 2025 into a platform not just for showcasing technology, but for shaping the region’s industrial future.
Until Next Time…
WMTS will return in April 2027 once again at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. But the momentum is already underway.
If you were there, you made WMTS 2025 unforgettable. And if you missed it — now you know why you should join us in April 2027!
Stay connected at www.wmts.ca and on LinkedIn. The Western Canadian manufacturing conversation continues.