Celebrating 30 Years | MD&M MIDWEST

Celebrating 30 Years of Manufacturing Excellence

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MD&M Midwest:
30 Years of Manufacturing Innovation

For three decades, MD&M Midwest has stood as the heart of manufacturing excellence. Minnesota isn’t just a location — it’s a melting pot of innovation where visionary giants like 3M and Mayo Clinic join forces with homegrown leaders such as Biomerics, Ascential Medical & Life Sciences, Automation, Inc., and Protolabs to revolutionize industries. Immerse yourself in the creative atmosphere where manufacturing legends converge. Feel the pulse of innovation that has transformed healthcare, reimagined consumer products, and redefined what’s possible in engineering excellence.

Join this landmark 30th anniversary celebration of breakthrough innovation in Minnesota. It’s your gateway to the next era of manufacturing. Don’t just witness history—become part of it.

The Evolution of Advanced Manufacturing

2000s 2010s 2020s The Future

2000s: Quality Systems, Additive Manufacturing, and Automation

The 2000s saw widespread adoption of Six Sigma, additive manufacturing moving into production, and the rise of cobots and sustainability as operational priorities.

Twin Cities Insight:
Minnesota kept moving forward! Eden Prairie, MN-based Stratasys led global innovation in 3D printing. St. Paul, MN-based Ecolab expanded industrial sanitation and water treatment solutions. Polaris, rooted in Minnesota’s outdoor manufacturing heritage, began developing electric and mobility platforms. And the Medical Alley cluster emerged with organizations like Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific, and their spin-offs driving medtech innovation.

2010s: Industry 4.0 and Intelligent Manufacturing Systems

The 2010s integrated AI, IoT, digital twins, and predictive analytics into operations, transforming factories into intelligent, interconnected systems.

Twin Cities Insight:
Minnesota ranked among the top five U.S. states for industrial robot adoption, driven by companies such as Shoreview, Minnesota–based PaR Systems and Savage, Minnesota–based Beckhoff Automation. 3M (headquartered in Minnesota) embedded smart systems throughout its business lines, while regional mobility innovators piloted connected and electrified platforms.

Industry 4.0 and Intelligent Manufacturing Systems

2020s: Smart Factories, Digital Ecosystems, and Materials Innovation

Today’s manufacturing landscape in Minnesota features smart factories powered by edge computing, AI-based performance optimization, blockchain-enabled traceability, and advanced materials such as nanocomposites and biodegradable polymers. Digital twins now feed automated optimization loops, while sustainability goals—like zero-waste operations and circular design—are becoming increasingly codified and measurable.

Twin Cities Insight:
In 2021, Minneapolis hosted the return of Informa’s co-located MD&M, ATX, Design & Manufacturing, Minn Pack, and Plastec events, united post-pandemic as the inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Minneapolis. This unified platform spanned medtech, automation, design and manufacturing, packaging, and plastics.

In 2025, the show returns as MD&M Midwest, hosted at the Minneapolis Convention Center with over 575 exhibitors, a new Midwest manufacturing leadership summit, and seven conference tracks.

The Future: Human‑Centered Innovation, Quantum Simulation, and Circular Systems

Manufacturing’s next frontier will focus on quantum simulation, AR/VR workforce tools, circular economy principles, whole-health approaches, and elevated human‑machine collaboration, among other life-changing innovations.

Twin Cities Insight:
The Twin Cities are positioned to lead the next wave of global manufacturing innovation, with forward-looking momentum across medtech, automation, packaging, design and manufacturing, and advanced materials.

In medtech, global advances in AI-powered diagnostics, connected health devices, and minimally invasive surgical systems will intersect with Minnesota’s strengths, driven by innovators like Biomerics and the Mayo Clinic, to deliver faster, more personalized patient care.

Automation will see rapid adoption of robotics, AI-enabled control, and autonomous production lines, while Minnesota companies such as PaR Systems and Beckhoff Automation are poised to integrate these technologies into increasingly intelligent, adaptable factories.

Packaging will evolve toward circular materials, digital traceability, and smart labeling, with local developers already engineering eco-forward, data-rich solutions to meet global sustainability goals.

In design and manufacturing, digital twins, additive manufacturing, and agile production will compress timelines worldwide, with Protolabs advancing rapid-response, on-demand capabilities from Minnesota. Advanced materials—ranging from biopolymers to nanocomposites—will enable lighter, stronger, and more sustainable products, and Minnesota innovators are applying these breakthroughs across medical, aerospace, and industrial applications.

SkyWater Technology, based in Bloomington, is scaling U.S. semiconductor fabrication under the CHIPS Act and Minnesota’s Forward Fund, supplying the secure microelectronics that will underpin innovation across all five sectors and solidify the Twin Cities as a global hub for next-generation manufacturing.

As this future unfolds, Informa’s MD&M Midwest is proud to champion the Midwest’s manufacturing and engineering industries, people, and programs—providing an annual gathering place for the exchange of ideas, advancement of business and careers, and continuation of education. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your community. We will see you in October!