In-Person Parts Cleaning Conference is Promising

The 2021 Parts Cleaning Conference is shaping up to be a safe, promising and educational event to attend in Cleveland, Ohio, this August.

As the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be on the decline in the U.S., we can recognize the difficulties we endured since March 2020 and that some changes have occurred that might or might not revert to “normal.” However, a couple of things the pandemic hasn’t changed is the industrial cleaning industry’s yearning for continuous learning and community building. This is evident by the growing number of companies becoming members of the newly established Manufacturing Cleaning Association (MCA) as well as high attendance at the virtual 2020 Parts Cleaning Conference (PCC). In fact, that edition of the conference was the most highly attended since its inception!

The PCC committee is busy constructing another informative conference this year, but this time as a live event, to be held at the Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS) in Cleveland, Ohio, August 10-12. We hope you can join us for the parts cleaning and precision machining industries’ first live event in 18 months.

Although it’s exciting to think about attending in-person events again, you might be wondering if PMTS/PCC 2021 will actually happen. Show management, however, is very confident the show will take place for a couple of reasons: First, Ohio’s governor has lifted the COVID-19 restriction that did not previously allow for more than 300 people to gather indoors; second, there are industry studies that point to the public’s interest in returning to manufacturing events. According to a study done by Freeman, the overall Confidence Index for returning to in-person events in March 2021 is at 75%, up from an all-time low last spring that was around 40%. Also, 68% of attendees and 71% of exhibitors expect to have no corporate travel restrictions by the third quarter this year. Manufacturing is leading the way as the first industry to return to in-person events, followed by technology, retail and health care.

I, for one, am enthusiastic about a safe, in-person event. I believe many of us can use a boost of energy and inspiration that being surrounded by our colleagues can provide.