MIAMI - A new trade show named FABTECH Mexico will co-locate with the established AWS Weldmex and METALFORM Mexico shows beginning in 2009. A letter of intent to co-locate the shows was recently signed by the American Welding Society and Weldmex LLC (organizers of AWS Weldmex) and the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (joint organizers of FABTECH Mexico). The first combined exhibition will be held June 2-4, 2009, at the Cintermex exhibition center in Monterrey, Mexico. Location for the annual AWS Weldmex and FABTECH Mexico show alternates between Monterrey and Mexico City.

Exhibitors at FABTECH Mexico will feature a variety of bending and fabrication products, including laser and plasma cutting, coil processing, roll forming, plate and structural fabricating, saws and cut-off machines, tooling, press brakes, shears, punching, and tube and pipe equipment. AWS Weldmex exhibitors focus primarily on welding and cutting products, including thermal spray, metal finishing and safety equipment. METALFORM Mexico exhibitors will feature metalforming products, including tool and die, metal stamping, forming and assembly equipment.

AWS, SME, FMA, and PMA already cooperate on trade shows in the United States, where they jointly host the annual FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show, including METALFORM. This year's show, set for October 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will include more than 900 exhibitors showing welding, cutting and metalworking products from all over the world. The combined event is North America's largest metal forming, fabricating and welding exhibition.

"The addition of FABTECH Mexico to AWS Weldmex and METALFORM Mexico takes us one step closer to our overall strategic goal of offering a complete North American plan to FABTECH exhibitors," said Mark Tomlinson, executive director of SME."