McLean, Va. (July 24, 2023) — AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology has announced that Season Three of "Road Trippin’ with Steve," an IMTS+ Original Series, will debut on July 27 (view Season Three trailer). This season, AMT technology analyst and show host Steve LaMarca takes an epic road trip to Detroit, Michigan, aka Motor City, to visit Stellantis, LIFT, and FANUC America.
"Detroit flourished at the turn of the previous century because of its skilled workers and innovation," says LaMarca. "A century later, Motor City is working hard to regain its glory. The thing that blew me away during the filming of Season Three of ‘Road Trippin’ was the pride behind the products of the companies we visited. The people and automation technologies they are using today would send Henry Ford, Ransom Olds, and Walter Chrysler to the moon with pride."
"Steve brings a unique combination of passion, tech-savvy insights, and quirky humor to every episode of "Road Trippin’ with Steve"," says Peter Eelman, chief experience officer at AMT, which owns and produces IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show. "On Steve’s grand tour of Motor City, you get to see three leading companies not through the lens of a PR department, but through Steve’s unique filter. Combining a personalized narrative with insights from a manufacturing expert is what makes our IMTS+ Original Series such compelling viewing."
Other IMTS+ Original Series premiere dates include Season Three of "Manufacturing Explorers" on Sept. 28 and Season Two of "Smart(er) Shop" on Oct. 26. Viewers can now watch the all-new third season of Profiles in Manufacturing, which debuted this spring and features three manufacturing leaders who have the courage and audacity to dream big and do bigger.
Tour Stops
The "Road Trippin’" crew’s first stop was Stellantis’ Detroit Assembly Complex – Jefferson. Spread over 3 million square feet, the facility houses an army of robots working as a team. Its assembly line includes the Jeep® Grand Cherokee, Jeep® Grand Cherokee 4xe, and Dodge® Durango.
"It was the first time I’ve seen that many robots," says LaMarca. "It was like watching a well-choreographed dance or play."
Next stop: LIFT, which is operated by the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII), a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense, industry, academia and part of the Manufacturing USA institutes.
"In areas where our education system has failed, LIFT is doing its best to pick it up," says LaMarca. "In terms of technology, they cover everything from welding to automation and robotics to metal additive."
The last stop was a visit to FANUC America. The automation segment leader’s North American headquarters is a rite of passage in the manufacturing industry.
"It’s almost entirely a research and development lab dedicated to improving their products and proof-of-concept reliability testing," says LaMarca. "I learned FANUC welcomed competition from other robot companies. It's not something that they shy away from because competition makes them better."
For three amazingly cool videos on manufacturing in Motor City, tune in for the premiere of Season Three of "Road Trippin’ with Steve" on July 27 on IMTS+.
About IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show
IMTS – International Manufacturing Technology Show – The largest and longest-running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. IMTS 2024 will run Sept. 9-14. IMTS is ranked among the largest trade shows in the world. IMTS is recognized as one of the world’s preeminent stages for introducing and selling manufacturing equipment and technology as well as connecting the industry’s supply chain. IMTS attracts visitors from every level of industry and more than 117 countries. IMTS 2022 had 86,307 registrants, 1,212,806 net square feet of exhibit space, 1,602 booths, and 1,816 exhibiting companies. IMTS is owned and produced by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. (IMTS.com/show)
About IMTS+
IMTS+ is a custom digital gathering place for the manufacturing technology community—exploring the people behind the machines, the technologies that are driving the industry forward, and the connections that make growth possible. From stories to series, IMTS+ delivers content built to inform and inspire. (IMTS.com/plus)
