WMTS 2025 Recap: Automation, innovation and the future of manufacturing in Canada

The Western Manufacturing Technology Show (WMTS) returned to the Edmonton Expo Centre from April 9 to 11, offering an interactive showcase of the latest technologies and innovations in manufacturing. Held biennially, this year’s event welcomed 1,841 attendees to explore the 57 exhibitors and 31 educational sessions.

With over 30 years of history, WMTS plays an important role in Canada’s manufacturing industry. Featuring dozens of interactive demonstrations, the show highlighted advancements in machine tools, automation and additive manufacturing, giving attendees a chance to explore the latest products and discover tailored solutions that could improve their operations.

This year, the event was collocated with the Automation Expo & Conference, organized by the International Society of Automation Edmonton Section. Attendees of WMTS could use their registration badges to access the neighbouring show at no extra cost, and vice versa.

Here are some key moments and highlights that made this year’s WMTS a success.

Keynote: The Future of Supply Chain Management

Shauna Feth, FEA, President and CEO of Alberta Chambers of Commerce, kicked things off with the keynote address on Day 1 of the event.

The session highlighted the Alberta Chambers of Commerce supply chain data publishing network, Supplyflow.net, as a vital tool for Alberta manufacturers to connect with suppliers, streamline operations and create new growth opportunities both within the province and beyond. Attendees gained insights into the future of supply chain management and learned how businesses can take the lead in building resilient, innovative and sustainable manufacturing ecosystems.

“Bottom line, there’s going to be disruptions in supply chains and those are going to have impacts on everything from employment to productivity,” she said. “So we need solutions to manage and address these challenges.”

Feth emphasized that Canada’s strategic priorities should include leveraging our strengths, such as critical minerals and agriculture, and policy certainty for business. “I can’t overstate how much uncertainty there has been around the political and policy environment, and it’s highly impacted investment.”

Panel: Sustainable Manufacturing and Hyperautomation: Can AI and robotics lead the way?

This panel discussion on Day 1 explored the transformative potential of AI, robotics and hyperautomation in addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing industries worldwide, such labour shortages, rising costs and increasing demands for efficiency.

Panelists Faheem Khan, CEO of Aro, Harpal Mandaher, CEO of Sarcomere Dynamics Inc. and Dr. Mahdi Tavakoli, professor at the University of Alberta, came together to discuss how these technologies are reshaping modern manufacturing. The panelists discussed real-world applications and challenges, highlighting how AI-driven decision-making can optimize efficiency, autonomous systems can redefine labor-intensive industries and high-dexterity robotics can tackle complex assembly tasks.

They also explored the role of hyperautomation and technology adoption in supply chains, sustainability and workforce transformation and the future of industry.

“I would mention two forces for the next four to five years. One is socioeconomic status now and the trade wars; that is going to force Canadian companies to adopt automation because they need to reduce cost and they still need to be productive,” said Khan. “The second force is a continuous development of technologies, whether it is robotics, physical AI or general AI, technology is going forward. Of course, had we not had this situation [of the trade wars], then the adoption could have been different. But now, a lot of companies are going to adopt new technologies very quickly.”

“I think in the next five years, you’re going to see a lot of robots within Canada, and that’s exciting.”

Panel: Breaking Down Barriers: The Future of Canadian Manufacturing

This highly attended panel discussion was a Day 2 highlight. The panel featured industry experts Paul Hogendoorn, Founder of TPI-3; Jeff Bell, Director of Research and Business Intelligence at Edmonton Global; Eli Latak, Founder of Smart Lean Manufacturing Global; Jason Riley, President of Advanced Performance Management; and David Rist, Executive Program Director at MEEE. Moderator Wesley Paterson of Paterson Consulting facilitated the discussion around interprovincial trade barriers, technology adoption, labour shortage and Canada’s manufacturing landscape in 10 years.

“I don’t have a crystal ball,” said Rist. “But if I’m trying to be an optimist, we have to become a little more aggressive. We have to become a little less risk averse as well.”

The panel emphasized Alberta’s opportunity to thrive as a producer of natural resources and the need to expand its value chain. “In Alberta, you’ve got the oil, the minerals, the lumber, the agriculture,” said Hogendoorn. “Whatever Alberta chooses to do, just add manufacturing to it and you multiply the value of your raw material fivefold or tenfold.”

“Edmonton region is the third leader of manufacturing west of Toronto, where we have more manufacturing than any other region,” added Bell. “So that value add is very important for our region. So instead of shipping raw wheat, we should be processing it into flour and selling the fractions or baked goods and trying to climb up the value chain.”

The Smart MTX pavilion makes its debut

For the first time, WMTS featured the Smart MTX pavilion. In partnership with the Manufacturing & Export Enhancement Cluster (MEEC), the pavilion offered a dedicated space for attendees to explore the latest in smart manufacturing and digital innovation. This area was a constant hub of activity, featuring informative presentations aimed at transforming operations, boosting productivity and streamlining workflows, as well as live demos and networking opportunities.

Another standout feature of the pavilion was the Alberta Additive Manufacturing Network Hackathon: Jigs & Fixtures 2025 Challenge. The challenge showcased innovative solutions created by students focused on the benefits of additive manufacturing in designing and developing jigs and fixtures for the manufacturing industry.

Networking opportunities and happy hours

At the end of each day, visitors could relax and mingle during the social hour, featuring complimentary drinks and food. The causal atmosphere provided opportunities for networking and deeper discussion about products, technologies and business solutions.

 

Annex Business Media joined the event as media sponsor and exhibitor, representing its manufacturing group brands: Manufacturing AUTOMATION, PLANT magazine, MRO, Canadian Manufacturing and Design Engineering.

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