CHICAGO—Exhibitors spotlighted solutions at IMTS 2026 here to address common challenges and trends as manufacturers navigate global industry shifts.  

Some of those trends include connectivity, robotics, AI, and the need for much more robust cybersecurity, while manufacturers also cited challenges such as supple chain uncertainties, tariffs, reshoring, and workforce shortages.   

One company leader from Infinite Electronics, which owns about 19 manufacturing companies that customers buy from, said that global and industrywide trends are reflected in customer needs.  

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"There are more requirements now than there used to be for making things certified in particular applications, so people not wanting particular burn ratings or safety ratings or waterproofing ratings than in the past,” said Dustin Guttadauro, the product line manager for L-Com, an Infinite Electronics brand.  

“Instead of having big fat plastic connectors or screw over an existing connector, a lot of people are trying to miniaturize their stuff into those circulars that can be twisted on, and then taking those older backbone technologies like Ethernet and adapting them into that to plug them in,” Guttadauro told Smart Industry at IMTS.  

Guttadauro mainly oversees lifecycle management and development for wired copper products, and his portfolio principally consists of Ethernet cables.  

He added that, “trend-wise, it tends to be moving more high-speed now than it used to be,” citing increased demand for cables with higher speeds over those with slower speeds, which he said have been predominant for about 20 years.  

This indicates that equipment is being replaced, he said, requiring higher speeds to meet newer standards.  

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Newer standards include increased safety standards that vary internationally, as companies must meet different standards in Europe than in the U.S., for example. As Infinite Electronics sells to more places and has more global outreach, manufacturers also have footprints in Asia, and Europe, he explained. 

In terms of challenges, Guttadauro cited global tariffs and views on products manufactured in the U.S. versus in China.

“If you still want a reputable product that meets the spec of the previous product, you can't just pick up a factory and drop it somewhere else. As you try to move and transition those things, it can be tough to get everybody what they want,” he said. “You’ve got to give us some time and energy to make that happen, or you got to suck it up and deal with what you got now.”