Valley Made Manufacturing Summit returns Oct. 28 to Fresno

Key Takeaways

1. The Valley Made Manufacturing Summit is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2026 in downtown Fresno.
2. Registration, exhibitor and sponsor sign-ups are now open, organizers said.
3. The 2026 program spotlights AI, robotics and automation plus workforce pipelines.
4. Last year’s event drew nearly 1,000 attendees, according to the alliance.
5. Central Valley FAME, a regional industrial apprenticeship, will be part of the workforce focus.

When and where

Oct. 28. That is when the Valley Made Manufacturing Summit returns to downtown Fresno. The San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance set the date on June 23, saying the 11th annual gathering will run at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. Organizers also opened registration along with exhibitor and sponsor spots, a signal that planning is well underway for the region’s largest manufacturing meet-up.

The alliance said the summit typically brings together manufacturers, educators, workforce professionals and students from across the Valley. It is a one-day program. And Fresno shops usually turn up early to lock in seats.

The site’s contact line lists a 559 number.

What’s on the agenda

This year’s theme zeroes in on factory tech that local plants are weighing now, not in five years, including artificial intelligence, robotics and so-called intelligent automation. Panels and breakouts are expected to cover hiring, training and policy shifts, with an exhibitor floor that lets buyers and vendors talk face to face about equipment and services. A lot of hiring talk, too.

Organizers pointed to Central Valley FAME, the industrial apprenticeship launched here, as part of the workforce track. The alliance calls it the first FAME chapter west of the Rockies, and plans to highlight how employers can plug in and how students can earn while they learn.

Why it matters for Valley shops

Fresno County has leaned into advanced manufacturing as a jobs engine, and the summit functions as the one day when owners, plant managers and educators share the same room. For employers in Clovis or Madera that are trying to add a second shift or retool a line, access to peers and trainers in one place can speed decisions and cut guesswork.

Attendance last year ran to nearly 1,000, according to the alliance, with a keynote and an afternoon networking session that mixed shop-floor problems with introductions that later turned into purchase orders. Expect more of that this fall as companies price out automation and weigh where AI fits on the line.

Registration is open. The exhibit floor plan will follow.

By fall, forklifts will be towing pallets across polished concrete.