A new CEO. A legendary founder. One booth. And a manufacturing industry moving faster than ever.

By Machina Today | IMTS 2026 Preview

The manufacturing world is heading toward Chicago.

From September 14–19, 2026, IMTS 2026 will bring manufacturers, machine-tool builders, automation companies, software developers, cutting-tool specialists and technology leaders together at McCormick Place.

But amid the thousands of machines and technologies on the show floor, some meetings could matter just as much as the machines themselves.

One of those opportunities is coming from ANCA, the Australian-founded precision CNC tool and cutter grinding technology company.

For IMTS 2026, ANCA is inviting Machina Today to a media briefing with Edmund Boland, the company’s new Group CEO, and ANCA product managers.

And there is an additional reason this meeting stands out.

Pat Boland, ANCA co-founder, will also be at the booth.

That puts new leadership and founding leadership together at one of the world’s most important manufacturing technology exhibitions.

Why This IMTS Meeting Matters

Trade shows are no longer simply about walking through booths and collecting brochures.

The manufacturing industry is entering a period where precision, automation, software, artificial intelligence and productivity are becoming increasingly connected.

IMTS itself is putting Industrial AI at the center of its 2026 program, with AI appearing across machining, automation, metrology, tooling, quality, software and production planning. The show is also introducing an Industrial AI Arena and Industrial AI Conference.

That makes conversations with technology leaders increasingly important.

The question manufacturers are asking is no longer simply:

“What machine are you launching?”

The bigger question is:

“How does this technology make manufacturing faster, smarter, more automated and more profitable?”

That is the conversation Machina Today intends to explore.

ANCA’s IMTS 2026 Invitation

ANCA will be located at Booth 237406 in the North Hall during IMTS 2026.

The company has offered Machina Today the opportunity to connect remotely during IMTS week if an in-person visit is not possible.

The briefing would include time with Edmund Boland and ANCA product managers, creating an opportunity to discuss technology, product direction and the broader future of precision tool manufacturing.

For Machina Today, this is particularly relevant because cutting tools sit at the heart of modern manufacturing.

Every advanced CNC machine ultimately depends on the ability to produce, maintain and optimize the cutting tools that shape the workpiece.

A New CEO Meets an Established Manufacturing Legacy

The leadership angle makes this opportunity even more interesting.

Edmund Boland took over as Group CEO at the beginning of August 2026, according to the invitation received by Machina Today.

At the same IMTS, ANCA co-founder Pat Boland will also be present.

That creates an unusual combination:

New leadership + founding leadership + product technology + the world’s manufacturing community.

For an industry moving rapidly toward automation and digitalization, leadership transitions can reveal where established manufacturing companies see their next opportunity.

The question is therefore bigger than who occupies the CEO position.

Where does ANCA see the next decade of precision tool manufacturing going?

That is one of the questions worth asking.

From CNC Tool Grinding to the Digital Factory

ANCA’s technology story sits within a much larger transformation taking place across manufacturing.

The traditional manufacturing chain was relatively straightforward:

Design → Machine → Inspect → Deliver

The emerging model is much more connected:

Design → Simulation → CNC → Automation → Measurement → Data → Optimization

This is where technologies such as AI, digital twins, connected machines and advanced automation are becoming increasingly important.

IMTS 2026 reflects this shift. The exhibition is highlighting industrial AI, automation, digital twins, additive manufacturing, connected production and advanced machining as key technologies shaping the next generation of manufacturing.

For cutting-tool manufacturers, that evolution could be significant.

A modern tool-production environment is increasingly expected to deliver not only precision, but also:

• Higher productivity
• Consistent quality
• Process repeatability
• Automation
• Digital measurement
• Data-driven optimization
• Reduced operator dependency
• Greater machine utilization

The future of tool manufacturing is therefore unlikely to be defined by one technology alone.

It will be defined by how technologies work together.

Why Tool Grinding Deserves More Attention

CNC machine tools often dominate manufacturing headlines.

Five-axis machining centers, multitasking machines, robots, AI-powered controls and digital twins attract attention because they are highly visible.

But the cutting tool remains fundamental.

A machine cannot achieve its potential if the tooling system cannot deliver the required geometry, accuracy, surface quality and repeatability.

This is why CNC tool grinding and cutting-tool manufacturing remain strategically important to aerospace, automotive, medical, die-and-mold, energy and general engineering applications.

ANCA has historically focused heavily on this specialized part of the manufacturing ecosystem, making its presence at IMTS particularly relevant to manufacturers looking beyond the machine tool itself.

The Bigger IMTS 2026 Question: What Comes After Automation?

Automation is no longer a futuristic concept at IMTS.

It is becoming a practical productivity strategy.

IMTS says manufacturers are increasingly using automation to address workforce constraints, improve productivity and extend unattended operations.

The next stage is therefore not simply:

“Can we automate this?”

It is:

“Can the system learn, measure, adapt and improve?”

That is where AI and connected manufacturing enter the picture.

IMTS 2026 is expected to show AI embedded into manufacturing software, CNC controls, inspection systems, robotics and production technologies.

For companies such as ANCA, the opportunity is to demonstrate how precision manufacturing technology can fit into this broader digital ecosystem.

What Machina Today Wants to Ask ANCA

During the remote briefing, Machina Today plans to focus on questions that matter to manufacturers rather than simply asking about products.

1. What does the change in leadership mean for ANCA?

With Edmund Boland becoming Group CEO, what priorities will shape the company’s next phase?

2. Where is CNC tool grinding heading?

How are manufacturers balancing precision, productivity and increasingly complex cutting-tool geometries?

3. How important will AI become?

Will AI primarily assist operators and engineers, or will it increasingly influence process optimization and machine decision-making?

4. What role will automation play?

As manufacturers face workforce challenges globally, how can automated tool production help manufacturers increase capacity without simply adding more labor?

5. How will digital measurement change tool manufacturing?

The connection between grinding, measurement and process correction could become increasingly important as manufacturers demand tighter and more repeatable results.

6. What does the next generation of tool manufacturing look like?

Perhaps the most important question of all.

The Global Manufacturing Trend Behind the Conversation

This ANCA briefing comes at an important moment for global manufacturing.

Across major markets, manufacturers are simultaneously dealing with:

Workforce shortages.

Pressure to increase productivity.

Demand for higher precision.

Supply-chain resilience.

Growing automation adoption.

AI experimentation and implementation.

The push toward connected factories.

IMTS 2026 itself reflects these pressures, with the event highlighting AI, automation, digital manufacturing and advanced machining as technologies capable of improving productivity and operational resilience.

The result is a manufacturing environment where technology investment is increasingly judged by one metric:

Does it create measurable manufacturing value?

That could mean fewer manual operations, faster setup, better utilization, improved quality or more predictable production.

Why Machina Today Is Watching

For Machina Today, the ANCA conversation is more than another exhibition briefing.

It represents the type of industry access that can help manufacturers understand what is happening behind the technology headlines.

The goal is not simply to report:

“ANCA is exhibiting at IMTS.”

The bigger story is:

What does ANCA’s leadership see coming next?

And more importantly:

What does that future mean for manufacturers?

With IMTS 2026 bringing together more than 1,800 exhibitors across approximately 1.2 million square feet, the scale of technological change on display will be enormous.

Yet some of the most valuable insights may come from conversations happening away from the main demonstrations.

The Machina Today Take

Machines will dominate the IMTS floor.

But people will explain where manufacturing is going next.

ANCA’s combination of new Group CEO Edmund Boland, co-founder Pat Boland and product leadership makes this one of the conversations Machina Today will be watching closely during IMTS 2026.

The manufacturing industry is moving toward a future where precision, automation, data and intelligence converge.

And cutting tools will remain part of that equation.

One booth. Two generations of leadership. One question:

What comes next for precision manufacturing?

Machina Today will be watching.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is IMTS 2026?

IMTS 2026 takes place September 14–19, 2026, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Where is ANCA located at IMTS 2026?

ANCA’s invitation to Machina Today identifies its location as Booth 237406 in the North Hall.

Who is Edmund Boland?

Edmund Boland is ANCA’s new Group CEO, having taken over the role at the beginning of August 2026, according to the invitation received by Machina Today.

Will Pat Boland be at IMTS 2026?

According to ANCA’s invitation, co-founder Pat Boland will also be present at the booth during the show.

What are the major technology trends at IMTS 2026?

Major themes include Industrial AI, automation, robotics, digital manufacturing, digital twins, additive manufacturing, metrology and advanced machining.

Why is CNC tool grinding important?

CNC tool grinding is fundamental to producing precision cutting tools used in modern machining. Tool geometry, accuracy, repeatability and surface quality directly influence machining performance.

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Machina Today Editorial Note: This article is based on an invitation from ANCA to Machina Today and publicly available IMTS 2026 information. Product-specific announcements, new-machine details and technical claims should be added only after confirmation from ANCA during the briefing.