Join us on..
- 27 – 29 October 2026
- Huntington Place, Detroit
As the automotive industry accelerates towards electrification, the pressure on materials performance has never been greater. Vehicle platforms are being redesigned around battery systems, electric motors, sensors, power electronics, thermal management, lightweight structures and increasingly complex sealing and bonding requirements. In this environment, materials are no longer just a specification. They are a strategic advantage. Materials Week USA will bring together the advanced materials, technologies and supply-chain expertise driving the next generation of electric vehicles, lightweight mobility and high-performance automotive engineering.
The need for this kind of cross-sector collaboration is clear. The International Energy Agency expects global electric car sales to reach 23 million in 2026, accounting for close to 30% of all cars sold worldwide. In 2025, electric car sales exceeded 20 million, representing around a quarter of all new cars sold globally. For OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, battery manufacturers, powertrain specialists and automotive engineers, this growth is increasing the urgency to identify materials that can improve performance, efficiency, durability, safety and scalability.
For EV and automotive professionals, the value of Materials Week USA lies in the way each co-located sector connects to real vehicle challenges:
The Magnetics Show is especially relevant to electrified mobility, with the event highlighting magnetic materials and technologies that support EV performance, energy efficiency, motors, sensors and powertrains. As OEMs continue to optimise electric drive systems and electronic architectures, access to magnetics expertise is vital for teams working on power density, efficiency, miniaturisation and next-generation mobility platforms.
Silicone Expo gives automotive professionals access to advanced silicone applications designed to improve vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. Silicones have an important role to play across demanding automotive environments, from sealing and protection to electronics, insulation and components that must withstand heat, cold, moisture, chemicals and UV exposure.
The Gasket & Seals Show connects directly to one of the automotive industry’s most critical requirements: reliability. The show focuses on sealing solutions that enhance performance, durability and efficiency across key automotive systems, while also supporting broader industry demand for greater sustainability and reduced downtime. For EV platforms, where battery enclosures, cooling loops, electronics and environmental protection are all mission-critical, sealing expertise is essential.
Tape & Functional Film Expo brings together materials suppliers, converters, equipment manufacturers, testing labs and end-user markets, including automotive and electronics. For vehicle designers and manufacturing teams, tapes and functional films can support bonding, protection, insulation, surface functionality, lightweighting and process efficiency across both EV and conventional vehicle platforms.
Speciality Polymers World focuses on high-performance, functional and sustainable polymer materials, with mobility listed among the sectors where speciality polymers are central to product innovation. The event showcases developments including bio-based formulations, conductive materials, high-strength thermoplastics and smart polymers. For automotive teams targeting lighter, stronger, more adaptable and more sustainable vehicle systems, this sector offers direct relevance.
High Performance Alloys Expo brings together innovation in alloys designed for strength, corrosion resistance and thermal stability, with applications across automotive, aerospace, energy and biomedical industries. These properties are highly relevant to the development of durable components, advanced manufacturing processes and high-performance systems that must operate reliably under demanding conditions.
Materials Week USA is also designed to support knowledge-sharing and commercial decision-making. The technical conference is set across three days and two stages, with sessions focused on R&D, innovation, strategy and market analysis; manufacturing and processing; and an end-user buyers forum for Tier 1 OEMs and Tier 2 suppliers.
For automotive and EV attendees, this creates an opportunity to move beyond product discovery and into practical discussion: what is ready to scale, what is commercially viable, what suppliers can support future programmes, and what materials will define the next phase of mobility.
Visitors can expect to meet technical experts, materials developers, suppliers, manufacturers, researchers and decision-makers from across the advanced materials ecosystem. Whether the goal is to reduce vehicle weight, improve battery-pack performance, enhance sealing integrity, source new materials, increase production efficiency or build a more resilient supply chain, Materials Week USA offers a concentrated environment for progress.
The automotive industry is moving quickly, but materials innovation is moving just as fast. Attending Materials Week USA gives teams the chance to compare solutions across multiple material categories, identify suppliers, understand emerging technologies and make connections that can support current and future vehicle programmes.
For engineers, it is a chance to explore materials that can solve real design and performance challenges. For procurement and supply-chain teams, it is an opportunity to meet new partners and assess supplier capability. For R&D and innovation leaders, it offers insight into the technologies that could shape the next generation of platforms. For business leaders, it provides a clearer view of where materials science is heading and how that direction will affect competitiveness in the automotive and EV market.
Visitor passes are free. Automotive and EV professionals are encouraged to secure their visitor pass and join the materials community shaping the future of mobility.
Materials innovation is accelerating across every major industrial sector, and Materials Week USA is built to capture that momentum in one place. Taking place 27–29 October 2026 at Huntington Place in Detroit, the event brings together Silicone Expo USA, The Magnetics Show USA, Tape & Functional Film Expo, The Gasket & Seals Show, High Entropy Alloy Expo, and Speciality Polymers World under one roof, creating a single destination for the companies, engineers, researchers, and buyers shaping the future of materials.
What makes Materials Week USA so important right now is the pace of development across these sectors. Materials Week USA is positioned around industries demanding stronger, lighter, smarter, and more sustainable solutions, while its conference programme focuses on materials innovation, next-generation characterisation, evolving supply chains, and the growing role of magnetic materials in advanced technologies.
For both exhibitors and attendees, the real value lies in convergence. Exhibitors get direct access to decision-makers, buyers, engineers, and innovators from across the full materials supply chain. Attendees gain the opportunity to discover new technologies, compare suppliers, explore emerging applications, and build strategic partnerships in one concentrated environment. It is the kind of event that shortens the distance between research and commercialisation, helping conversations move faster from technical insight to sourcing, scale-up, and real business growth.
That matters because every show within Materials Week USA reflects a sector where materials science is evolving quickly.
The bottom line is simple: Materials Week USA mirrors where the industry is headed. Magnetics, silicones, high-entropy alloys, tapes and functional films, specialty polymers, and sealing technologies are no longer separate stories. Together, they form the enabling layer beneath the next generation of vehicles, devices, infrastructure, and industrial systems. That is why exhibitors should be on the floor, and why engineers, buyers, R&D teams, and product leaders should be walking it. Materials Week USA is where materials science moves from promising development to real commercial momentum.
That is why Materials Week USA is more than a trade show. It is where scientific progress meets market demand, where innovators meet end users, and where the next generation of materials solutions moves closer to adoption. Whether your goal is to showcase an innovation, source a new material, discover the latest breakthroughs, or strengthen your position in the supply chain, this is where the right conversations happen.
Join the industry at Materials Week USA, 27–29 October 2026, at Huntington Place in Detroit. Register today for your free ticket.
Book a booth to put your solutions in front of key decision-makers or register for a free ticket to discover the technologies, partners, and ideas shaping the future of materials.
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