February 2026 Volume 8

INDUSTRY NEWS

Executive business session and industry panel: An executive level session will spotlight expansion and capital investment trends through a panel of forging industry leaders. Expect discussion on equipment, capacity, automation, customer mix and how to justify major investments, with an emphasis on real world experience: what is working, what has surprised leaders, where the risks are and how decisions are being made when the rules keep shifting. Awards and recognition: The program will also feature FIA Safety Awards and FIA Lifetime Achievement Awards, celebrating the safety performance and long term leadership that keep this demanding industry moving forward. These moments highlight the people whose consistency, discipline and commitment create their own kind of “magic” inside forging operations. Networking, Activities and Plant Tour Networking is built into the meeting by design—both in structured settings and in the gaps where some of the most valuable conversations tend to happen. The schedule includes a Next Gen workshop and meet up, a first timers gathering, a welcome reception and banquet, a sunset reception, live entertainment and time reserved for informal conversations. New attendees will have easy on ramps to connect, while long time participants know that some of the best ideas start with a simple, “How are you handling this?” across the table. Optional off site activities will tap into the desert location, including a FIERF Golf Outing, a guided 4x4 desert adventure and sporting clays. Because these run at the same time, each person will select one. Beyond the fun factor, these activities are designed as relationship accelerators that make it easier to pick up the phone and solve problems together later.

Available opportunities include: • Opening Keynote (April 30 – Fredi Lajvardi): $20,000 • Economic Keynote (May 1 – Taylor St. Germain): $15,000 • Closing Keynote (May 1 – Jon Petz): $25,000 All keynote sponsors also receive advertising tied to the May issue of FIA Magazine. Reception sponsorships: Reception sponsorships put a sponsor’s brand at the center of high attendance networking events. Benefits include prominent signage at the event, brand placement in conference materials, social media recognition, logo placement on cocktail napkins and centerpieces, a brief welcome or introduction moment, and the option to provide a branded giveaway. A featured opportunity is: • Sunset Reception and Silent Auction: $15,000 (including a FIERF silent auction, the Lifetime Achievement Awards, entertainment and dancing) Meals and onsite touchpoints: Additional sponsorships are available for companies seeking strong visibility at a more accessible level: • Breakfast Sponsorship (May 1): $5,000 • Golf Sponsor: $8,000 (benefiting the Forging Foundation) These options are structured to keep sponsors naturally in view throughout the meeting. Sponsorships are limited, and the deadline to reserve is April 1, 2026.

THANK YOU CURRENT SPONSORS

On Friday, May 1, attendees can opt into a tour of Valley Forge & Bolt for a close up look at innovation and operational excellence in practice. Plant tours often spark practical ideas that participants can take back and test in their own shops. Sponsorship Opportunities The 2026 sponsorship program is shaped around the highest energy moments of the meeting so sponsors are visible when attendee engagement is at its peak—not just on a sign in the hallway. Keynote sponsorships: Keynote sponsorships offer the largest stage and the most focused attention. Each package includes prominent logo placement on stage during the session, three minutes for company remarks before the speaker introduction, one complimentary registration, branding on the conference website and in marketing materials, recognition during the opening welcome and on social media, and the option to provide a branded giveaway.

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2026 49