Planning is well under way for North America's largest trade show for the construction industry CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026. The last edition of the show, held in 2023, was the largest to date, bringing in over 139,000 attendees and 2,400 exhibitors.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) which organizes the event is hoping to build upon this success for the 2026 show taking place March 3-7 once again in Las Vegas, NV. "We are especially excited to create new experiences and features for both attendees and exhibitors, making the 2026 event our most dynamic and engaging yet,” said Director Dana Wuesthoff, CONEXPO-CON/AGG Show Director.
With just under a year to go until the 2026 edition of CONEXPO, the association has announced some of the new features attendees and exhibitors can look forward to:
- Ground Breakers Stage: Amplifying the Construction Industry’s Voice – The “Ground Breakers” keynote stage will provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the construction industry’s global contributions. Key topics covered will include innovation in construction technology and practices; public policy impacting the industry; workforce development; sustainability; and mental health and well-being in the construction sector.
- Women in Construction: EmpowerHER workshop – The EmpowerHER workshop, coinciding with Women in Construction Week 2026, will be a special event dedicated to addressing the unique challenges and opportunities women face in the construction industry. The program will include networking events, peer-led panel discussions and keynote presentations from various industry experts, as well as sponsorship opportunities to support and promote women-focused initiatives.
- Small Business Workshop: Supporting Small Business Owners – Recognizing the vital role of small businesses in the construction sector, the Small Business workshop addresses the unique challenges faced by small business owners. To help them be successful, this event will provide networking events, best practices and practical tools as well as sponsorship opportunities to support small businesses.
- Shop Talks and Walks Workshop: Smart Solutions for Daily Challenges – The Shop Talks and Walks workshop is a maintenance-focused program designed to provide attendees with practical solutions for everyday challenges. This program will feature special events focused on preventative maintenance, equipment efficiency, and increasing uptime; and educational opportunities focused on providing attendees with the tools to solve real-world challenges.
Components Section will Highlight Fluid Power and Other Machine Systems
Another change to CONEXPO 2026 is the lack of the International Fluid Power Exhibition (IFPE) which has been co-located with the show since 2002. It was where the latest hydraulic and pneumatic technologies could be found as well as components utilized with fluid power systems such as sensors, and other power transmission solutions.
In fall 2023, the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) — organizers of IFPE — announced the event would not be co-located with the 2026 edition of CONEXPO. Reasons cited by AEM and NFPA for the decision include ongoing construction at the Las Vegas Convention Center where the show is held and space considerations.
However, there will still be a place for fluid power and other vital machine systems at the event as AEM plans to include a components concentration area as part of the total CONEXPO exhibition space. Hydraulics and pneumatics suppliers will be able to exhibit in this area which will be determined by priority points, earned based on the square footage an exhibitor had at IFPE 2023.
Hydraulics and pneumatics will also be part of the educational opportunities at CONEXPO 2026. NFPA announced in January 2025 that it will host a 2-day advanced hydraulics conference for the engineering community during the show.
The most recent advancements in hydraulics, which are a major component of most construction and other mobile equipment, will be highlighted during the conference. Hydraulic system designs and architectures, thermal management strategies, noise reduction techniques and data collection strategies are among the tentative topic areas. NFPA plans to begin accepting presentation proposals later in 2025.
The construction equipment industry is one of the largest customer markets for the fluid power industry, and particularly the hydraulics sector, making it vital for the industry to continue having a presence at CONEXPO and other similar mobile equipment events.
