By Nicole Hallada, AEM Senior Vice President of Exhibitions and Marketing —
Twenty-four hundred exhibitors from 36 countries descended upon Las Vegas in March of last year to launch products, make major company announcements, and connect with customers at CONEXPO-CON/AGG.
The 2023 edition of North America’s largest construction trade show was an incredible success, breaking records and reaffirming its longstanding as the place to go to find the equipment, services, and people driving results and making an impact in the industry. Our goal with CONEXPO-CON/AGG is not simply to showcase what’s relevant in construction today, but also to shed light on the trends and technologies poised to disrupt the industry of tomorrow.
It's why in the weeks and months that followed last year’s show, our Exhibitions and Events team went to work imagining how to make the 2026 edition of CONEXPO-CON/AGG the most successful one to date. Our efforts centered around one idea: CONEXPO-CON/AGG should offer exhibitors unparalleled access to new and existing customers, keep them at the forefront of what is an ever-evolving industry landscape, and help them maximize their investment in the show.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG has long been known for fostering opportunities for exhibitors to make face-to-face connections with equipment end users and provide access to new and innovative products. That will always be a top priority for us, but our team has challenged itself to take things to the next level by developing strategic programs that help exhibitors target underserved customers and expand conversations beyond equipment specs and product features. In doing so, we hope to foster discussions about what exhibitors and customers are doing to advance the discussions that transcend the industry on a global scale (such as workforce development and sustainability), as well as build upon our efforts to create a sense of belonging and community at the show.
With that said, we’re thrilled to share the following four new programs for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026:
- Women In Construction -- This empowering, inclusivity-focused program engages women -- now representing 11% of the construction workforce, marking a 32% growth since 2016.
- Small Business Programming -- In taking the Small Business Saturday movement to CONEXPO-CON/AGG, this program serves to tap into the 65% of Saturday attendees in 2023 who were small business owners to address their unique challenges and deliver tailored solutions
- Shop Talks and Walks --Targeted toward maintenance attendees, this program helps them find new partners through in-person content demos and equipment deep-dives, as well as formal and informal knowledge shares.
- Innovation Keynotes -- Offering high-profile and elevated keynote opportunities, this program offers exhibitors the unique opportunity to partner with CONEXPO-CON/AGG to elevate the national conversation around on-site educational keynote presentations.
Ultimately, we hope these programs help CONEXPO-CON/AGG exhibitors:
- Showcase their brand to new and emerging audiences, including small business owners, women in construction, and equipment managers.
- Sustain lead generation and engagement throughout Friday and Saturday of show week, focusing on an untapped market eager for new connections and solutions.
- Expand their reach at CONEXPO-CON/AGG through spotlight keynotes and enhanced programs.
We are committed to taking an active role and examining and shaping a shared industry vision to support the future of our industry, so we can offer the kinds of exhibitions and events to help exhibitors and construction professionals to succeed. CONEXPO-CON/AGG is approaching quickly, and we look forward to taking the 2026 show to the next level by rolling out these programs and bring exhibitors and attendees together to engage in authentic conversations about where the construction is today and, more importantly, where’s it headed.
To learn more about these 2026 strategic program opportunities and more, contact AEM’s Paul Flemming at pflemming@aem.org or Kelly Lang at klang@aem.org.
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