North America's largest construction trade show wrapped up in Las Vegas last Friday, and if the energy on the floor was any indication, the industry is moving fast. CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 drew more than 140,000 professionals from 128 countries across five days — a record-nudging turnout that edged past the 139,000 who attended the 2023 edition. From autonomous excavators to steer-by-wire breakthroughs, here is everything that mattered.
A Show That Filled Every Square Foot
Held March 3–7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Festival Grounds, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 spanned more than 3 million square feet of exhibit space and featured over 2,000 exhibitors representing every corner of the construction sector — earthmoving, asphalt, aggregates, concrete, cranes, hauling, lifting, and beyond.
The attendance number alone tells part of the story: professionals arrived from 128 countries to see equipment firsthand, compare solutions side-by-side, and close deals in person. That global reach, combined with the sheer physical scale of the show, reinforced its reputation as the triennial gathering that genuinely moves the needle on purchasing decisions.
"We've actually made deals here, met clients and connected with new partners. It's one of the best places to bring the industry together and move business forward."
— Ryan Ford, F&G Trucking Crane
Equipment & Innovation
Machines That Will Define the Next Jobsite
The show floor was where the week's most tangible moments happened.
Manufacturers arrived with announcements clearly aimed at real deployment, not concept boards. Show chair Eric Sauvage, President & CEO of LBX Company, put it plainly: the technologies introduced are real-world solutions contractors can adopt immediately to build faster, safer, and more sustainably.
Komatsu was among the most talked-about exhibitors, showcasing its PC220LCi-12 intelligent excavator — a machine that pairs integrated sensors with 3D design data to let operators excavate precisely to grade, reducing rework. The company also brought its PC365LC-11, two next-generation crawler dozers, the WA475-11 and WA485-11 wheel loaders, the HD605-10 haul truck, and debuted an all-new articulated truck, marking one of its strongest equipment showings in recent years.
One of the most-discussed brand stories of the week came from Hitachi, which used CONEXPO to formally launch its major rebrand to Landcros. While the model nomenclature and the brand's signature "Reliable Orange" color remain unchanged, the rebrand signals a push for more independent management and an expanded shareholder base as Hitachi Ltd. continues restructuring its construction equipment unit.
Caterpillar, John Deere, Volvo Construction Equipment, Hyundai, Kubota, Develon, New Holland, Case CE, SANY, and dozens of other major OEMs also filled the halls with new product lines. Across the board, the dominant themes were electrification, autonomy, and digital jobsite integration.
Themes Dominating the Show Floor
Electrification and alternative power systems for heavy machinery
Autonomous and semi-autonomous equipment for improved jobsite safety
Intelligent machine control using integrated sensors and 3D design data
Digital jobsite solutions and fleet data platforms
Retrofit technology that upgrades existing machines without full replacement
The Crowd Has Spoken
CONEXPO-CON/AGG's Next Level Awards program — which recognizes breakthrough technologies improving productivity, sustainability, and jobsite safety — concluded on Friday morning with a live announcement on the Ground Breakers Stage. After three days of floor voting by attendees, two winners emerged from a field of 20 finalists originally selected from more than 230 submissions.
The Ground Breakers Stage Takes Center Stage
New for 2026, the Ground Breakers Keynote Stage — presented by Sherwin-Williams — became the intellectual heart of the show. Drawing consistent crowds throughout the week, sessions tackled artificial intelligence on the jobsite, the construction industry's evolving sustainability playbook, workforce development challenges, and the expanding role of data across construction operations.
Keynote presentations from John Deere, Amazon Web Services, Autodesk, and Caterpillar ran March 3–5. On March 6, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and AEM partnered with POLITICO for a dedicated conversation on the future of American infrastructure policy — a timely addition given ongoing federal discussions around infrastructure investment.
Beyond the marquee stage, attendees spread across 150 education sessions organized into tracks around emerging technology, workforce development, safety leadership, sustainability strategy, and business operations. New for 2026 were weekend workshops specifically for women in construction, small business owners, and maintenance professionals — a notable expansion of who the show is built for.