Fluid power exhibitors and education opportunities give attendees much to be excited about.
Attendees to this year’s CONEXPO/CON-AGG event will notice some changes, starting with the fact that IFPE, the fluid-power focused portion of the show, is not returning in its old form. IFPE, originally, the International Fluid Power Exposition, was a quadrennial show held at Chicago’s McCormick Place starting in 1984, until the NFPA and AEM teamed up to move it to Las Vegas in 2002. There, it was held in conjunction with CONEXPO/CON-AGG, moving it to a triennial cadence, which it maintained until 2023.
Dana Wuesthoff, the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Show Director, said that for attendees used to coming for the IFPE portion of the mammoth trade shows, they’ll have a similar feel in 2026.
“Expect the same deep bench of fluid power and component innovation, but with a more integrated experience across the broader construction ecosystem,” she said. “The show is leaning into ‘components as enablers’ of the bigger megatrends attendees are tracking (automation, electrification, advanced hydraulics, controls, telematics), so it will be easier to connect what you see in fluid power to the machines and jobsite systems those components power. There is also a dedicated components product concentration planned for fluid power and other OEM-sold components.”
Wuesthoff said that while fluid power remains a major part of the show, the footprint is evolving. Fluid power exhibitors will not be held to a single dedicated space, but she said that they will still be primarily on the 2nd level of South Hall, where they had been in the IFPE days.
For exact 2026 placement by company and any first floor vs. second floor clustering, she explained that the most reliable source is the live official floor plan, where attendees can view by hall and level, and filter by product category/exhibitor. The link to the 2nd floor of the South Hall is at directory.conexpoconagg.com/8_0/floorplan, and a list of all fluid power companies can be found here. Highlights from variety of fluid power exhibitors can be found here.
There has been concern with some manufacturing events about how tariffs and political rhetoric may affect international attendance at events here in the U.S. But Wuesthoff sounded positive, noting that for 2026, they are on-track with their registration pacing.
“Many organizers and industry outlets have expressed expectations for a very strong 2026 show, with 2,000+ exhibitors and a goal to top the 2023 benchmark,” she said.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG has historically drawn large international participation. International travel policies and company travel approvals can shift, but Wuesthoff explained that the show continues to plan for a global audience and will update registration information at the close of show.
She also shared some data from previous years:
- 2017: nearly 128,000 attendees; about 26,000 international attendees from 150 countries.
- 2020: registered attendance reported as 130,000+ (the event ended a day early because of the burgeoning Covid pandemic and final attendance was often discussed in terms of registrations).
- 2023: 139,000+ registered attendees; 24,000+ international registered attendees from 133 countries.
From an exhibitor perspective, the show looks strong. Indoor exhibit space demand is “extremely strong for 2026, to the point that the show is no longer accepting applications for indoor exhibit space and the indoor waitlist is full,” she said.
NFPA’s Advanced Hydraulics Conference
While at the show, make sure to plan on attending the NFPA’s technical conference on site, scheduled for March 4-5 in the South Hall, Room S224. This two-day conference is aimed at off-highway vehicle and fluid power engineers and will run from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. each day, offering valuable insights into the latest hydraulic technologies, applications, and innovations shaping the future of off-highway equipment.
Densie Husenica, NFPA’s Membership Manager, explained that this year’s conference features a great line-up of presentations that reflects the industry’s ever-evolving technologies. The scope is similar to previous education sessions held at IFPE. Presentations will include the following:
- Increased runtime for battery-electric excavators with digital hydraulics
- Smart hybrid architectures for off-highway machines: standard components, smarter controls
- Hydraulic data from the heart of the circuit: pump output digitization
- Hydraulic system efficiency optimization leveraging quasistatic & dynamic models
- Variable flow with fixed displacement helical pump
- Steer-by-wire steering systems enabling autonomy and automation, and
- How mechatronics integration eases the adoption of electrification.
“The conference this year is focused on hydraulics, with increasing attention to the interaction of hydraulics with new power sources, such as battery power, as well as advancements in the electronic control of hydraulics,” said Husenica.
Husenica noted that registration numbers are difficult to compare at this point because registration is no longer part of the overall process of the trade show. Plus, as in the past, people tend to register close to the event. But this year, the NFPA is making it easier to register at the event, and she expects this will help.
“Individuals walking the show will be able to register on the spot at the NFPA exhibit and at the conference door,” she said. “We’re focusing on audience quality over quantity, with the aim of reaching engineers who make decisions about the motion technology that is used on the equipment.”
To register in advance, visit: www.nfpa.com/nfpa-advanced-hydraulics-conference-conexpo-con/agg-2026
Maximizing time at the show
Here are Wuesthoff’s top tips for making the most of your time while on the ground in Las Vegas:
- Start with the official floor plan and use filters: Build a targeted list by product category (valves, pumps, cylinders, controls, hoses, connectors, filtration, etc.) and save it in the planner.
- Cluster by “must-see” blocks: plan two to three concentrated hall/level blocks per day rather than bouncing all over the convention center campus.
- Book meetings early: Fluid power conversations get technical fast, and ad hoc booth chats can run long.
- Use a two-pass approach: Use day 1 for scouting and short demos and then days 2 and 3 for deeper engineering conversations, pricing, and integration details.
- Leave buffer time: The show is massive and walking time is real, so build that into your schedule.
Her other recommendations include using the live floor plan early and often. She noted that the easiest way to make the show feel smaller is to plan by hall/level and product category before you land in Las Vegas. And once the app is released, be sure to download and use it as your on-the-go planner.
AEM has seen a number of future themes come to the forefront with its members since the last time they gathered, in 2023. While at the show, make sure to look for these themes as you move from booth to booth and hall to hall, to learn more about what your work will have to focus on in the coming years:
- Efficiency and total cost of ownership (energy efficiency, uptime, serviceability).
- Electrification where it fits the duty cycle, along with charging and jobsite power realities.
- Automation and advanced technology adoption (from machine control to autonomy-ready architectures) to improve productivity and address workforce constraints.
- Regulatory complexity and compliance planning, including longer-term reporting and data challenges that influence product roadmaps.
- Hydrogen tends to be discussed as part of a broader “multiple pathways” conversation alongside hybrids and battery-electric, often depending on application and infrastructure readiness.
Wuesthoff also implored attendees to come with an integration mindset.
“The most valuable conversations will be about how components enable the next generation of machines and jobsite systems, not just standalone part specs,” she said. “That is where you will find the ‘what’s next’ stories in 2026.”
Visit www.conexpoconagg.com for information and to register.
