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Planning your 2026 event strategy? You have come to the right place. For B2B leaders in manufacturing, distribution, and industrial construction, selecting the right trade shows is critical for ROI. Whether you are looking to source new machinery at IMTS, explore supply chain innovations at MODEX, or refine your digital strategy at B2B Online, this comprehensive calendar covers the most essential events of the year. We have curated this list to include the top conferences for:
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| Conference | Dates | City | Est. Att. | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AED Summit | Jan 19–21 | Dallas, TX | 3,000 | The premier event for heavy equipment distributors. |
| World of Concrete | Jan 20–22 | Las Vegas, NV | 60,000 | Commercial construction's largest annual international event for concrete and masonry. |
| Acumatica Summit | Jan 25–28 | Seattle, WA | 3,000 | Key Cloud ERP summit for small-to-mid market manufacturers and distributors. |
| C&D World | Jan 27–31 | Wesley Chapel, FL | 1,500 | The annual convention for the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA). |
| AHR Expo | Feb 2–4 | Las Vegas, NV | 50,000 | The world's largest HVACR marketplace, co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI. |
| DISTRIBUTECH | Feb 2–5 | San Diego, CA | 20,000 | The leading transmission and distribution event for the utility industry. |
| Intl Builders Show (IBS) | Feb 17–19 | Orlando, FL | 70,000 | The essential residential construction show hosted by the NAHB. |
| FMA Annual Meeting | Feb 24–26 | Clearwater, FL | 300 | Strategic leadership conference for metal fabricators and processors. |
| ConExpo | Mar 3–7 | Las Vegas, NV | 100k+ | North America’s largest construction trade show, held only every 3 years. |
| Ind. Mktg Summit | Mar 3–5 | Austin, TX | 300 | Niche summit specifically for marketers in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. |
| AHTD Spring | Apr 9–11 | Nashville, TN | 500 | The Association for High Technology Distribution's networking event. |
| MODEX 2026 | Apr 13–16 | Atlanta, GA | 45,000 | The premier supply chain and logistics experience, held biennially. |
| ReMA 2026 | Apr 13–17 | Las Vegas, NV | 5,000 | The Recycled Materials Association (formerly ISRI) annual convention. |
| ILDA Spring | Apr 25–28 | Kansas City, MO | 200 | Independent Laboratory Distributors Association meeting. |
| Am. Wood Protection | Apr 26–30 | Asheville, NC | 300 | Technical meeting for the wood preservation and treating industry. |
| B2B Online Chicago | May 4–6 | Chicago, IL | 900 | The leading event for B2B E-Commerce & Digital Marketing executives. |
| SAP Sapphire | May 11–13 | Orlando, FL | 20,000 | SAP's massive user conference, heavily attended by industrial enterprise users. |
| WEMCO Annual | May 15–17 | Okla. City, OK | 200 | Meeting of the Welding Equipment Manufacturers Committee (part of AWS). |
| DPA Buying Group | May 17–19 | Orlando, FL | 400 | Annual buying & networking conference for DPA members. |
| Epicor Insights | May 18–21 | Nashville, TN | 4,000 | User conference for Epicor ERP, the #1 ERP for mid-market distributors. |
| Gartner Marketing | Jun 8–10 | Denver, CO | 2,000 | Strategic guidance for B2B marketing executives and CMOs. |
| ASSP Safety | Jun 15–17 | Anaheim, CA | 5,000 | The leading OSH event for safety professionals. |
| Automate 2026 | Jun 22–25 | Chicago, IL | 30,000 | The largest solutions-based showcase of automation in North America. |
| eTail East | Aug 10–12 | Boston, MA | 2,000 | The premier multi-channel retail conference dedicated to e-commerce. |
| IMTS 2026 | Sep 14–19 | Chicago, IL | 85,000 | The "Super Bowl" of manufacturing technology; largest show in the hemisphere. |
| Community Summit | Oct 11–15 | Nashville, TN | 5,000 | The largest independent gathering of Microsoft business app users. |
| IFS Unleashed | Oct 12–16 | Orlando, FL | 3,000 | The premier event for industrial AI and ERP for asset-intensive industries. |
| Pack Expo Int'l | Oct 18–21 | Chicago, IL | 45,000 | The world's most comprehensive packaging and processing event. |
| FABTECH | Oct 21–23 | Las Vegas, NV | 30,000 | North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event. |
| SuiteWorld | Oct 26–29 | Las Vegas, NV | 7,000 | Oracle NetSuite's largest gathering of Cloud ERP users and partners. |
| B2B Ecom World | Nov 2–3 | Indianapolis, IN | 500 | Focused specifically on B2B ecommerce for manufacturers and distributors. |
| B2B Online Atlanta | Nov 9–11 | Atlanta, GA | 800 | The Fall edition of B2B Online, focusing on digital marketing and e-commerce growth. |
| STAFDA | Nov 15–17 | Anaheim, CA | 3,000 | The Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association convention. |
| Automation Fair | Nov 16–19 | Boston, MA | 10,000 | Rockwell Automation's premier industrial event. |
| ISSA 2026 | Nov 17–19 | Las Vegas, NV | 12,000 | The worldwide cleaning industry association show. |
Frequently Asked Questions About 2026 Industrial EventsWhat is the biggest manufacturing trade show in 2026?IMTS 2026 (The International Manufacturing Technology Show) is widely considered the largest industrial trade show in the Western Hemisphere. Held at McCormick Place in Chicago from Sept 14–19, it draws over 85,000 attendees and features the latest in CNC, robotics, and digital manufacturing. Which conferences are best for B2B E-Commerce leaders?If you are focused on digital transformation in the B2B space, B2B Online (Chicago & Atlanta) and B2B E-Commerce World are the premier events. For broader retail and omnichannel strategies, eTail East is highly recommended. Are there specific shows for industrial distributors?Yes. AED Summit is the go-to event for heavy equipment dealers. For general industrial and safety supplies, STAFDA and the DPA Buying Group Conference are critical networking hubs. Additionally, ERP user conferences like Epicor Insights heavily cater to the distribution sector. How often does ConExpo take place?ConExpo-Con/Agg is a triennial event (held every three years). It returns to Las Vegas in March 2026, making this a "can't miss" year for the heavy construction and fluid power industries. | ||||
2026 Conferences: Upcoming Manufacturing, Construction, & Industrial Events
- by Main Event
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