Digital buyer journeys
What digital buyer journeys means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Event overview
Overview
The AEM Annual Conference 2026 is set to take place from November 10 to 12, 2026, at the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona.
This event will bring together key executives and decision-makers from the construction and agriculture equipment sectors to discuss industry trends, innovations, and strategies for future growth.
Attendees will have the opportunity to network and share insights on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.
TL;DR
- 1Scale and Focus: This conference gathers industry leaders from the construction and agriculture sectors to discuss future trends and innovations.
- 2Organiser: The event is organized by AEM, a leading organization representing equipment manufacturers.
- 3Buyer Authority: Attendees include executives and decision-makers from the construction and agriculture equipment sectors.
- 4Entry: Registration details can be found on the official AEM website.
Why visit
Attending the AEM Annual Conference provides valuable insights into the latest trends in construction and agriculture equipment. Network with industry leaders and gain knowledge that can help shape your business strategies. Participate in discussions that address the future of the industry and explore innovative solutions.
Why exhibit
Exhibiting at the AEM Annual Conference offers a unique opportunity to showcase your products and services to key decision-makers in the construction and agriculture sectors. Increase your brand visibility and connect with potential customers looking for the latest innovations in equipment manufacturing.
Attendees, exhibitors & solutions
Who this event is for
Visitor profile
Typical attendee groups you can expect to meet.
Executives from construction equipment manufacturers
Agriculture equipment decision-makers
Industry analysts and consultants
Policy makers in the construction and agriculture sectors
Supply chain professionals
Marketing and sales leaders in equipment manufacturing
Exhibitor profile
Main supplier and exhibitor segments present at the show.
Manufacturers of construction machinery
Suppliers of agricultural equipment
Technology providers for equipment manufacturers
Service providers in the construction sector
Consultants specializing in agriculture technology
Distributors of construction and agricultural products
Product categories
Key solution areas showcased across the event.
Construction machinery and equipment
Agricultural machinery and equipment
Safety and compliance solutions
Technology solutions for equipment manufacturers
Sustainability solutions in equipment manufacturing
Parts and components for construction and agriculture equipment
Location & Facilities
Venue
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Tucson, United States
Facilities
Parking
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Food options
On-site catering
On-site diningParking: JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Gate: Follow organiser signage to the main visitor entrance at JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa for badge collection; allow extra time for security screening during peak morning arrival.
Attend
Entry & tickets
Intelligence
Market context
Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.
Tucson, United States
Why it matters
Attending the AEM Annual Conference provides valuable insights into the latest trends in construction and agriculture equipment. Network with industry leaders and gain knowledge that can help shape your business strategies.
Industry trends
Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.
Sustainability in procurement
What sustainability in procurement means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Automation and labour efficiency
What automation and labour efficiency means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Regional supply-chain resilience
What regional supply-chain resilience means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Hybrid engagement models
What hybrid engagement models means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Plan your trip
Travel & logistics
Local currency · USD
Hotel tiers
A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Best choice if you want to move between sessions, meals and your room on foot. Ask AEM or the hotel whether a group block is open for the conference dates before booking a public rate.
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa
Full-service resort with golf, spa and conference facilities, suitable for delegates who prefer a separate base and are renting a car.
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
Quieter resort format with large meeting space of its own. Check that public areas are not blocked by a separate conference before booking.
Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort
Character property with limited inventory, so book early if you want it. Restaurant and grounds are a draw for delegates travelling with a partner.
Tucson Marriott University Park
Straightforward business hotel for cost-conscious delegates who plan to drive in each morning.
Casino del Sol Resort
Value-tier resort with on-site dining and entertainment, often priced below the foothills properties.
Hotel Congress
Chosen for walkable downtown restaurants and nightlife rather than proximity to the conference. Rooms are compact and the building is historic.
Local transport
Get around the city with these convenient transport options.
Rideshare / taxi
Estimated costApprox. USD taxi/rideshare from TUC to venue (estimate; confirm before travel)
Best forTucson International Airport (TUC) to JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Resort sits west of downtown Tucson off Starr Pass Boulevard; rental car or rideshare are the practical options from TUC.
Hotel shuttle / resort transport
Estimated costIncluded with stay where offered by the resort; confirm with hotel
Best forOn-property movement between guest rooms, meeting space and dining
The conference venue is the resort itself, so most attendee movement happens on property; check the resort for shuttle service to nearby attractions.
Local bus (Sun Tran)
Estimated costUSD 2.50-6 single metro/light-rail journey (contactless)
Best forDowntown Tucson to west-side Starr Pass area
Tucson has no metro or rail link to the resort; Sun Tran buses reach the west side but involve transfers, so rideshare is usually faster for delegates staying downtown.
taxi
Estimated costApprox. USD taxi/rideshare from TUS to venue (estimate; confirm before travel)
Best forTucson International Airport (TUS) to JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
taxi
Estimated costApprox. USD taxi/rideshare from PHX to venue (estimate; confirm before travel)
Best forPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Weather
November 2026 in Tucson: dry, sunny desert days with warm afternoons and sharply cooler evenings; pack layers, sun protection and a light jacket for outdoor receptions at the Starr Pass resort.
Plan for the climate
Check temperatures and pack accordingly
Venue connectivity
Confirm mobile roaming or a local SIM for business visitors to the United States.
Ride-hailing
Taxis
Public transit
Car rentals
Cultural notes
Useful information to help you have a smooth and respectful visit.
Business dress
Business casual is typical; scientific meetings may be less formal than consumer fairs.
Arrival
Arrive early on day one for registration and badge pickup.
Desert setting
The Starr Pass resort is set in saguaro desert west of downtown Tucson, so plan for strong midday sun, cool evenings and limited walkable options outside the property.
Tipping and payments
Prices are quoted in US dollars (USD); card payment is standard and 15-20 percent tipping is expected for table service and taxis.
Practical guides
Visitor & Exhibitor Essentials
Everything needed to arrive prepared, navigate the event, and make the visit productive.
Flights
Compare flights to the nearest international gateway serving Tucson; confirm ground transport on the organiser site.
Transport
Get to the venue and around the city with these options.
Airport → venue: Use the nearest international airport serving Tucson; Metro, train or taxi links are typically available to the venue district.
Hotel → venue: Precinct hotels near JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa: JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa; The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa; Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.
Ride-hail: Ride-hailing apps are commonly used in Tucson; confirm local availability before travel.
Public transit: Check local bus/metro options for routes to JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa.
Parking: On-site parking is available at JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa; confirm daily rates and hall access on the organiser or venue site.
Weather
Plan and pack for the event climate.
Month: November 2026
Temperature: Daytime highs in the mid-20s C (70s-low 80s F) and cool desert nights in November
Seasonality: November is one of the driest months in Tucson, outside the July-September monsoon; strong desert sun at midday and cold early mornings
Packing: Daytime highs in the mid-20s C (70s-low 80s F) and cool desert nights in November November is one of the driest months in Tucson, outside the July-September monsoon; strong desert sun at midday and cold early mornings November 2026 in Tucson: dry, sunny desert days with warm afternoons and sharply c
Plan your trip
Planning
Best day to visit: Day 2 (mid-show)
Mid-show days at AEM Annual Conference 2026 usually combine full exhibitor attendance with scheduled B2B meetings, before early pack-down on the final day.
T-1
Confirm your registration and attendee category
T-2
Lock flights into TUS with a PHX fallback
T-3
Reserve the resort room and confirm nights
T-4
Decide your ground transport from the airport
T-5
Build a personal agenda from the published schedule
T-6
Write a one-page introduction for the people you want to meet
T-7
Request meetings in advance
T-8
Pack for desert November days and cool nights
T-9
Flag dietary, accessibility or mobility needs
T-10
Sort out connectivity and offline documents
T-11
Prepare your lead capture and follow-up system
T-12
Check in for flights and confirm the arrival plan
T-13
Pack a small day bag for the conference floor
T-14
Collect your badge and orient yourself in the venue
T-15
Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early
Sample visitor itinerary
Route-optimised day
Day 1 · morning
Registration and hall orientation at JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Day 2 · core sessions
Supplier meetings and product demos
Day 3 · wrap-up
Final negotiations and follow-up
Networking spots
2AEM Annual Conference 2026 registration concourse
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Central meeting point before and between hall appointments during show days.
Organiser B2B lounge (if offered)
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Hosted matchmaking and buyer programmes when published by the organiser.
Budget
Costs & budget
Build your working budget
Adjust the inputs below to create a directional event budget.
Estimated budget
Live estimate
- Hotel × 2 nights$230.00
- Per diem × 2$150.00
Estimated total$380.00
This is a directional estimate. Please verify live rates before booking.
Decision
Visit, exhibit, or skip?
Should you go?
Use this quick check to decide whether AEM Annual Conference 2026 fits your visit, exhibit or skip plan.
QUESTION 1 OF 6
For AEM Annual Conference 2026, what is your primary role on the show floor?
Decision matrix
Compare participation options side by side to choose the best fit for your objectives.
visit
Your category focus and target suppliers align with the official exhibitor profile.
Best for
Buyers, engineers, and delegates sourcing Construction machinery and equipment and Agricultural machinery and equipment solutions and benchmarking suppliers at AEM Annual Conference 2026 in Tucson.
Min. budget
$500.00
Timeline
4-8 weeks before opening day for registration, hotels, and travel.
Risks
Session times and ticket tiers may change - confirm the official agenda before booking.
exhibit
You have a defined lead-generation or distributor recruitment goal for this market.
Best for
Brands and manufacturers launching Construction machinery and equipment and Agricultural machinery and equipment products who need qualified meetings with the event's trade audience.
Min. budget
$2,250.00
Timeline
3-6 months for stand booking, freight, staffing, and pre-show marketing.
Risks
Booth pricing and corner premiums vary by hall - confirm with the organiser sales team.
skip
Audience, geography, or commercial goals do not justify travel and stand costs this cycle.
Best for
Teams with weak category fit, budget constraints, or overlapping commitments during the Tucson show week.
Timeline
N/A
Risks
Skipping may mean missing buyer meetings if competitors exhibit or attend the same week.
Gallery
Photos
FAQs & glossary
Answers
Frequently asked
Glossary
- AEM (Association of Equipment Manufacturers)
- North American trade association whose member companies build off-road equipment for agriculture, construction, mining, forestry and utility applications. AEM publishes industry data, standards guidance and policy positions for the sector, and hosts the annual member conference in Tucson in November 2026.
- OEM (original equipment manufacturer)
- The company that designs, builds and brands the finished machine, as opposed to the component, attachment and technology suppliers that feed its production line. OEM product roadmaps set the specification and volume signals that the rest of the supply chain plans around.
- Dealer channel
- The independent, territory-based dealer network through which most North American off-road equipment reaches end users. Dealers carry sales, parts, service and trade-in functions, so dealer economics and territory coverage are recurring agenda topics at equipment manufacturing gatherings.
- Tier 1 supplier
- A direct supplier of a major system or component - driveline, hydraulics, cab and operator environment, electronics or aftertreatment - to an equipment OEM. Tier 1 suppliers are usually engineering-integrated into the OEM's product programme years before a machine launches.
- Telematics
- Machine-mounted telemetry that streams utilisation hours, fault codes, fuel or energy data and location to dealers and fleet managers. For equipment manufacturers, telematics underpins uptime guarantees, preventive service contracts and used-machine valuation.
- Precision agriculture
- GNSS guidance, section control, sensor-based sensing and variable-rate application technology that lets growers place seed, fertiliser and crop protection at sub-field resolution. It is a core equipment differentiator in the agricultural machinery segment.
- Machine control and grade control
- GNSS and sensor-driven automation of blade, bucket and boom movement on construction machines so operators hit a design surface without stakeout. Adoption is tied to jobsite data workflows and the availability of 3D site models.
- EPA Tier 4 Final
- The current US exhaust emission standard for off-road diesel engines, requiring aftertreatment such as diesel particulate filters and selective catalytic reduction to cut nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. It shapes engine packaging, service intervals and fuel choices on North American machines.
- EU Stage V
- The European counterpart emission standard for non-road engines, with particle number limits that pushed widespread particulate filter fitment. Manufacturers selling in both regions engineer platforms to the stricter of Tier 4 Final and Stage V.
- Equipment rental channel
- National and regional rental fleets that buy compact, aerial and earthmoving machines for short-term hire rather than resale. Rental purchasing behaviour - residual value focus, fast turnaround servicing, high utilisation - differs sharply from dealer retail.
- Right to repair
- The legislative and market debate over farmer and independent technician access to diagnostic software, service tools and parts. It is a live policy issue for equipment manufacturers in North America and influences how service information is licensed to dealers.
- Residual value
- The projected resale worth of a machine after a set number of hours or years, which underpins lease rates, trade-in allowances and rental fleet replacement cycles. Weak residuals quickly feed back into new-machine pricing and finance offers.
- I Make America
- AEM's grassroots advocacy campaign that mobilises equipment manufacturing employees and their communities around infrastructure investment and pro-manufacturing policy in the United States. It is one of the association-led initiatives typically discussed at AEM member events.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Also known as
Alternate names and search phrases for this event.
- AEM Conference Tucson 2026
- construction equipment conference
- agriculture equipment conference
- AEM Annual Conference 2026 Tucson
- AEM Annual Conference Tucson 2026
- AEM 2026
- AEM Tucson 2026
- Tucson United States
- Conference Conference Tucson
- Construction machinery and equipment
Digital business cards for the show floor
Display a free company card at your booth, or share your professional card on the show floor.