CONEXPO: The next level

The CONEXPO-CON/AGG Next Level Awards have added two brand new categories for 2026.

The CONEXPO-CON/AGG Next Level Awards is an expanded awards program for the 2026 show, recognising innovation in construction.

The Next Level Awards celebrate companies pushing the boundaries and delivering innovative products, services, and technologies that move the construction industry forward.

Now they have levelled up the game, with the introduction of two new categories: Equipment and Technology.

Nominations opened August 19, 2025, and will close December 1, 2025.

A panel to be announced, comprising industry experts and leaders, will select 10 finalists in each category ahead of CONEXPO-CON/AGG.

During the show, held March 3-7, 2026, in Las Vegas, attendees will vote for their favourite in each category, with winners announced on the “Ground Breakers” keynote stage on 6 March.

The awards program premiered during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023, when Holcim’s ECOPact Low-Carbon Concrete was selected as the Next Level Award’s Contractors’ Choice award winner.

Dana Wuesthoff, CONEXPO-CON/AGG Show Director, says the expansion of the Next Level Awards exemplifies the commitment of CONEXPO-CON/AGG to advance the construction industry by elevating and celebrating its groundbreaking innovations that have an enormous impact on how the world is built.

“By highlighting the most inventive products, services, and technologies, we not only honour the pioneers driving progress but also inspire the entire industry to reach new heights,” she says.

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Wuesthoff says the Next Level Awards provide an excellent opportunity for companies to gain extra exposure and recognition for their innovative contributions to the industry.

Finalists will be recognised in CONEXPO-CON/AGG press releases, social media, and other applicable channels, encouraging attendees to visit their booths and learn more about their cutting-edge products.

Held every three years, CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the must-attend event for construction industry professionals.

The show features the latest equipment, products, services and technologies for the construction industry, as well as industry-leading education.

The expo is owned in partnership with National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), the National Stone Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

Holcim was the first winner of the Next Level Award Contractors’ Choice Award when it was introduced in 2023.

AEM is one of North America’s premier trade organisation representing off-road equipment manufacturers and their value chain partners and manages the expo.

In addition to the Next Level Awards, CONEXPO-CON/AGG is introducing the CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2026 Exhibit Design Awards, honouring CONEXPO-CON/AGG exhibitors and their outstanding booth design efforts.

All exhibits at the show will be automatically entered into the competition and placed in one of four size-based categories.

EXHIBITOR magazine staff will complete the first round of impartial judging, selecting up to ten finalists in each category. These finalists will then be judged by a group of designers and marketers on-site. Judges will also select an “Editor’s Choice” award winner.

The winners will be announced on the Ground Breakers Stage and will receive a trophy and a scholarship to attend EXHIBITORLIVE 2026.

This recognition not only highlights the creativity and effort put into booth designs but also inspires the broader industry with innovative and impactful presentations.