AEM Manufacturing Express wraps up 2026 tour

On Oct. 1, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) celebrated the conclusion of the 2026 leg of the AEM Manufacturing Express tour, which spent the month of September visiting 18 manufacturing facilities across the Northeastern part of the United States “spotlighting the people who build, power and feed America.” 

Source: Association of Equipment Manufacturers

Since launching in 2024, the Manufacturing Express has become a signature member engagement effort for AEM, helping elevate the stories of the 2.2 million men and women of the equipment manufacturing industry. The 2026 leg marked the third consecutive year of the award-winning grassroots initiative that has traveled more than 24,000 miles, made more than 100 stops and connected manufacturing workers, community leaders and lawmakers in conversations about the future of manufacturing.

“The AEM Manufacturing Express is about celebrating the people behind the equipment that builds our infrastructure, powers our communities and feeds our nation,” said Megan Tanel, AEM president and CEO. “Throughout this year’s tour, we saw firsthand the pride, skill and innovation that define equipment manufacturing.”

The tour kicked off on Sept. 1 in Connecticut, highlighting AEM member companies including Terex Corporation and SmartEquip in Norwalk, Indeco North America in Milford and OEM Controls in Shelton, whose products support construction, demolition, forestry, specialty vehicles and advanced equipment technologies.

In Pennsylvania, the tour stopped at New Holland, McLanahan Corporation, Rockland Manufacturing and Erie Strayer Company, showcasing companies with deep roots in agriculture, aggregates, mining, construction, heavy equipment and concrete production.

It continued into New York with stops at Star Safety Technologies, part of Grote Industries, and Cummins, Inc., before making its way through Ohio and closing out its 2026 run in West Salem.

At each stop, the Manufacturing Express brought employees together to celebrate their work, share their stories and learn more about how to advocate for the industry through I Make America, AEM’s national grassroots program. Employees were also invited to participate in the Manufacturing Challenge, an interactive online game designed to highlight the technologies, policies and people powering modern equipment manufacturing.

“What began as an ambitious undertaking has grown into one of AEM’s most effective grassroots initiatives,” said Kip Eideberg, AEM senior vice president of Government and Industry Relations. “This tour works because it meets workers where they are, recognizes the value of what they do every day and gives them a platform to tell their stories. The 2026 Manufacturing Express made clear that equipment manufacturers are not just building machines; they are building stronger communities and a stronger America.”