APEX and IRE to be held annually with Amsterdam launch in 2027

Taking place on 22–24 June 2027, APEX and IRE will bring the global access equipment and rental industries together in Amsterdam for three days of business, networking, new product launches and industry insight.

The move follows a successful 2026 event in Maastricht, which attracted more than 7,000 attendees and brought together 201 exhibiting companies – 215 including stand sharers – across APEX and IRE.

For 2027, the two exhibitions will be brought together in a combined hall at RAI Amsterdam, creating a more integrated visitor experience and providing greater opportunities for exhibitors and visitors across the access and rental sectors.

The move to Amsterdam will also significantly improve international accessibility. With Schiphol Airport providing direct connections to destinations around the world and RAI located just minutes from central Amsterdam, the organisers believe the new location provides the ideal platform from which to grow the international reach of the event.

More than an exhibition

The 2027 event will also see a significant development of the visitor experience.

Alongside the exhibition will be an expanded programme of free educational content, exhibition theatres, product launches, live demonstrations and networking activities, creating multiple reasons for visitors to attend and spend more time at the event.

APEX 2026.

Plans include a Welcome Party, Innovation and Product Launch programme, VIP and hosted buyer activities, international delegations as well as dedicated initiatives for the next generation of rental and access professionals.

The objective is to develop APEX and IRE beyond the traditional exhibition format and establish Amsterdam as the industry’s annual international meeting place.

James King, CEO at KHL Group, said, “Since 1996 APEX and IRE were instrumental in creating a genuine global community for the access and rental industries, but Amsterdam gives us the opportunity to take the events to another even-more global level.

“Following overwhelmingly successful shows in 2026, our ambition is to create the industry’s primary annual meeting place – somewhere manufacturers, rental companies, buyers and industry professionals from around the world, Somewhere they can visit every year to see the latest equipment and technology, meet the people that matter to their businesses and understand where the market is heading. Buyers are active every year, not just every three years.”

“The move to RAI Amsterdam is an important part of that. There are direct flights from almost everywhere! It is a world-class exhibition venue in one of Europe’s most accessible and attractive cities and gives us a fantastic platform from which to grow the international audience.”

International growth

International visitor development will be a major focus of the 2027 campaign.

The 2026 exhibition already attracted a highly international audience, with strong representation from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK.

For Amsterdam, the organisers will build on that European base while placing additional emphasis on attracting rental companies, fleet owners and senior decision-makers from North America, the Middle East, Asia and other European markets.

A dedicated VIP and international hosted buyer programme will form part of this strategy, supported by KHL’s international publications, databases and industry partnerships.

Priority booking for 2026 exhibitors

The new Amsterdam floorplan, released at the end of August, gives exhibitors from APEX and IRE 2026 priority access to stand locations before the wider sales campaign begins.

Existing exhibitors will be offered 2027 Priority Exhibitor status, including price protection at 2026 rates until the end of September, priority stand selection and a package of additional marketing, product launch, video and hosted buyer opportunities.

The Priority Exhibitor initiative has been designed to recognise the companies that have supported APEX and IRE and give them the opportunity to play a leading role in the next stage of the exhibitions’ development.

From October, the exhibition will open to the wider market, with the organisers targeting companies across the combined APEX and IRE exhibition from key sectors, including; advanced component manufacturers, aftermarket essentials, atrium lifts, battery companies, charging, engines, self-propelled booms, scissor lifts, software, telematics, vehicle mounts across the combined APEX and IRE exhibition.

King added, “We have an extremely loyal group of exhibitors who have supported APEX and IRE over many years, and it is important that they are at the heart of this next chapter.

“But Amsterdam also gives us the opportunity to broaden the event. Alongside the world’s leading access and rental equipment manufacturers, we want to attract more technology, power, battery, component, software and service providers that are helping shape the future of the rental industry.

“The objective is simple: one international marketplace, once a year, bringing the global access and rental industry together in Amsterdam.”

For full details visit the show website