"Beyond a Trade Fair": SaMoTer's Vision for 2026 and the Future of Construction Innovation

In this exclusive interview, Patrik Eder, Editor at LECTURA, talks with Matteo Pasinato, Event Manager of SaMoTer 2026, about the show’s transformation into a dynamic hub of construction innovation. From its strong showing at bauma 2025 to new educational and digital initiatives, SaMoTer is reinforcing its role as a strategic European showcase. The 32nd edition promises expanded live demos, international collaboration, and an intensified focus on sustainability, training, and automation in the machinery sector.

Patrik Eder: Looking back at SaMoTer 2023, what were the biggest achievements or highlights from that edition?

Matteo Pasinato: SaMoTer 2023 was a fundamental step for relaunching the event in the wake of difficulties arising from the pandemic. The 31^st edition especially emphasised the implementation of new technologies in the construction world to make it increasingly competitive and sustainable. Inasmuch, visitors had the chance to see the machinery of the future in action in the new dynamic display on its debut: Il Cantiere Digitale - The Digital Construction Site was flanked by the SaMoTer Lab project - an exhibition area featuring innovation and technology ready for application on machinery and equipment to improve automation, digitalisation and safety levels. We wanted to bring industry operators and their needs even closer to the heart of the event, designing SaMoTer to ensure that it would be worth every penny and every minute invested by exhibitors and visitors.

PE: What did SaMoTer's presence at bauma 2025 signify for the construction equipment sector?

MP: Our participation in bauma 2025 was a valuable opportunity to experience firsthand the evolution of the industry and the international trade fair landscape. We were able to pinpoint several key trends that will directly influence the setup of SaMoTer 2026. From a technological perspective, the construction machinery sector is undergoing a rapid transition toward electrification, the integration of digital solutions, and the use of artificial intelligence in site management. Topics such as decarbonization, electric mobility, predictive maintenance, and autonomous driving systems have become central for both manufacturers and operators. SaMoTer 2026 will further expand its focus on these areas, with dedicated content, live demos, and exhibition spaces.

In terms of trade fair formats, there is a growing need to make events more experiential and interactive. It's no longer enough to simply "exhibit": visitors must be engaged with dynamic environments, live demonstrations, training workshops, and structured networking opportunities. The role of digital promotional tools, before and after the fair, has also become crucial. For this reason, SaMoTer 2026 will be supported by a digital platform that will facilitate matchmaking, access to educational content, and help extend business relationships beyond the event dates.
Finally, I am pleased to share with you the feedback we received during the days at bauma in early April.

SaMoTer 2026 stand was visited by dozens upon dozens of stakeholders from the construction world, including international publishing houses, European and non-European associations, construction companies from all industry segments, as well as a very large number of exhibitors (either already registered or planning to register in the coming months). These stakeholders, as well as the professional audience, showed strong support for SaMoTer Team, expressing hopes for a 2026 edition with great appeal and strong attractiveness for both domestic and international markets. The message we aim to convey is that the triennial Verona event – which will be held in the year immediately following bauma – can serve as a high-level, effective, and recognizable business showcase for the construction sector.

PE: What are the primary themes and focus areas for SaMoTer 2026?

MP: The SaMoTer event programme has always been fundamental for us and will again be one of the main pillars of the trade fair in 2026. This programme is currently being defined and will include strategic events in the SaMoTer Arena – the large Forum Area in the heart of the exhibition centre - with conferences, round tables and workshops that will provide ideas and data to interpret evolution in the sector. 

Topics such as digitalisation and artificial intelligence, environmental sustainability and ecological transition, innovation and automation of construction sites, decarbonisation and zero-impact construction methods, professional training and safety will all be at the heart of the debate. They will be discussed and addressed with the main stakeholders to share with all operators the most recent trends set to characterise the construction sector.

PE: What can visitors anticipate in terms of new features or experiences at the 2026 edition?

MP: The 32^nd SaMoTer will be even more complete, with an expanded exhibition offering, the return of important international players and new, more impressive networking and business opportunities. This upgrading of the event is the outcome of strategic efforts by Veronafiere through decisive investments to strengthen the role of SaMoTer as a landmark trade fair in Europe for the entire construction machinery sector. 

The objective is to make the 2026 edition increasingly interactive, dynamic and oriented towards innovation, thereby offering industry professionals a full-immersion and rewarding experience. The Show consequently promises to be unmissable, not only thanks to the programme (currently being defined) of conferences and workshops held – as already mentioned - in the SaMoTer Arena, thereby providing operators with valuable previews as well as an international B2B platform. 

The SaMoTer Lab will also return in 2026. This exhibition area will benefit from the chance to organise debates and conferences in the adjacent SaMoTer Arena, thereby encouraging dialogue between technology producers, professionals, managers, operators and construction companies. Equally, the Digital Construction Site - the SaMoTer Digital demo area - will also be expanded to become a full-scale automated construction site. In the meantime, the run-up to the Show has already started with SaMoTer Days, the SaMoTer Innovation Award, SaMoTer B2Press and SaMoTer Webinars.

PE: Could you provide details on the expected number of visitors and exhibitors for SaMoTer 2026?

MP: Our goal is to improve on the results of the last edition which attracted 536 exhibitors from 23 countries hosted across 6 show halls for a total area of more than 50,000 square metres, joined by three outdoor areas for displays and demo areas for dynamic tests. In terms of visitors, the aim is to exceed 2023 figures, with attendance by more than 40,000 people from 91 countries, with Germany, Spain and France in the top three places for arrivals. There was also attendance from Asia, Africa, North and South America. Precisely for this reason, SaMoTer - the only trade fair in Italy specifically for the entire range of construction equipment - confirms its status as a strategic hub for the entire supply chain: from earthmoving to lifting, demolition, drilling and crushing, from quarry to construction site vehicles, from concrete to the road sector, as well as equipment, engine components and spare parts, logistics, services and ICT.

PE: The SaMoTer Lab was introduced as a hub for innovation. How has it evolved since its inception, and what can attendees expect in 2026?

MP: The SaMoTer Lab will focus on a dynamic and highly visible exhibition area capable of stimulating comparisons between producers and promoting technological and digital innovation as well as sustainability solutions applied to construction machinery. In this context, “the Lab” is back again for the 32^nd edition as a physical and communication space promoting dialogue between technology producers, professionals, managers, operators and construction companies keen to share content and discuss the most topical current issues such as innovation, environmental and economic sustainability, automation, digitalisation, safety, efficiency, and decarbonisation. 

PE: The SaMoTer Academy seeks to bridge the skills gap in this sector. Could you elaborate on its objectives and the programs it offers?

MP: The SaMoTer Academy came into being to create a bridge between training and the world of work in the construction machinery sector. The aim is to provide effective answers to the gap between supply and demand for qualified operators. The training project lays the foundation for structured recruitment of students enrolling with technical institutes (starting at 15 years of age) as well as giving manufacturing companies the chance to train students directly on their own machinery and equipment. At the end of the course, SaMoTer Academy will award the Construction Machinery Repair Technician or Qualified Construction Machinery Operator diplomas, whereby these new young operators may be employed as a priority by the manufacturing companies that trained them.

PE: How do the Lab and Academy initiatives integrate with the broader goals of SaMoTer?

MP: Both initiatives are an integral part of our mission: make SaMoTer not simply a trade fair but also a cultural, educational and innovative hub for the entire sector. The SaMoTer Lab and the SaMoTer Academy therefore represent two fundamental pillars: the first looks to the future of technology, the second to the growth of human resources. Together, they help the industry evolve sustainably and competitively by addressing challenges such as the ecological transition, digitalisation and the shortage of specialised skills. In addition to their functions during the main event itself, the two projects also operate as permanent connection tools between businesses, institutions and the world of education. They promote a culture of continuous innovation and lifelong learning, encouraging dialogue between generations of professionals, students and start-ups. This approach stimulates the creation of new synergies and effective projects that move on well after the trade fair itself, thereby strengthening the role of SaMoTer as a strategic, landmark platform for the evolution of the construction sector.

PE: Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of SaMoTer beyond 2026?

MP: I view SaMoTer as a platform active all year round capable of connecting companies, professionals, researchers and institutions even outside the main event itself. We aim to strengthen the show's international dimension and consolidate our position within the scope of European trade fair events that promote innovation in the construction machinery sector. Our vision is to develop SaMoTer as an increasingly smart, sustainable and global event.  In addition to the triennial event, we are also working to create a dynamic and digital community, backed up by training content, webinars, thematic meetings and non-stop networking. 

The goal is to turn SaMoTer into a platform - not merely a trade fair - but something also connected remotely during the three-year interval to maintain a constant direct line of contact with all stakeholders (producers, operators, trade associations, institutions) to share paths, ideas, proposals and goals alongside continuous evolution in the sector. We look to a future when the event is not merely an exhibition venue but a true accelerator of growth, innovation and collaboration between all players in the construction supply chain.