Could Istanbul be the construction industry’s next global meeting point?

But according to Levent Baykal, one of Türkiye’s most experienced exhibition organisers, that model no longer reflects how the construction and construction equipment industries actually operate.

“We are within a big change,” Baykal says. “As well as a political change worldwide. Things are not going to be the same from now on – especially in our sectors.”

That belief underpins the evolving vision for Komatek, which Baykal has overseen since its early years. Long established as Türkiye’s leading construction equipment exhibition, the event is now being repositioned as something more ambitious: a global meeting hub for construction machinery manufacturers, contractors, associations and market specialists.

Rather than competing with Europe’s largest exhibitions on size alone, Komatek is aiming to reflect how business is increasingly done – through partnerships, intelligence-sharing and long-term collaboration.

Experience driving change

Baykal’s outlook is shaped by decades in the industry. Now in his seventies, he has been involved in Türkiye’s exhibition business since its formative years.

“I’ve been in this business ever since this business was established in Türkiye,” he explains. “Probably the oldest man who’s running an exhibition organisation in Türkiye.”

Komatek itself was founded in 1991, at a time when Türkiye’s construction machinery market was primarily domestic. For more than 30 years, the event successfully served that audience. But Baykal is clear that repeating the same formula will not secure its future relevance.

That’s not to say visitors will not see equipment; Komatek promises the latest innovations from both domestic and international OEMs, plus live machinery demos, operator competitions and an immersive technology experience, among other attractions.

Put more simply, Komatek 2026 will be the largest construction equipment exhibition ever held in Türkiye.

But Baykal sees a shift in the audience and in their expectations from construction events.

“For 30 years what we were trying to say was: here are the machines, you are the buyers, come and see them,” he says. “But this time it’s going to be totally different.”

Why Istanbul matters

Central to Komatek’s transformation is its location. Istanbul sits at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, and is supported by a Turkish construction sector with a long history of delivering international projects.

“In our geography, Istanbul is the best place to hold this hub event,” Baykal says. “The Turkish industry is very strong. It has a very big history with large construction companies doing works all around the world.”

Chris Sleight, managing director of specialist market research and forecasting company, Off-Highway Research, agrees. “The Turkish construction equipment market has seen a remarkable resurgence in the 2020s,” he says.

“The boom of the post-pandemic years, combined with reconstruction work following the devastating February 2023 earthquake has taken equipment volumes to record levels.

“It is also a market which is maturing, with more sophisticated equipment like telescopic handlers now selling in large numbers alongside traditional machines such as excavators, backhoe loaders and wheeled loaders.”

Sleight believes Komatek’s profile now makes it a notable event in the international exhibition calendar. Baykal, though, is thinking bigger – challenging the very definition of an “international” exhibition in Türkiye.

“The local industry defines international events as maybe four or five percent of visitors coming from abroad,” he says. “That’s not what I have in mind.”

For him and for this year’s Komatek, internationalisation is about attracting important senior stakeholders – people with the authority to form partnerships and shape future markets.

Moving beyond visitor numbers

Riccardo Viaggi is Secretary General of CECE, the Committee for European Construction Equipment. The association is partnering with Komatek for the first time and Viaggi sees the event as a strong strategic fit with its own mission to represent and support the European construction equipment industry through dialogue, international cooperation and market access.

He says, “Komatek offers industry visitors a valuable platform to connect with key stakeholders across Europe, Türkiye and neighbouring regions, while engaging with innovation, policy discussions and evolving market trends.

“Its growing international focus and emphasis on partnership and collaboration make it an increasingly important meeting point for the global industry.”

That is certainly in line with Baykal’s own vision for Komatek. He says, “The 2026 event is not concentrated on bringing individual visitors from abroad. It’s bringing high-level people from abroad.”

The goal is to create an environment where meaningful conversations take place – not one-off transactional encounters.

“We want people to make business with each other,” Baykal explains. “We want international people to make acquaintances, go into new markets together.”

This thinking reflects wider changes across the exhibition sector. Attempts to replace face-to-face events with digital platforms have failed to deliver the same value.

“An exhibition is about meeting people,” Baykal says. “This was tried after the pandemic – the notion that we’re all going to do shows on the internet. The Germans were the first to realise that would not work – they said ‘no way’.”

A broader construction ecosystem

Another key shift is Komatek’s expanding scope. The event is being deliberately positioned to bring together the full construction ecosystem, not just equipment suppliers.

“We will involve not only the construction machinery sector,” Baykal says, “but also the construction contractors – the construction sector as a whole.”

This will be reinforced through the participation of international and regional industry associations, alongside technical forums and market outlook sessions.

Chris Sleight’s Off-Highway Research will be in attendance as well as the major European industry association, CECE. Visitors such as these playing a visible role in the event will help to frame discussions around regional demand, investment trends and long-term opportunities.

“This is important, because it’s not just about buying and selling,” Baykal says. “In fact, that’s largely true of events worldwide.”

Responding to global realignment

Taking that point further, while Komatek is not positioning itself as a geopolitical forum, Baykal believes the industry cannot ignore the realities of global realignment.

“The Chinese are looking at the world in a different manner,” he says. “They’re not coming to sell products. They’re coming to join forces, to go into new markets together.”

Africa and the Middle East are also central to this outlook, alongside the potential reopening of other markets affected by conflict.

“Africa will be the new investment world in the coming five to ten years,” Baykal says. “And the Middle East, of course – with conflicts hopefully being over – will be rebuilt.”

In this context, Istanbul’s role is as much as a neutral convening point, as it is a destination market.

“We do have a hub here,” Baykal says. “We can serve these markets through Istanbul – not only by supplying machinery and services, but by bringing people together.”

Learning from global exhibitions

Baykal notes that at the world’s largest construction shows, the most valuable interactions often happen away from the exhibition floor.

“The main event goes on underc,” he says. “You have an upper floor where people meet. That’s where you make the most profit out of the system.”

Komatek’s future format is being designed with this in mind, placing greater emphasis on meetings, forums and structured networking.

Baykal is clear that Komatek is not trying to outgrow established European exhibitions in size. In fact, he views the smaller footprint as an opportunity – particularly for regional manufacturers and contractors looking to raise their profiles before an international audience.

Looking ahead

Komatek’s repositioning is also intentionally long-term. Baykal acknowledges that change will be gradual, but the direction is clear.

“The aim should be to have a hub so that every two years people come and meet here,” he says. “Look at new markets and new business together. That should be the main objective.”

In an industry facing structural change, shifting supply chains and geopolitical uncertainty, Komatek is positioning itself as a forward-looking platform, focused less on today’s transactions and more on tomorrow’s opportunities.

As construction adapts to a changing global landscape, Komatek’s proposition is simple but increasingly relevant; as a place where the right people meet, at the right time, to shape what comes next.

“Ultimately, it will be a business environment,” Baykal says “but it’s not only sales – it’s getting to know people.”

Komatek 2026 will take place at the IFM Exhibition Center in Istanbul, Türkiye, between 3 and 6 June, 2026

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This article was produced by KHL Content Studio, in collaboration with experts from Komatek

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Uncredited images are courtesy of Komatek

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