International BoatBuilders' Exhibition and Conference 2026

How it compares

METSTRADE is the closest comparison for marine equipment sourcing. Amsterdam offers a wider international distribution meeting, with specialist zones for superyachts, marina and yard equipment, construction materials and foiling. It suits a supplier assembling a multinational dealer network or a buyer whose work crosses several marine markets. IBEX puts that equipment into a North American boatbuilding setting, with a more concentrated reason to bring production engineers, systems specialists and purchasing colleagues together.

Miami International Boat Show serves a different stage of the business. Finished boats, yachts and on-water experiences attract owners and prospective buyers, making Miami useful for consumer-facing launches and boat sales. A component maker seeking design-in discussions with builders has a more direct fit in Tampa. The contrast matters for a marketing budget: visibility beside a finished boat and a technical conversation about the parts inside it reach different customers.

Dealer Week is the stronger choice for dealership leaders tackling retail performance, customer expectations, service operations and AI adoption. Its education is built around dealer growth. IBEX is the trip for the teams deciding how boats are built and equipped, while Dealer Week follows those boats into the retail and service business.

IBEX earns the trip for boatbuilders and marine suppliers who need engineering conversations to turn into production and purchasing decisions.

Who exhibits

The supplier mix runs from Mercury Marine's propulsion equipment to Dometic Marine's onboard systems and Composites One's construction materials. AXYZ brings production machinery, while DEWESoft and Prodim serve measurement and engineering work. This is a practical cross-section of the boat factory and its service supply chain. Large marine brands sit beside specialist material, electrical and hardware businesses, so a visitor can work through an assembly problem across several suppliers and see how components fit together.

1. 

   Xylem

2. 

   DEWESoft

3. 

   H.B. Fuller Company

4. 

   Garmin International

5. 

   Sika USA

6. 

   Volvo Penta

7. 

   TiMOTION USA

8. 

   Bostik

9. 

   Motion

10. 

    Dometic Marine

11. 

    Shining 3D

12. 

    Hubbell

13. 

    Helix

14. 

    AXYZ Routers and WARDJet Waterjets

15. 

    Liqui Moly

16. 

    Mercury Marine

17. 

    Dr. Shrink

18. 

    Prodim USA

19. 

    Indasa USA

20. 

    YANMAR Marine International

21. 

    FLIR

22. 

    igus

23. 

    JW Winco

24. 

    Transhield

The largest exhibitor countries are United States (436) and Canada (19). The largest industries are Maritime Transportation (76) and Manufacturing (64).

703 companies are on the list. A HallBrief brief ranks every one against your goals and finds who to meet at each. Get a brief

International BoatBuilders' Exhibition and Conference 2026

IBEX 2026 combined technical seminars, supplier demonstrations and a startup pitch competition with its marine equipment exhibition. The Innovation Awards recognized 12 winning products and three honorable mentions from 100 entries. Garmin's Signal VHF 400, Big Dog Adhesives' reloadable cartridges and ARCO's alternator control system were among the winners, showing how electronics, production waste and onboard electrical integration shared the same stage. The next IBEX returns to Tampa in December 2027, beginning the show's new winter calendar.

• Mercury Marine exhibited indoors and at the docks. For propulsion work, combine the component discussion with the on-water demonstration to assess the system in use.
• Innovation Way on the second-floor rotunda brings award entries together. Use it to compare new products across electrical systems, materials and hardware before going deeper with the manufacturers.
• The Electronics Trade Route is supported by NMEA; pair it with the marine electrical education track when assessing how components work together onboard.
• The Sail Pavilion hosts the opening-night and mid-show gatherings on the convention center waterfront. They provide a natural continuation of the supplier conversations from the halls.

Exhibiting

Stand allocation uses IBEX seniority, NMMA membership points and qualifying Metstrade participation. For 2026, a standard stand included drape and an identification sign, with furnishings ordered separately and proof of insurance required before move-in. Equipment suppliers with a concrete OEM or service application fit the show well; dock demonstrations and the Tech Talk workshops add ways to explain a system beyond an indoor display.