By Patrick Dunning 

Equip Exposition returned to Louisville for four busy days in October 2025 with its strongest turnout in 42 years. Nearly 30,000 landscapers, dealers and manufacturers moved through more than 1.2 million sq. ft. of sold-out indoor and outdoor exhibit space at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC), marking another year of double-digit growth in dealer attendance from all 50 states and 52 countries. Showing that in its fourth year as Equip remains an annual priority for dealers to attend.                    

Joseph Schrock, owner of Schrock’s Repair in Abbeville, SC., has been attending Equip since 2015 and goes every other year to stay current on the latest products and technology. His dealership, established in the Upstate region of South Carolina, carries a mix of mostly residential and some commercial equipment. “The floor seemed busy and aisles were tight. It was a great turnout,” Schrock says. This year, he was focused on exploring various dealer management software to see what new programs could help streamline his shop’s operations. “It’s important for us to stay up to date on technology that can help our business run smoother,” he says. “Deliberating in person is always an advantage.”                            

Phillip DeMott, owner of DeMott Enterprises in Perrinton, Mich., has attended Equip for more than 20 years and says the trade show’s growth has been steady and measurable. His company, founded in 1973 and located in the central portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, sells Country Clipper zero-turns for residential and commercial usage among various parts and farm tools.                                      

DeMott uses Equip as a yearly checkpoint to see what’s being rolled out and to remain up to date with evolving technology. Newer businesses felt the same energy and agreed. Wesley Riser, owner of Tri County Lawn & Garden in Withee, Wis., attended for the second time since establishing his company three years ago and says the turnout provided a solid read on industry health and creates confidence in where the market is headed.                                              

“There was plenty of foot traffic throughout the show floor,” Riser says. “We were shopping for new products and ideas, met a lot of great people and had several ideas.” 

One thing is for sure, each October in Louisville, there’s something to see and someone to meet at Equip Expo.