Fueling an industry forward at the PEI Convention 2026
Built for the energy handling equipment and services industry, the convention combined expanded education with networking, as members tackled workforce gaps, new technologies and growth markets.
The 2026 PEI Convention, hosted by the Petroleum Equipment Institute, brought together the energy handling equipment and services industry for a program of education and networking. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the NACS Show, which drew 25,572 attendees from 74 countries and territories, the convention sold out its exhibitor space and tripled its number of education sessions this year. The goal? Allowing members to “come out of here prepared and ready for the year”, as PEI President Jason Blake stated.
Workforce development remains a top priority. A PEI study launched during the event looked at 526 companies employing about 12,000 technicians, around 46% of whom will need to be replaced within five years. “So there’s this huge shortage happening in North America. We got to figure that out,” Blake said. The second focus is visibility for an industry he described as essential: “If we stop tomorrow, transportation would just stop.” PEI is therefore stepping up its advocacy with the US government.
For exhibitors, the convention is also a chance to hear directly from the field. Michael Ayers, Chief Growth Officer of Cim-Tek Filtration, explained that while the company sells through distributors, the event puts it in front of the end users of its products. “It’s a great chance for us to get feedback on how things are working, if there are any issues that they’re seeing, and it helps us to continue to innovate,” he said.
For ATIONET, 2026 marked a first. “This is our first time here in the convention,” said Sebastián Renzi, Co-Founder & CEO. ATIONET has spent more than 13 years in South America, Central America and the Caribbean, where over 4,000 gas stations use its cloud platform. This year, the company began developing the US market and set up its own booth. “We are surprised with the engagement that we are having,” Renzi said.
Greg Hockman, President of Hockman-Lewis, brings a longer view. The company, founded by his grandfather in 1956, is celebrating 70 years and has been a PEI member for 50. The event lets him meet the seven or eight suppliers exhibiting and distributors from around the world. He sees most development in software, such as payment systems and inventory tracking, rather than in mechanical products. “We don’t see the threats in Latin America of EV like you do in Europe and the United States,” he said, pointing to opportunities in ethanol and biodiesel blends, as well as diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).
Whether closing the technician gap, bringing end-user feedback into product development or opening new markets, members and exhibitors left Las Vegas with the knowledge and connections the convention is designed to deliver.
The next PEI Convention will take place October 5–8, 2027, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
