Steelwrist highlights North American expansion and new products at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026
PRESS RELEASE
Steelwrist enters CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 during an expanded growth phase in North America, supported by local assembly operations in Newington, Connecticut, and the introduction of the new XTR10 tiltrotator. The model expands the company’s third-generation tiltrotator platform into one of the most widely used excavator size classes in North America.
At the exhibition, Steelwrist will also, for the first time in North America, present the SQ40 fully automatic coupler system and at the same time introduce the SQL automatic quick coupler, marking the company’s entry into the wheel loader attachment segment. Visitors to booth F27055 in the Festival Grounds will experience live demonstrations showing real job site workflows using tiltrotators and automatic quick couplers.
Growing local Steelwrist organization now with increased local assembly
CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 marks a milestone for Steelwrist in the region. In recent years the company has expanded its local presence, strengthened technical support and increased cooperation with OEM partners. With local assembly in the United States and a broader product range — now also including solutions for wheel loaders — Steelwrist is entering a new phase in its North American growth.
Steelwrist has expanded its operations at its North American headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, where assembly of tiltrotators and quick couplers now will take place. The expanded operation setup increases overall production capacity while significantly improving delivery times and product availability for dealer and OEM installations throughout the region.
By assembling products locally, Steelwrist strengthens its ability to support dealers and machine manufacturers and respond quickly to market demand. The growing team in Newington works closely with customers, dealers and OEMs, ensuring efficient implementation and technical support across the United States and Canada. The investment reflects Steelwrist’s long-term commitment to the North American market and supports continued growth as adoption of tiltrotators and fully automatic quick couplers accelerates among contractors.
“CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the most important meeting place for our industry in North America, and it gives us a great opportunity to connect directly with customers, dealers and OEM partners. Together with the Steelwrist team I look forward to welcoming visitors to our booth and demonstrating how our solutions improve everyday productivity on the job site,” says Peter Gaj, VP Region Americas at Steelwrist.
Continued expansion of the third generation tiltrotators with the launch of XTR10
Steelwrist introduces the XTR10 tiltrotator at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, continuing the expansion of the third-generation XTR tiltrotator range. Visitors to the Steelwrist booth will see five models in the company’s third generation tiltrotator program, the models on display are XTR2, XTR10, XTR15, XTR20 and XTR23.
Designed for excavators in the 6–10 ton segment and replacing the previous X12 model, the XTR10 brings the same performance improvements, durability enhancements and advanced technology introduced with the larger XTR models. Contractors in this size class often run multiple attachments daily, making quick attachment changes a major efficiency factor. Deliveries of XTR10 to the North American market will begin in the second half of 2026.
With cast steel components, optimized tilt geometry and high torque rotation, the XTR generation delivers precision and smooth operation while maintaining compact build height. The platform also includes Steelwrist’s LockSense safety system, OptiLube onboard lubrication and high-resolution sensors for machine control system integration.
“With the third generation XTR tiltrotators we have taken a major technology step forward, and the market response has been very strong. Launching five models within 24 months and already surpassing 1,000 units sold confirms that contractors value the efficiency improvements that directly impact their daily machine utilization,” says Stefan Stockhaus, Steelwrist CEO.
SQ40 fully automatic coupler presented in North America for the first time
Steelwrist will present the SQ40 fully automatic quick coupler solution to the North American market for the first time. The system is designed for excavators in the 4-7 ton range — a segment widely used in landscaping, utility and general construction.
The SQ40 technology enables operators to change hydraulic work tools without leaving the cab. The system provides flow capacity up to 18 gallons per minute when used as a machine coupler and 9 gallons per minute under the tiltrotator, allowing compact excavators to efficiently run hydraulically powered attachments.
At the Steelwrist demonstration area, two excavators equipped with SQ40 will share a wide range of mechanical and hydraulic work tools. The live demonstrations illustrate how contractors can perform multiple tasks with one machine, reducing downtime and increasing machine utilization.
By bringing the SQ40 automatic oil connection technology to compact excavators, Steelwrist targets contractors who rely on their machines for multiple daily tasks.
Live demonstrations at new location in the Festival Grounds and Steelwrist products presented across the CONEXPO-CON/AGG show
Steelwrist will host live demonstrations every hour starting at 10:00 AM at booth F27055 in the Festival Grounds. Each 10–15 minute demonstration simulates real job site tasks using four machines:
● Volvo ECR25 Electric equipped with XTR2 S30
● Kubota KX057-5 equipped with X07 SQ40
● Bobcat E60 equipped with X07 SQ40
● Case CX145D SR equipped with XTR15 SQ60
The Kubota and Bobcat machines will share multiple work tools to demonstrate the efficiency of the SQ40 fully automatic coupler technology. The Case excavator, equipped with an Open-S compliant SQ60 coupler, will operate hydraulic work tools from different manufacturers, showing interoperability enabled by a standardized coupler interface. The demonstration simulates real jobsite tasks showing how one machine can perform multiple operations without manual attachment changes.
In addition to the Steelwrist booth, visitors will encounter machines equipped with Steelwrist tiltrotators and couplers across the exhibition grounds. The widespread presence reflects increasing demand from contractors seeking higher machine utilization and flexibility and the close collaboration Steelwrist has with OEMs and other attachment manufacturers. The growing number of OEM integrations illustrates the broader market adoption of tiltrotator technology in North America as job site productivity expectations continue to rise.
Open-S Alliance press conference hosted by Steelwrist March 3
On March 3 at 2:30 PM, Steelwrist will host a press conference in its booth titled “Open-S – the growing global standard for automatic couplers”. The conference is part of the official CONEXPO-CON/AGG program for media and press contacts. Representatives from the Board of the Open-S Alliance together with members of the organization will introduce new North American members to the growing alliance and present the latest developments. A live demonstration will show interoperability between different manufacturers’ Open-S compliant products.
Open-S is an industry standard that allows couplers, tiltrotators and work tools from different manufacturers to work together while maintaining safety functions. Open-S Alliance is an independent non-profit organization with the sole purpose of developing and promoting the Open-S standard, supporting equipment compatibility and industry innovation. Steelwrist is a co-founder of the organization.
Steelwrist SQL brings proven excavator technology to wheel loaders Beyond excavators, Steelwrist now expands its product range into another core construction machine category with the introduction of the SQL automatic quick coupler, marking Steelwrist’s entry into the wheel loader attachment market. Wheel loaders represent one of the most attachment-intensive machine types in construction and material handling.
The first model, SQL50, will be shown on a Volvo L70H equipped with hydraulic pallet forks and on a Hitachi ZW 140 with a Snow Wolf snowblower (on display in the Hitachi booth F19012). The SQL50 is designed for wheel loaders with 6-20 ton operating weight and is commercially available at launch. The SQL system applies the same automatic hydraulic connection principles used in the Steelwrist SQ solution for excavators, allowing operators to change powered attachments without leaving the cab. This significantly improves safety, uptime and machine utilization in material handling and construction applications.
“For more than 20 years we have improved excavator efficiency with our Steelwrist tiltrotators and automatic couplers. With SQL we bring that experience into the wheel loader segment, which is a major strategic step for Steelwrist and opens a new product category for us. I look forward to presenting the SQL product and hearing feedback from contractors,” says Stefan Stockhaus, Steelwrist CEO.
For more information please contact:
Stefan Stockhaus Karl Serneberg
VD VP OEM Sales & Marketing
Steelwrist AB Steelwrist AB
[email protected] [email protected]
Tel +46 709981321 Tel +46 702619811
About Steelwrist
Steelwrist is a global manufacturer of tiltrotators, quick couplers and work tools for excavators with headquarters in Sweden. A determined focus on robust and modern products, combined with fast service has been appreciated by an increasing number of customers worldwide. For more information about Steelwrist, please visit steelwrist.com.
Images:
- Steelwrist booth F27055 at CONEXPO_1_2026 (overview photo)
- Steelwrist booth F27055 at CONEXPO_2_2026 (overview photo)
- Steelwrist at the Festival grounds – booth F27055 (map with location)
- XTR10 tiltrotator with SQ50 interface_1.png
- XTR10 tiltrotator with SQ50 interface_2.png
- Excavators with Steelwrist SQ40 fully automatic coupler solution sharing work tools_CONEXPO
- Steelwrist SQL50 automatic quick coupler on a Volvo L70H_CONEXPO
- Steelwrist SQL50 automatic quick coupler on a Hitachi ZW 140_CONEXPO
- Steelwrist SQL automatic quick coupler for wheel loaders
