World Tunnel Congress 2026 has wrapped up in Montréal, and it was a week well spent. Here’s a look back at the congress and our time on the show floor.
WTC 2026 in Montréal — A Strong Edition
2,000 attendees, 150+ industry exhibitors from over 50 countries
Held at the Palais des congrès de Montréal from May 15–21, WTC 2026 brought the global tunnelling community together under the theme “Connecting Communities Through Underground Infrastructure” — a week of technical sessions, industry debate, and a packed exhibition floor.
The keynote programme covered substantial ground. The Muir Wood Lecture was delivered by Remo Grandori, drawing on 40 years and over 120 TBM projects across five continents. The Opening Ceremony featured urban planner Larry Beasley, geotechnical engineer Eric Péloquin of Hydro-Québec, and Dr. Karina Lange of the IAEA on the growing intersection between geological disposal and underground engineering. The ITA Think Tank closed with futurist Ramy Nassar challenging the industry to think seriously about AI and what it means for how infrastructure gets planned, built, and operated underground.
Yamamoto at Booth C1403
We had a strong week on the show floor. The booth saw consistent traffic throughout the congress, with visitors ranging from tunnelling contractors and project engineers to infrastructure owners exploring alternatives to traditional excavation methods.
With our 7th year attending World Tunnel Congress, we find our conversations with customers has vastly advanced from “what is a hydraulic rock splitter?” to “Can your rock splitter solve my problems?”. We are pleased to see an increased awareness and are pleased customers are eager to present their challenges for us to solve.
The HRB-1700 on static display drew plenty of attention — there is something different about seeing the machine in person. For many visitors, it was their first time standing next to the 4.5 meter tall hydraulic rock splitter, and those conversations were exactly what we came to Montréal for. We were also joined by our Eastern Canada distribution partner, EquipHD, whose presence reflected the growing interest in the technology across the Canadian market.
“WTC 2026 reinforced what we have seen from projects around the world — the demand for low-vibration, low-noise excavation solutions is growing, and the industry is actively looking for proven alternatives to traditional methods,” said Jonas Stahlbage, Sales Director, Yamamoto Rock Splitter. “Bringing the HRB-1700 to Montréal and having open conversations with contractors, engineers, and project owners from across the globe was exactly what this kind of event is for. We leave Montréal energised and with a clear sense of where the opportunities lie.”
To see Yamamoto Rock Splitter in action, watch the video below:
Next Stop — WTC 2027, Antwerp
The next World Tunnel Congress takes place in Antwerp, Belgium, April 23–29, 2027. We look forward to seeing the global tunnelling community there.