Erixon Equipment's First Women's Day: Turning Curiosity Into Confidence
- Aug 27
- 4 min read
Erixon Equipment's first women's day!
Erixon Equipment, a compact agricultural equipment manufacturer based in Des Moines, Iowa, held its first Women's Day event on Saturday, August 8, 2026. Eight women with no prior heavy equipment experience operated an excavator, articulating wheel loader, forklift, and mini skid loader from Erixon's X-Line, many for the very first time. The event was designed to give people who have not had the chance to try heavy equipment a hands-on, judgment-free introduction to operating it.
What was Erixon Equipment's Women's Day event?
Women's Day was a hands-on, women-only event hosted at Erixon Equipment's Des Moines headquarters. Participants rotated through four X-Line machines with guidance from the Erixon team, all operating heavy equipment for the first time in their lives. By the end of the day, first-time drivers were confidently maneuvering machines they had never sat in until that morning.
The day was structured so nobody had to figure things out alone. Erixon team members walked each participant through the controls of every machine before handing over the seat, then stayed close by as first-timers took their turns. Participants moved between stations at their own pace, spending as much or as little time on each machine as they wanted. What started as a cautious first attempt at the controls for most participants turned into confident driving through a mini obstacle course by the early afternoon, with cheers and high fives from the group each time someone completed a run.
The mood stayed lighthearted throughout. Participants swapped tips with each other between turns, cheered each other on, and took photos in the cabs of the machines they had just driven. Several stayed well past their scheduled time to watch friends take their turns.
Why did Erixon Equipment hold this event?
Machine operation has traditionally been a male-dominated field, and there are not many everyday opportunities for people, especially women, to try it in an environment that is fun, safe, and free of judgment. Erixon Equipment built Women's Day to close that gap.
The event also served as a real-world test of a core design principle behind the X-Line: machines built to be intuitive for a first-time operator and tough enough to handle a beginner still finding their rhythm in the seat. Erixon's X-Line lineup is built around straightforward, analog controls rather than complex electronic systems, which makes the learning curve shorter for someone stepping into a cab for the first time. That same simplicity is also why the machines can take the bumps and starts of a beginner still learning the controls without missing a beat.
Watching someone go from never having touched a machine like this to confidently maneuvering it in one afternoon reinforced that ease of use is not just a spec on a sheet. It is what actually gets more people into the cab, whether that is a first-time visitor at an event like this or a new hire on a jobsite learning to run equipment for the first time.
What did the Des Moines Register report?
The Des Moines Register covered the event in an article by reporter Kyle Werner, describing an atmosphere where cheers and applause accompanied every first-timer taking the wheel. The article included comments from Erixon Equipment's founder and CEO, Bryan Erixon, on why the event mattered. As Erixon put it, the day was about giving women the chance to "see what it's like" to operate equipment most had never had access to before.
Read the full article: A women-only event turned heavy equipment into a confidence builder (Des Moines Register, August 9, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Will Erixon Equipment hold another Women's Day event?
Yes! Women's Day will become an annual event at Erixon Equipment. Future events may expand beyond a women-only format to include other beginners, while keeping the same focus on first-time operators.
How do I find out about future Erixon Equipment events?
Follow Erixon Equipment on Facebook and Instagram for notifications about upcoming events, including future Women's Day dates.
Where can I learn more about the X-Line machines used in the event?
You can find your local Erixon dealer, learn how to become an Erixon dealer, or browse the full X-Line product lineup on Erixon Equipment's website.
What machines were used at the event?
Participants operated four X-Line machines: an excavator, an articulating wheel loader, a forklift, and a mini skid steer.
About Erixon Equipment
Erixon Equipment is a compact agricultural equipment manufacturer headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, with final assembly at its Des Moines facility. Founded by Bryan Erixon, the company designs and sells the X-Line, a lineup of compact equipment including skid steers, compact wheel loaders, excavators, telehandlers, forklifts, and more. Erixon Equipment and the X-Line machines are award-winning brands, recognized for excellence in branding and identity by industry professionals.
Erixon Equipment sells through a growing network of independent dealers across the country. Interested in becoming a dealer? Reach out here.
What's next
This was Erixon Equipment's first Women's Day, and it will not be the last. Thank you to everyone who showed up ready to try something new, and to the Erixon team who made the day come together.
