2012 AHR EXPO Show Preview
By Clay Stevens
Plumbing and hydronic contractors looking for the latest products, technologies and educational opportunities all in one location need look no further than the 2012 AHR Expo in Chicago on January 23 – 25.
Nearly 2,000 exhibiting companies from 35 countries will be showcasing their latest products and technology solutions to more than 50,000 attendees from around the world. At the same time, two dozen of the leading industry associations and trade publications will be sponsoring over 100 educational seminars, presentations, workshops and certification exams. Many of these products and educational opportunities are targeted specifically to plumbing and hydronic contractors. You can learn more about these special sessions by visiting the AHR Expo website www.ahrexpo.com/forvisitors/2012ed-free.php.
Phc News, Plumbing Engineer’s sister publication, will be sponsoring a roundtable panel for plumbing and hydronic professionals on the topic of “Selling Energy Efficiency in Today’s Marketplace” on Tuesday, January 24 (http://tinyurl.com/789x6qo). A panel of industry experts, including Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr, will examine why embracing energy efficiency can be a good investment for your business.
A variety of other educational sessions will also be taking place during the 2012 ASHRAE Winter Conference in the Palmer House Hilton hotel. These half-day courses cover a variety of topics of interest to plumbing and hydronic engineers and contractors. You can learn more about these offerings at ASHRAE’s website, www.ashrae.org/education/2012-chicago-courses.
In addition to the AHR Expo and ASHRAE educational sessions, dozens of new product innovations and technology solutions will be previewed in the New Product Technology Theaters all three days of the show. You can learn more about these 15-minute free presentations by visiting the online schedule at http://bit.ly/u0dCA4.
Special show features
For contractors interested in new software and/or the latest in building automation and controls, there are special areas of the show floor dedicated to these two segments. The Building Automation and Control Showcase will feature over 100 companies unveiling state-of-the-art solutions for a variety of applications. The Software Center is the ideal one-stop source to see the latest off-the-shelf programs as well as the newest customized HVAC/R innovations. You can learn more about the companies exhibiting in these two pavilions by visiting a special section of the AHR Expo website at http://bit.ly/eu40CB.
The major attraction for thousands of plumbing and hydronic contractors, however, will be visiting the many companies that will be showcasing all the latest plumbing-related products and technologies on the show floor. With more than 420,000 square feet of space already reserved, the 2012 AHR Expo will be the biggest in the show’s 82-year history and the largest HVAC/R event in the world. New products and technologies will be unveiled in Chicago that attendees won’t find anywhere else.
If AHR Expo sounds a bit overwhelming with so many things to see and do, it need not be. There is a special AHR Expo online tool called My Show Planner that allows visitors to:
• Search for specific products, product categories and/or exhibitors they wish to see.
• Virtually “walk” the exhibit halls and scroll over a booth to get more information.
• Automatically request a meeting with the companies they are interested in seeing.
• Plan events and meetings and automatically update them in Outlook Calendar.
• Automatically add booths to their planner, based on pre-selected criteria.
• Map the best course through the exhibit halls based on products/criteria selected.
• Enhance existing relationships and create new ones.
By spending a few minutes planning your visit in advance, you can save a good deal of time and unnecessary walking. You can learn more about My Show Planner at http://bit.ly/sIrt81.
I have spoken with many of the thousands of plumbing and hydronic contractors who have attended the event over the years; they all come away amazed at the many new products they discovered and new things they learned. One contractor summed it up best by saying, “I can spend countless hours on the Internet looking for products and information or meeting with manufacturers to discuss their specific solutions. Or, I can go to AHR Expo and see everything I need and meet with all the key people in just a few hours’ time.”
You can register to attend AHR Expo and visit the show floor at no cost on the show’s website, http://registration3.experient-inc.com/showAHR121/Default.aspx.
We’ll see you soon in Chicago.
Clay Stevens is president of the International Exposition Company.
About AHR Expo
As the world’s largest and most comprehensive, exclusively HVAC/R, exposition, the AHR Expo attracts tens of thousands of attendees from all facets of the industry, including contractors, engineers, dealers, distributors, wholesalers, OEMs, architects, builders, industrial plant operators, facility owners and managers, agents and reps.
In addition, more than 130 educational sessions and workshops addressing all facets of the HVAC/R industry are offered by leading industry associations and organizations during the three days of the show, many free of charge.
Since 1930, the AHR Expo has been the HVAC/R professional’s best resource for new products, new ideas and new services. It’s a hands-on, interactive event that showcases a wide spectrum of equipment, systems and components. This unique industry forum creates a dynamic marketing environment unequaled in size and scope by any other industry event.
For information, www.ahrexpo.com.