Plumbing Africa April 2019 | Page 26

24 EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS ISH 2019, an international show to remember Held at Messe Frankfurt in Germany from 11 to 15 March 2019, this year’s ISH trade fair hosted more than 2 500 exhibitors and saw over 190 000 visitors. By Benjamin Brits Although the number of visitors to the 2019 show was slightly lower than the previous 2017 show, according to the final statistics released, there was an increase in international participation. THE SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE Our company through its relevant brands — Plumbing Africa, RACA Journal, and recently Water, Sewage and Effluent — has been attending ISH for the past 20 years, but this was the first year that we were on ABOUT ISH For those who don’t know anything (or very little) about ISH, it is marketed as the world’s leading trade fair in the water and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) sectors and it happens every two years. To further put the show into perspective, the size of the exhibition space is equivalent to 39 rugby fields, and the number of visitors this year would fit into 522 Boeing 747 aeroplanes! Furthermore, the number of packages delivered to all the exhibitors is 87 times the height of the Eiffel Tower — that is a pile over 28km high! Dale Macnamara (Interact Media Defined) and Steve Comstock of the ASHRAE Journal at the Interbuild/Plumbdrain stand. The Duravit ladies from South Africa at their stand, introducing the latest products. From left: Angelique Pillay, Karen Robyn, and Megan Billett. From left, Sean Macnamara, Erwin Minnie (Hansgrohe SA), and Dale Macnamara discuss new technology. From left: Benjamin Brits (Plumbing Africa) with Malcolm Harris and Hendrik Kruger of Harscan Distributors at the Interbuild/Plumbdrain stand. Paul Bonsak and Dave Viola of IAPMO at their stand. From left: Sean Macnamara, Tatjana Boehm (Melibo), Dale Macnamara, and Alex Boehm (Melibo). April 2019 Volume 25 I Number 2 www.plumbingafrica.co.za