Events and Exhibitions
THE 2020 AHR EXPO UNVEILS
NEXT REVOLUTION OF HVACR
Professionals from across HVACR descended upon the Orange County
Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida, from 3 – 5 February for the 2020
AHR Expo
A
ttendees and exhibitors engaged in three full days of
innovation and learning and took an exciting look into
the future of HVACR. Spread across 506 090 square feet (47
017m 2 ), exhibitors on the Show floor delivered new and never-
before seen products and technology, live demonstrations,
networking opportunities and a revitalised energy for the future
of the industry. In every education session, council talk, podcast
broadcast, exhibitor event and long walk across the Show floor,
one thing was abundantly clear —the HVACR revolution has
arrived in full force.
“The energy on the Show floor this year was hard to miss.
From corner to corner, in every booth, education session,
event programme, everywhere, it’s clear that this industry
is alive and thriving,” said Mark Stevens, Show manager.
“Leading into this Show we knew there were some big
changes happening across the industry and we saw that
reflected in Orlando. It is truly an exciting time to be a part of
the HVACR community and, if 2020 is any indication, it is just
getting started.”
The 2020 Show welcomed over 50 000 attendees, more than 1
900 exhibiting companies (577 of which were international, as well
as 295 who were first time exhibitors).
Victor Grasso, a young HVAC Service technician from New
Jersey says of his first AHR Expo, “The videos of this Show online
don’t do it justice. When you’re here you get to pick up the
tool and feel how it actually works. It really assures me that if I
purchase the tool in the future, I’ll know that I’m getting the right
tool for the job. For a young person like me who is new to the
trade, the Show introduced me to a whole other aspect of the
industry. I found so many products and companies I would have
never known existed.”
THE 2020 EDUCATION PROGRAMME
The 2020 Expo presented lots of opportunities for growth for
exhibitors and visitors.
Private Equity 101: What HVACR founders need to know
This session provided insight into private equity at a basic level
understanding. Private equity is currently investing millions into
small-to-medium sized founder-led HVAC companies. A panel of
investors discussed the varying types of investor opportunities,
how a company is valued and how the partnership process
typically works. Attendees were left with an understanding of the
options available through partnership in order to make decisions
that best fit their business.
Education programmes from the day were well-attended.
20
The 2020 Show featured more than 200 sessions in the Education
Programme. This year featured new sessions inspired by trends
happening currently across HVACR, as well as those forecasted
for the near future. Below is a summary of some of the topics
discussed throughout the Show:
RACA Journal I April 2020
Skilled labour! Overcome the shortage to protect your business
This session discussed the current state of the industry and the
skilled labour shortage. Eighty-two percent of CEOs report that
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