AHR EXPO 2004 SHAPES UP AS LARGEST WEST COAST HVACR EVENT EVER

The 2004 AHR Expo, which will be held January 26-28, 2004, in Anaheim, CA, has booked more than 1,400 exhibiting companies covering 310,000 net sq.ft., making it larger than any previous West Coast AHR Expo. The amount of exhibit space reserved by early November already had exceeded the 301,000 net sq.ft. of exhibits at AHR Expo 1998, which was held in San Francisco.

The 2004 event is continuing the recent trend toward globalization. Over the past several years, the number of exhibitors headquartered outside of the United States has been on the increase. In 2004, more than 215 international exhibiting companies from 33 countries have signed up to display hundreds of new and innovative products. Solid representation of companies from around the globe includes more than 40 companies from Europe and three dozen from Pacific Rim countries, with the majority of international support coming from more than 105 Canadian companies.

Highlights of the 2004 AHR Expo will include two special show floor pavilions (building automation and control and a software center) that will allow attendees to participate in hands-on demonstrations and view, test, and compare state-of-the-art technologies.

In addition to the pavilions, many of the AHR Expo’s endorsing associations will conduct free educational sessions. These associations will present information ranging from principles of business management to a variety of current technical developments. Complimentary building automation sessions will also explore four areas: marketing convergence, online capabilities, an XML update, and wireless controls.

As always, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is producing a large variety of sessions in conjunction with its annual winter meeting throughout the four days of the AHR Expo. A highlight of the ASHRAE sessions will be a free public session on improving residential HVAC energy efficiency.

For additional information on the AHR Expo, call 203/221-9232 or visit www.ahrexpo.com. For more information on the ASHRAE Winter meeting, call 404/636-8400 or visit www.ashrae.org.

Watch for a handy and comprehensive guide to the show in next month’s issue of Contracting Business.