AHR Expo 2012

The AHR 2012 Expo is happening this week at the McCormick Place in Chicago. It runs Monday January 23 – Wednesday January 25. The AHR Expo is the granddaddy of all air conditioning industry shows. It is co-sponsored by two of the HAVC/R industry heavy hitters: ASHRAE and AHRI. This is truly a world class show with people and companies from all over the globe. My experience has been that it is really impossible to look at all the exhibits in a day because there is so much to see. If you are located anywhere close to Chicago and can find a day to visit the expo, it is well worth your time. Instructors and students can get so much free literature that it will take you hours just to read it all. There are many free seminars every day for discussion of new technologies and products. The AHR Expo is usually where HVAC/R companies roll out their latest and greatest, so it is a perfect place to see where the industry is heading. Perhaps most useful to instructors are the contacts you can make with OEM suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and industry technical gurus of all stripes. You may not be able to swing by this year, but you can still see who is there and even take a look at some of their info via a virtual show feature on the AHR Epo web site. On the main page of their site are photos and tweets. At the top of the main page is an Exhibitors menu. One selection in the middle of the list is AHR Expo TV. Videos of different vendors booths are available to see the the booth without traveling to Chicago. Also, check out the exhibitors list. There are so many, that it is organized as a search. When you get to a specific vendor, their contact information is listed. This is a great tool for searching who's who in the HVACR field. So if you can't swing by the Windy City, take a virtual tour.