The 2020 AHR Expo Delivers Innovation and the Next Revolution of HVACR

Feb. 14, 2020

Source: AHR Expo| International Exposition Company

WESTPORT, Conn. -- – Professionals from across HVACR descended upon the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, February 3-5 for the 2020 AHR Expo. Attendees 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 sq. ft., exhibitors on the Show floor delivered new and never-beforeseen products and tech, live demonstrations, networking opportunities and a revitalized 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 program, everywhere, it’s clear that this industry is alive and thriving,” said Mark Stevens, Show Manager. “Leading in to 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, 1,900+ exhibiting companies —577 of which were international as well as 295 who were first time exhibitors.

Victor Grasso (@apprenticegrasso19 on Instagram), an 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. This definitely won’t be my last Show— I’ll be here for Chicago, Vegas, I’ll be here for life.”

“We have received incredible traffic at the Show this year. We’re excited to be here!” said Joe Oberle, Vice President of Corporate Development for Delta Electronics. “Our booth this year included fully integrated and automated products from our subsidiaries Delta Controls, LOYTEC, VIVOTEK and Amerlux, as well as Delta Electronics’ Industrial Automation and Fan business groups, under the theme ‘Smarter Buildings, Smarter Cities.’”

The 2020 Education Program The 2020 Show featured more than 200 sessions in the Education Program. 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:

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.

Skilled Labor! Overcome the Shortage to Protect Your Business This session discussed the current state of the industry and the skilled labor shortage. Eighty-two percent (82%) of CEOs report that the skilled labor shortage is a significant business issue. Melissa Boutwell, President at Automation Strategy and Performance, presented attendees with a discussion of why this is happening, how we can prepare as an industry and what some organizations are currently doing to secure current and future market positions.

Building for a Climate EmergencyKen Sinclair of AutomationBuildings.com led a discussion titled Building for a Climate Emergency. In it, he discussed the declaration of a “Climate Emergency” by over 400 global cities and how it relates to an enormous opportunity for the automation industry as local governments gear up to tackle this challenge. With recent legislation from municipal governments targeting residential and commercial buildings, both new and existing, with aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets, the widespread deployment of state-of-the-art controls systems will be essential to achieving these targets.

“This is my first time attending the show and I’ve found the educational sessions to be extremely beneficial for my professional growth,” said Aaron Byers, Product Engineer. “As a young engineer just starting out in the industry, it’s an outstanding place for me to build my professional network, gain input on what’s going on in the industry, and learn from specialists in my field. I’ll definitely be attending Chicago in 2021!”

Council Talks 2020 was the first year the Show hosted education sessions led by members of the AHR Expo Expert Council. The Council is a collaboration of HVACR experts and thought leaders launched by the AHR Expo in 2019 to educate and stimulate discussion concerning the biggest issues impacting the industry. Their sessions covered a wide range of industry topics addressing what’s next for HVACR professionals in the coming year.