January marks the New Year and the 66th International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo). Thousands of visitors from all aspects of the HVACR industry will converge on the Javits Center in New York for the show that features exhibits, training, Innovation Awards, special meetings, and more. Put on by the International Exposition Co. (IEC), the AHR Expo begins on Jan. 21 this year and runs through Jan. 23. Last year’s attendance in Dallas totaled over 55,000 visitors and exhibitor personnel. IEC is expecting there could be even more this year.

To kick off the event for wholesale distributors, HARDI is hosting its annual icebreaker reception at the Waldorf Astoria New York on Monday, Jan. 20. Royce Henderson, HARDI’s newly-elected president, will be at the icebreaker. After his appointment during the 2013 Annual Conference, Henderson invited distributors to come to the icebreaker so that he could meet them personally.

“This long-time HARDI tradition provides a great opportunity to connect with industry friends prior to the AHR Expo,” said the association. “We look forward to seeing you in New York.”

International Honors

Manufacturers from around the world will bring their products, services, software, and HVACR solutions to the expo for three days of learning and hands-on insight. Attendees find themselves able to experience much of what the HVACR industry has to offer, all under one roof. Associations such as North American Technician Excellence (NATE) and the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) will also be in attendance this year. The association honored IEC with its 2013 Public Service Award. According to AHRI, this award recognizes deserving individuals and organizations outside of itself that have made significant contributions to the HVACR industry. During the presentation of the award at AHRI’s Annual Meeting in Amelia Island, Fla., in November, Chairman Harry Holmes said, “Your company’s many years of service to our industry in running the AHR Expo and AHR Expo-Mexico have strengthened our industry and helped our member companies showcase their technology and innovation to customers from around the world. You have built a legacy of trust that is recognized and celebrated with this award.”

Past recipients of the award have included the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), and John Conrad, publisher of The Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration NEWS.

“We are very honored to receive this prestigious award from AHRI,” said Clay Stevens, president of IEC. “It is especially meaningful to be recognized by an organization that we have worked so closely with for many years to make AHR Expo the leading HVACR exposition in the world.”

Stevens noted that this has been the year of awards for the AHR Expo. AHR Expo-Mexico was honored earlier in 2013 when it was selected as the “Best Event of the Year” for 2012, as well as the ”Best Industrial Exhibition” of 2012, by the Cintermex Convention Center in Monterrey, NL, Mexico.

Innovation Awards

A highlight of the AHR Expo is its annual Innovation Awards ceremony. The winners have already been chosen for each product category and will be honored at a ceremony on Jan. 22 at the Javits Center. The awards encompass a broad cross-section of the HVACR marketplace, and the the winning entries are selected in 10 categories by a panel of ASHRAE members. The panel evaluated the products submitted based on innovation, application, value to the user, and market impact.

One of the 10 category winners will also be selected as the overall winner of the 2014 AHR Expo Product of the Year Award. Winners receive placards to display at their booths during the show as well as etched crystal awards to be displayed at their companies’ headquarters. In addition, 37 other products were recognized with Honorable Mentions in these same 10 categories and will also be presented with placards to display in their booths.

The more than $10,000 generated by entry fees that were collected will be donated to a charitable organization in the New York area. Since the inception of the Innovation Award Competition in 2003, well over $100,000 has been donated to charities and educational institutions in the cities where the expo was held. 

The Innovation Awards are jointly sponsored by ASHRAE, AHRI, and IEC. The 2014 AHR Expo will feature nearly 2,000 leading manufacturers and suppliers from around the world showcasing hundreds of innovative new products.

 For more information, visit www.ahrexpo.com.