Organizers say national HVAC and plumbing show succeeded
Ontario Construction Report staff writer
CMPX 2014, Canada’s national trade show for the air conditioning, heating (forced air and hydronics) hearth, plumbing, piping, refrigeration and ventilation industries, closed on Friday
March 21 with a registration of 13,592 attendees, similar to the registration levels at the previous show in 2012.
More than 500 exhibitors rented 200,000 sq. ft. of booth space for the three day show at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre north building.
Warren Heeley, president of HRAI, the Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute said the show “is the major event for the mechanicals industry in Canada.”
“We have got the largest attendance, the largest subscription from the standpoint of exhibitors and it is literally the focus of the industry for a three-day period,” he said.
In addition to exhibits there were competitions and seminars in a special learning forum.
“The New Products Showcase featured an impressive display of the latest products from all parts of the industry, all gathered in an easy-to-see showcase plus, even more new products were on display throughout the show floor,” a CMPX news release reported.
There were also programs on emerging technologies, hydronics workshops, a skills centre, and a chance to win a GMC 2500 Savana Van, won by Ron Van Brenk, project manager at Hobbs Welding and Boiler Service in London.
HRAI Heating System Technician competition winners included:
Secondary School Competition
1st Place – Brady Erb, Elmira District Secondary School
2nd Place – Brodie Altman, Elmira District Secondary School
3rd Place – Cole Burkhart, Elmira District Secondary School
Post-Secondary School Competition
1st Place – Sean Nolan, North American
Trade School – London Campus
2nd Place – Tamas Suveg, George Brown College
3rd Place – Jason Reaman, Algonquin College
Master’s Challenge
1st Place – Phil Gagnon
2nd Place – Jason Malloy
3rd Place – Matthew Prince
This year the HRAI skills competition committee designed a new practical competition to simulate a real-life maintenance and installation scenario, the show organizers said.
“The exhibitors are delighted with the turnout, the caliber and the quality of the people who have come into the their booths,” said Ralph Suppa, president and general manager of CIPH, the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating. “We have many people from right across Canada, and the United States, and we think we have fulfilled their marketing strategy opportunities to meet the people that they wanted to meet at the show.”
The next CMPX show has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 16 through Friday, March 18 2016.
