C&R 2021 Marks a Turning Point
The Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Fair has welcomed over 34,000 trade visitors and brought together the offering of more than 300 companies in a unique and busy edition held from 16th to 19th November at IFEMA MADRID.
Participants said the results were very encouraging and expressed their general satisfaction. They also highlighted that this edition has provided an opportunity for meeting customers. They had numerous meetings and made valuable contacts over the four days, in addition to the high quality of the visitors.
Air Conditioning & Refrigeration 2021 (C&R) took place from 16th to 19th November. It has been one of the most important and exceptional editions: after long months without face-to-face events, it has marked a turning point on the journey back to normality with face-to-face meetings again between suppliers and customers in the halls of IFEMA MADRID.
Among the most impressive figures for this edition are the more than 300 participating companies and more than 34,000 trade visitors. But, the most significant aspect of this edition has been the exhibitors’ general satisfaction. They are very pleased both with the opportunity that C&R has given them to meet their clients again, and for the number of meetings and the valuable contacts they’ve made over these four days, and the high quality of the visitors.
In this regard, Aurelio García, chairman of KEYTER INTARCON, described this edition as a “positive experience” given the challenge of coping with the new normality. “It’s not only been an interesting and important event at which we’ve been in contact with many installers, engineering companies, etcetera, but also for what it means as a step forward towards getting back to normal again.”
PANASONIC’s General Manager of Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions EU, Francisco Perucho, says that “the Fair has allowed us to meet our customers, distributors, installers, distributors, colleagues from other companies, and this has been one of the biggest benefits of C&R for us.” He also expressed his thanks for the efforts to improve the Fair and incorporate new tools such as C&R LiveConnect, “a huge competitive feature that’s here to stay.”
Paloma Sanchez-Cano is marketing director with DAIKIN. She emphasised that this edition has been a turning point and an opportunity to meet customers face-to-face again. “We are delighted with the attendance at the Fair. The sector seemed very busy, and we’ve had plenty of senior-level trade visitors. Everyone’s eager to meet again, and the Fair has served as a boost and springboard for getting face-to-face meetings going again.”
The representatives of CLIMALIFE, ZANOTTI, ELIWELL IBERICA, SYSTEMAIR, DOMUSA, and many others also emphasised that this edition has been very busy, with visitors keen to meet again, and the numerous contacts they’ve made.
C&R’s commercial section brought together a variety of innovations aimed at the challenges represented by a future marked by the global climate emergency, with more sustainable consumption of renewable energy sources. This was very much a showcase for environmental efficiency. We welcomed Teresa Ribera, Spain’s vice prime minister and Minister for Ecological Transition & the Demographic Challenge, on the opening day, showing the Fair’s environmental commitment.
Excellent Attendance at C&R FORUM and Workshops
The programme of Technical Talks, C&R FORUM also brought together numerous professionals to analyse and discuss topics of current interest. They addressed major themes including Decarbonising Buildings, Changes to the RITE (Regulation of Thermal Installations in Buildings), and Indoor Air Quality Beyond the Pandemic. Two sessions focused on Refrigeration and its challenges and future prospects, discussing Energy Optimization and Sustainability for Industrial and Commercial Refrigeration Facilities and Disruptive Technologies. Other C&R FORUM sessions looked at two major architecture and engineering projects: the Isabel Zendal Emergencies Hospital and the Caleido Fifth Tower. There was also a track on training as a key factor for sustainable employment and technological development.
The ACT Workshop and the Refrigeration Workshop, activities aimed at promoting best practices in the field of installations, were also a great success. AGREMIA and AEFYT organised these, respectively, the latter in collaboration with the Moratalaz Training Centre for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technologies.
Also, C&R’s Innovation Gallery this year selected eleven innovative units and solutions. These included the latest generation equipment and use of natural refrigerants for increased efficiency and low environmental impact, improved materials, technologies and designs for easier equipment installation, tools for monitoring air quality in air conditioning installations, and innovative solutions to meet heating and hot water needs all year in apartment buildings.
AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION Award 2019
The AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION 2019 award presentation took place in the afternoon of the 16th of November, C&R’s opening day. The Fair’s Organising Committee presents this biennial award in recognition of the work of those who have specially dedicated their professional life to the development, progress and improvement of the air conditioning and the refrigeration sector. This year it was presented to Pedro Pulido, Sales Manager of SOLER & PALAU, and a leading member of AFEC’s board and the AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION Fair’s Organising Committee.
C&R ‘21 was supported by the Madrid Regional Government under a collaboration agreement with IFEMA MADRID. This agreement aims to support companies undergoing digital transformation and internationalisation and achieve the goal shared by both institutions: to promote Madrid economically and internationally.