The first staging of the ACR Show 2012 proved to be an outstanding success, with exhibitors praising the quality and buying-power of visitors.
The show, which took place last week at the NEC in Birmingham, is the only national event dedicated to showcasing the latest air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump technology.
Jan Thorpe, event director, said: 'The feedback we have received from exhibitors has been extremely pleasing. I would like to thank all those who supported the launch and believed in what we were doing. I am delighted that the show delivered - both for visitors and exhibitors.'
Many of the show's 30-plus seminars attracted capacity crowds, with a presentation by the UK's leading food retailers on their future plans overflowing into the aisles.
Following the success of the launch, the organisers have confirmed that the ACR Show will become a regular biennial event in the industry's calendar, with the next event returning to the NEC in 2014.
Paul Taylor, of air conditioning manufacturer Panasonic, said: 'We have had a great show. Our stand has been busy throughout and generated a lot of interest. Even on the first day, which is traditionally slower, we were busy for much of the day. Overall, we are delighted with what the show has delivered - the quality of the visitors has been excellent.'
Mark Henderson, of wholesaler FSW, said 'The response has been quite amazing. We are ecstatic with what the show has delivered, from day one. We were a little nervous to begin with, but any doubts were quickly dispelled by the numbers and quality of visitors to our stand. We have had the major end users and the big contractors. We had to draft in reinforcements to cope with the level of interest on our stand! The show has been tremendous success for us.'
Mike Creamer, of technology and training company Business Edge, said: 'It has been an unbelievable show for us. The interest in our stand has been phenomenal - it has been so busy I haven't been able to get off! We sold an oil reclamation machine on the stand and secured a deal for multiple ClimaChecks on the strength of being here.'
The show drew a diverse audience, spanning senior buyers from leading companies and hands-on practitioners from service companies and contractors.
Reflecting this, Steve Davies, of service tool specialist Javac, said: 'The contacts that we have had a result of exhibiting at the show have been of the highest quality. We have had very senior people on our stand, at the highest level - from the top companies in the industry. On the strength of it, we have booked again for the next show, and with a bigger stand.'
Oliver Lawton, of tube supplier Lawton Tubes, said: 'It is the first time we have exhibited - and the show has been quite simply fantastic for us! We have met and spoken to some extremely senior people. Our new launch, an aluminium/copper tube, has created huge interest and it has been virtually non-stop on our stand. We will be back!'
The show was backed by eight big-name sponsors: LG sponsored the technical seminar programme, Climate Center the Business Intelligence Theatre, Panasonic sponsored the Heat Pump Arena, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries sponsored the onsite visitor registration area, Gram and Hoshizaki sponsoring the networking area, and ICS Temperature Control/Cool Energy Ltd the exhibition visitor name badges.
