The AHR Expo is the premier event for the HVACR industry and a can’t miss show for the Viega team each year. The last few years have had limited attendance largely due to the pandemic and other industry challenges, but in 2023, this year’s conference came roaring back, bigger and better than ever, with more than 40,000 people in attendance.
For Viega, this is one of the events where we go “all in” because it puts us right in the center of our community. The energy in the Viega booth was electric and the activity was non-stop. We connected with HVAC and plumbing professionals, members of the trade media, and also spent time with the next generation of skilled tradespeople through Workforce Development opportunities provided by AHR and ASHRAE.
Continuing education is a big part of the AHR Expo, featuring more than 200 seminars for attendees. Nick Murphy from Viega participated in a panel discussion hosted by AHR and ASHRAE, which focused on career opportunities. We also took a group of students from Atlanta Career and College Academy on a tour of the expo with the HVAC R&D podcast. We visited manufacturers to show different tools and products they may use throughout their programs and apprenticeships. At the Viega booth, we introduced the students to press technology, highlighting ProPress and MegaPress applications and uses.
This year, Viega was also one of the sponsors of the HVAC Tactical Awards. This “blue collar goes black tie” event celebrates those who are masters of their craft awarding their coveted 3” brass medallions in categories like Lady of the Trade Award, Mentor Award, Picture Perfect Install Award, and Best HVAC Podcast Award.
Industry events like AHR give us an opportunity to connect in new ways with our industry – from parties to podcasts. We hosted podcasters in our booth and joined in to record some podcasts in the AHR podcast pavilion. Be sure to listen to our conversations with Tool Pros and Kitchen Chronicles.
We hosted a social media meetup, bringing together the Viega brand ambassadors (aka the Viega Press Masters) and more than 100 members of the online community! The meetup was hosted in partnership with Tool Pros and Tool Wife. “Brent and I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for the Viega / Tool Pros meet-up this year at AHR Expo. Thank you to each and every individual who attended, it was a blast being surrounded by our friends and colleagues. We are so fortunate to have the support of this amazing community and beyond grateful for partnerships like the one we have with Viega.”
For Colton Henkowski, Technical Training Consultant for Viega, connecting with the community is what’s it’s all about. “Getting to do multiple interviews, podcasts, and countless demos made me proud to not only be a part of the Viega team, but the HVAC and plumbing community as a whole,” he said. “Hundreds of people packed the booth. Getting to meet guys I know from social media in person is such a cool way to push our trade forward and use those connections to further knowledge and kinship.”
