hanks to high vaccination rates, diligent covid-19 practices, and the sheer will of organizers, trade shows are coming back and the 2021 CIPHEX show was a welcome return for the construction industry. Western Canada’s premier plumbing, hydronics, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, refrigeration, and water treatment trade show was held November 3 and 4 at the PNE Coliseum in Vancouver. SMACNA-BC and Local 280 joined ASHRAE-BC in a shared booth at CIPHEX, bringing the best together in one place and demonstrating how these organizations work together to bring the highest standards in HVAC to the market place.
“I’m just happy that we are back in person and people can attend the event again,” Sarah Clarke, trade show manager at the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH), told Plumbing & HVAC.
With COVID protocols firmly in place, the event welcomed 1,200 participants to the event, despite the show’s layout looking a little bit different than usual. The total number of booths was reduced from 250 to 150 to allow for greater space between them. Networking events were also a bit different this year, Clarke says.
“We used to have a lounge and bar where people could hang out and get food, but this year we switched that and had multiple concession areas where food was be pre-packaged,” Clarke says.
Looking the same this year was the New Product Showcase, with featured the best manufacturers have to offer. Manufacturers submitted their new products to be judged by a panel—categories included air-conditioning and refrigeration, controls and instrumentation, heating and ventilation, hydronic heating, kitchen and bath, plumbing and piping, tools and equipment, and alternative energy. In this year’s show, 48 products were highlighted.
Participants also had access to educational seminars, this year free of charge. “We wanted to make sure that everybody had the level of comfortability and the opportunity to attend the show if they felt that they could,” Clarke says.
ASHRAE, SMACNA-BC, and SMART Local 280 shared a booth to broaden each organization’s exposure at the event. “It gives us all a higher profile all around, says ASHRAE-BC member, Norm Grusnick, P. Eng. “It was a pleasure for our groups to come together and show the industry the value of working together and participating in events like this as a team.”
Learn more about CIPHEX West at ciphexwest.ca ■
