More than 46,000 professionals attended C&R 2023.
Organised by IFEMA MADRID from 14 to 17 November, C&R assembled 398 exhibitors from 21 countries.
The results from this year's event emphasise the noteworthy global participation, accounting for 9% of the overall attendance, with professionals from 72 countries. In the national chapter, 37% of visitors came from Madrid, whilst 63% travelled from other regions of Spain, showing the extensive reach of the exhibition.
From 14 to 17 November and coinciding with its 20th anniversary, C&R 2023 held one of its most dynamic and representative events, demonstrating the thriving momentum experienced by the thermal installations sector. The event brought together 46,613 professionals from 76 countries and showcased the offerings of 398 exhibiting companies at IFEMA MADRID. A tremendous success, which once again establishes C&R as the foremost global benchmark in our nation's air conditioning sector.
The significant number of foreign visitors, accounting for 9% of the total attendance at this year’s event, was noteworthy, with Portugal and Italy contributing the highest number of professionals to the Fair.
The nationwide reach of this event has been especially significant, as it has attracted professionals from all regions of Spain. It should be highlighted that 63% of national visits were from professionals outside of Madrid, while visitors from Madrid only constituted 37%. It should be noted that the highest number of professionals were from Catalonia, Andalusia, and Valencia in this order, when considering their origin by autonomous communities.
In terms of professional profile, the attendance at C&R 23 indicates the fair's high level of qualification. There was a substantial turnout of representatives from installation and maintenance companies, at 35%; engineering companies, at 13%; and architecture, construction, and real estate development companies, at 11%.
C&R 23 activities were a great success.
As in every edition, the Technical Conferences programme of FORO C&R convened a multitude of professionals to dissect various current issues within a platform for information and analysis, among other important questions, in the IDAE Guide: Energy rehabilitation using heat pumps presents significant challenges; industrial refrigeration with disruptive solutions; the technical implications of F-GAS for both thermal and air conditioning installations; architecture and its crucial role in the energy rehabilitation of buildings; the construction and delivery of the new 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid and zero-emissions challenges; food distribution and the challenges and solutions for energy efficiency, as well as experiences with the CAEs (national energy efficiency certificate system).
The Applied Techniques Workshop, TAC Workshop, organised by Agremia, and the Refrigeration Workshop, organised by AEFYT in conjunction with the Moratalaz Cold and Air Conditioning Technology Training Centre, were also attended by a significant number of industry professionals. Both workshops, targeting installers, aimed to enhance the training of these professionals and encourage the adoption of best practices in installations.
Another initiative promoted for the first time at C&R was the Young Friday event, dedicated to specialist training and engineering students with the intention of drawing in talent and creating a talent pool in response to the current demand for professionals in the HVACR sector. A plan put forward various paths to connect the training and professional domains, with the involvement of companies, associations, and institutions. Additionally, the plan developed specific activities to promote awareness of the professional opportunities in the installations sector, which are offered by the Tac Workshop and the Refrigeration Workshop.
In addition, the C&R Innovation Gallery showcased 20 state-of-the-art equipment and solutions, exhibiting the latest advancements in air conditioning and refrigeration. Furthermore, the exhibition revealed the trends towards which the industry is progressing to comply with the Technical Regulations and European Directives, including energy efficiency, environmental protection, the use of energy from renewable sources, and contributing towards the decarbonisation of facilities. Additionally, sustainability is emphasised through the adoption of materials with a low carbon footprint.
During the afternoon/evening of 14 November, the 20th anniversary of C&R was celebrated alongside the AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION award ceremony. This award is given biennially by the Organising Committee of the fair to recognise professionals who have displayed a lifetime of special dedication to the development, progress and improvement of the air conditioning and refrigeration sector. This year's ceremony highlighted the exceptional work of Pilar Budí. The event concluded with AFEC presenting the inaugural @rroba Awards, aimed at showcasing the most exceptional contributions in the communication industry. In the inaugural edition, the @rroba awards were presented to CALORYFRIO for their campaign to promote associative, collective, and collaborative activities; C de COMUNICACIÓN for their initiatives to enhance the HVAC market, and EL INSTALADOR for their exemplary efforts in promoting the C&R trade fair.
The exhibition opened on Tuesday 14 November, with a speech delivered by Sara Aagesen Muñoz, the Secretary of State for Energy at the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge.