With this month’s focus on the ARBS Exhibition, trade show chair, Ian Hopkins, provides a brief overview and history of this landmark event and gives CCN a glimpse of future initiatives.
The ARBS exhibition first emerged in 1998 from what was originally known as the AIRAH show. The move to an exhibition with broader industry support was seen as an inclusive initiative for the developing HVAC&R and building services sector.
Now, 16 years and eight shows later, ARBS has established itself as the premiere HVAC&R exhibition in the southern hemisphere.
The ARBS exhibition is managed by AIRAH and supported by six of the major industry associations: AIRAH, AMCA, AREMA, ARWA, CIBSE and RACCA.
Alternating between Melbourne and Sydney every two years has seen the exhibition grow and mature with wide ranging support now evident from all areas of the industry.
ARBS is also increasingly recognised internationally with growing numbers of exhibitors and attendees regularly visiting the show.
Interestingly the Sydney shows started out as being generally larger in size and numbers than Melbourne, however since 2008 Melbourne has stepped up and taken over the top spot.
The steady growth sees this year’s show with 246 local and international exhibitors, having built consistently from the 2000 show with 174 exhibitors.
As an industry exhibition ARBS has worked hard to create a platform that brings together product and service providers with the designers, specifiers, installers, service and maintenance people who use the products and services.
A natural progression from the exhibition was to provide a way for some formal knowledge sharing coupled with opportunities for networking, and so in 2004 the first seminar program was introduced.
The seminar program provides updates and information on industry regulations, innovations and best practices.
The program has now become an essential feature of the exhibition attracting attendees from all corners looking to augment their professional development.
With a range of formats from keynote addresses to small group masterclasses, the seminar series offers topics, presenters and discussions of critical interest for everyone from property investors and developers to tradies onsite.
The success of the panel discussion format at the 2012 show has led to six panel discussions in the 2014 seminar program.
Sydney in 2010 saw the very first instalment of the ARBS awards program.
The Awards program has generated a great deal of interest in the industry and filled quite a few bookcases with trophies signifying excellence and achievements in various categories of endeavour.
This year’s finalists have just been announced and we look forward to honouring the 2014 winners at our gala dinner on May 21, 2014.
The ARBS Hall of Fame is an initiative that recognises the wide-ranging achievements and significant contributions of members of our industry. At this year’s awards, five new inductees will be recognised for their generosity and commitment.
To further contribute to our industry, ARBS is in the process of establishing a charitable Foundation.
This vehicle will fund research and development initiatives and also support the further education of individuals who might otherwise struggle to achieve their goals.
ARBS itself will be the primary funder of the Foundation but there will be opportunities for other companies and industry organisations to contribute in the interests of bettering the industry.
ARBS will be in a position to update participants on progress with this initiative at the upcoming exhibition.
The ARBS Board is made up of seven directors, including one representative director from each of the supporting associations and an executive director and chair.
The board meets regularly to oversee and guide the direction and development of the exhibition, and going forward, the Foundation. Current board members are:
Ian Hopkins, Chair
David Eynon (AMCA)
Don Charlton (RACCA)
Leon Miller (ARWA)
Sean Treweek (AIRAH)
Simon Bradwell (AREMA)
Stephen Gilchrist (CIBSE).
About the author
ARBS Exhibitions chair Ian Hopkins is also the CEO of Norman, Disney and Young,
a role he has held for more than 17 years. He has a Masters in Engineering and
a career spanning more than four decades.