With uncertainty surrounding the future of trade shows and conferences due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, “natural” refrigerant group Shecco is to mount a virtual exhibition.
The one-day online event is scheduled to take place on September 1, and will be free to attend.
Describing the virtual event as a first for the cooling industry,” Shecco CEO Marc Chasserot said: “It will bring hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals together to exchange and learn about the latest natural refrigerant technology solutions from the comfort of their home.
“The pandemic is going to make life very difficult for trade shows this year, so we felt that this was the right moment to launch such a service,” he added.
To provide access to as many people around the world, the event will start in the morning New Zealand-time, and continue throughout the day until 18.00 California time. The show will include a full 24 hours of presentations, opportunity to visit the exhibitor booths, a virtual networking lounge, and an information help desk.
Some presentations will be live at a scheduled time, with the possibility to ask the speaker questions, and some will be pre-recorded, on-demand sessions.
The exhibition hall will feature booths hosted by “natural” refrigerant companies and organisations. Visitors will be able to engage with the exhibitors, peruse information, download product information, and watch videos. It is also envisaged that visitors will be able to interact with the exhibitor staff present through an online chat function – either in a group chat or a one-on-one chat (which can be text, audio or video).
A networking lounge will have the same options for group chats and one-on-one chats and here attendees can also see who else is present and initiate informal chats with each other.