Gary Schardien of Funwood, N.J. (left) discusses the merits of the 1042 LH power humidifier with Louis Laroche of General Filters Inc., Novi, Mich. The 1042 is a highly efficient flow-through unit that delivers up to 19.2 GPD. A high capacity 5/8-in. drain and hose helps prevent clogging.
When Atlantic City, N.J. was announced as the location for the 2002 AHR Expo, there was grumbling that the East Coast gambling Mecca would be a poor draw. The complaints grew louder after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 and subsequent trade shows, such as Chicago’s FabTech suffered from smaller than expected crowds. “We weren’t expecting a damn thing (here),” was the way one exhibitor bluntly put it.

The naysayers were happy to have been proven wrong; crowds exceeded the successful 2001 Atlanta show. “The AHR Expo was excellent for Klenk Tools,” said Marty Marcus, national sales manager for Delaware-based Klenk Industries. “Everything that we showed that was new got a thumbs up.”

Attendees likewise gave the show high marks. “This is my first time at the show, and I think it’s great,” said Anthony Fazzina of Florida-based Coastal Mechanical Services. “I can’t believe how big it is.”

Fazzina’s comments were echoed by Bill McNerney of M & G Metal Works, Bethel, Conn. “We find a lot of interesting stuff,” McNerney said. “So far, it’s very good.”



Minneapolis-based Sheet Metal Connectors Inc. had a new trade show booth at the AHR Expo. Pictured are Steve Ecklund (left) and Marty Wetzel.

Among the products on display:

  • Air-Duct Manufacturing Inc. of Addison, Ill. showed its new die-stamped elbows. Made of galvanized steel, the elbows feature overlapped stitch welding along the entire length of the toe and heel of each elbow. Air-Duct says the elbows exceed SMACNA’s high velocity/medium pressure requirements.

  • Reflectix Inc. has added commercial duct wrap specially designed for exterior or harsh environmental usage. The company says the duct wrap is easy to install, lightweight, clean and is resistant to mold and mildew.

  • Duro Dyne representatives were especially excited about Dyna-Tite, the company’s answer to the problem of securing ductwork and equipment. The Dyna-Tite cable lock and wire rope can be used to quickly hang rectangular or spiral ductwork and many mechanical devices. The cable lock includes stainless steel springs, a locking wedge, serrated teeth and corrosion resistant zinc housing. The Dyna-Tite is rated at up to 640 lbs.

  • McGill AirSeal Corp. was showing the Uni-Flex‘ Duct Sealer, a water-based sealant for low, medium and high pressure duct systems. The antimicrobial sealer cures to a durable, flexible film that withstands handling and mechanical vibrations.

  • Banner Sales Inc., makers of computer labels for plasma cutters, announced that the Virginia-based company is now also selling the Condu-Mate‘, an internal tie rod reinforcement. This alternative replaces the more common threaded rod and welding reinforcement method.

  • FabricAir was promoting several of its fabric duct lines, including round and half round fabric duct. Fabric duct uses the principle of thermal displacement. According to company officials, fabric duct offers several advantages over conventional duct in certain applications. The permeable woven fabric allows air to flow through the entire surface, and does not promote condensation. It can also be very quiet when compared to traditional ductwork. There were seven other companies exhibiting under the heading of fabric air ducts.