The AHR Expo has broken its all-time record for the largest show, according to organizers. The Jan. 23-25 show at Chicago’s McCormick Place is hosting 1,976 companies showcasing their latest products and technologies.

More than 429,000 square feet of exhibit space is being used by the exhibitors. The 2012 event is nearly 5 percent larger than the previous all-time record of 410,415 square feet set at the 2006 exposition in Chicago.

“We are very pleased about achieving this new all-time record, especially as this is our company’s 100th anniversary,” said Clay Stevens, president of the International Exposition Co., which produces and manages the AHR Expo. “Historically, the number of attendees tends to increase proportionately with the increase in square footage.”

Stevens attributes much of this growth to the number of companies introducing new energy efficient equipment.

Included among the 1,976 exhibiting companies from 34 countries are more than 130 first-time exhibitors and over 300 non-U.S. exhibitors. As the largest AHR Expo of all-time, the 2012 show may also be on track to establish new records for total attendees and registered visitors, excluding exhibitor personnel.