The 2014 edition of the Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic and Technology (MEET) trade show in Moncton, N.B. featured the latest technologies, innovations, products and services from across North America. It also offered a full slate of seminars which delved into topics such as greywater challenges, building automation, integrated building design and Canadian electrical code updates.
More than 400 exhibitors and 6200 industry professionals filled the Moncton Coliseum for the trade show on May 7 and 8. MEET takes place every other year and is the largest trade show east of Montreal and the second biggest in Canada.
In addition to the typical sights and sounds one would expect to find at a trade show, students and apprentices were competing in three Skills Canada-New Brunswick provincial skills competitions: electrical, plumbing and refrigeration.
The results from the three competitions are as follows: Refrigeration – Aaron Wright (gold), Matthew MacFarlane (silver) and Chris McConnell (bronze); Plumbing – Brad Stiles (gold), Kevin Goguen (silver) and Jean-Francois Savoie (bronze); Electrical – Taylor Welch (gold), Allan MacDougall (silver) and Joey Bard (bronze). The winners are moving on to Skills Canada’s national competition in Toronto from June 4 to 7.
Aside from the skills competitions, students were also recognized for academic achievements. Prior to one of the seminars on the opening day, Dwight Scott, chairman of the Student Activities Committee, ASHRAE NB/PEI Chapter, gave out a handful of scholarships. Colin Murphy of New Brunswick Community College-Fredericton and Shelby Gallant of New Brunswick Community College-Moncton, both graduating engineering technology students, received $1,000 scholarships. Nicholas Hooper also received $1,000 from the ASHRAE NB/PEI Chapter Scholarship.
But it wasn’t only students and apprentices who were recognized during MEET. The third biennial ‘Innovation Awards’ were handed out for cutting-edge products in the mechanical and electrical industries. Awards were presented for each sponsoring association.
Neptronic won the ASHRAE – NB/PEI Chapter Innovation Award for its SKD Direct Multi-Steam Injection Humidifier with integrated re-evaporator; Navien America Inc. took home the CIPH Innovation Award for the NCB- 180/210/240 ASME combination boiler; Southwire Canada received the Electro-Federation Canada Innovation Award for its SIMpull CoilPAK; and Acuity Brands Lighting won the IES Innovation Award for the Trilia.
MEET also included a sold-out industry dinner at the Delta Beauséjour hotel, where Ralph Smith was presented with the inaugural MEET Show Recognition Award for his positive impact and significant contributions to the show. Smith played a major role in the first MEET show in 1986 and went on to chair the committee for several years.
The next MEET show will take place in 2016. Information will be posted to www.meetshow.ca.
