Ziehl-Abegg Reports Positive Results From Chillventa 2026
International trade fair in Nuremberg records strong growth - fan manufacturer combines technological innovation with an unconventional stand concept and new communication formats.
More exhibitors, more trade visitors and rising demand for energy-efficient cooling technology: Chillventa 2026 in Nuremberg reaffirmed the importance of the international refrigeration, air conditioning and ventilation industry. Following three days at the trade fair, fan manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg has delivered a positive assessment of its participation. The company showcased technical solutions for a range of applications, adopting an unconventional stand concept to make complex subjects more accessible.
With 1,170 exhibitors from 50 countries and more than 36,000 trade visitors, Chillventa recorded substantial growth compared with 2024. Almost 60 per cent of visitors came from outside Germany. Key topics included data centre cooling, energy-efficient building services and heat pumps. “Global demand for efficient cooling technology is growing. Our fans put us in an excellent position in key markets of the future,” says Joachim Ley, Chief Executive Officer of Ziehl-Abegg.
Making technical expertise accessible
Four Arctic animal characters guided visitors through the various areas of application on the stand: Frosty the penguin represented the cold chain, Lumi the Arctic fox stood for building air conditioning, Koda the polar bear symbolised data centre cooling, and Magnus the walrus represented industrial applications. The characters made the different applications of fan technology immediately recognisable. The concept was designed to explain technical relationships clearly while helping visitors find their way around the stand.
Guided tours and one-to-one discussions with specialists gave trade visitors an opportunity to explore technologies, products and digital solutions in greater depth.
The stand was the result of international collaboration across several parts of the business. Technical content, stand design and the accompanying programme were developed jointly by teams working across departmental and national boundaries.
Communication as part of the exhibition concept
A distinctive element of the programme was the involvement of social media expert Felix Beilharz. In two presentations, delivered in German and English, he explained how engineers, technical specialists and senior executives can build visibility for their professional expertise on business platforms such as LinkedIn.
In doing so, Ziehl-Abegg addressed an issue extending well beyond the presentation of technical products: how industrial companies can give greater public visibility to their knowledge and to the people behind their innovations. “Technology need not be presented in a dull way. Our stand demonstrates how technical expertise and creative communication can work together,” Ley emphasises.
Growing demands on cooling technology
Chillventa highlighted the increasingly diverse demands placed on modern fan technology. While high power densities and reliable continuous operation are essential in data centres, heat pumps and refrigeration systems place particular emphasis on energy efficiency, noise emissions and integration into complete systems.
For Ziehl-Abegg, these applications are important areas of its international business development. Alongside technical performance, close collaboration with customers and plant manufacturers is becoming increasingly important.
Chillventa took place in Nuremberg from 13 to 15 October 2026. It is one of the world’s leading trade fairs for refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation and heat pump technology.
