| George
S. Jones, Jr., former vice-president of Sales for Servel, Inc., was selected
to head the organization as managing director. The new organization was
to be known as the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).
After the merger, the combined membership of ARI consisted of 150 companies,
including practically all of the major companies in the air-conditioning
and refrigeration business.
The 8th All Industry Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Exposition
was then held at the Cleveland Public Auditorium on Nov. 9-12, 1953.
This exposition was the first to be sponsored by the Air-Conditioning
and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).
The exhibition consisted of 62,500 sq ft of exhibit space. It was
attended by 15,000 visitors. Fifty years later, at the 2003 AHR Expo
in Chicago, IL, U.S., there were 1,860 exhibiting companies showing
thousands of new and up-graded products using more than 400,000 sq
ft of exhibit space, with an attendance of more than 58,000.
We are pleased to say that our publication, APPLIANCE magazine, has
been able to serve ARI and its many members since ARI's inception.
Our publication covered the merger meeting in March of 1953 and the
first all industry expo sponsored by ARI held in November1953. Our
staff has attended the ARI Annual Meetings and the expositions ever
since.
HVAC/R
executives attending the kick-off breakfast at the ARI-sponsored Exposition
in Cleveland in November 1953.
In a statement published in Koldfax, ARI's monthly publication, in
July 1953, George S. Jones, Jr., ARI managing director, stated "Since
May 1, 10 new members have been added to our rolls, and all in all, we
are off to a good start. Morale here at headquarters is high, and we
are all looking forward to being of increased service to our members.
With your help, I am sure ARI will be an important department of your
company."
The March 2003 issue of Koldfax included the following statement, "In
the 5 decades since the above was written, ARI has been fortunate in
the selection of its leadership, chairmen, presidents, officers, directors
and staff. ARI's future is as bright, if not brighter, than the future
seen by ARI's founders."
A few highlights of ARI's 50 years of service to the industry include:
1953 - Two associations, REMA and ACRMA, unite to
become the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute on April 23.
REMAKoldfax became ARIKoldfax, with the first issue published in July
1953.
1958 - First Standard for heat pumps is published.
ARI announces new certification program for unitary air-conditioners.
ARI seal for unitary air-conditioning equipment is introduced.
1962 - Certification program begins for unitary heat
pumps.
1964 - First sound standard is approved.
1972 - ARI and ASHRAE combine forces for the first
Combined Industry Expo in New Orleans, LA, U.S.
1979 - First ARI textbook is published: "Refrigeration
and Air-Conditioning."
1986 - Air-Conditioning joins the list of inventions
immortalized in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. ARI endorses federal
minimum efficiency standards for residential-type central air-conditioning
and heat pump systems.
Refrigeration
Equipment Manufacturers Association (REMA) officers in attendance
at the Virginia meeting in March 1953 when ARI was formed. |
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1988 - U.S. Senate approves Montreal Protocol for
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
1992 - First meeting of the
International Council of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Manufacturers
Association (ICARMA) is held.
1993 - With publication of
the Directory of Reclaimed Refrigerant, ARI launches its 19th product
certification program.
1995 - ARI launches its "CoolNet" web
site, www.ari.org. Refrigerant Reclaimers forms a new product section.
1998 - Research for the 21st
Century, a multi-year, million-dollar research program for air-conditioning
and refrigeration equipment begins.
2000 - ARI welcomed the Commercial
Refrigerator Manufacturers Division (CRMD) as well as the 24th product
section for manufacturers of single package vertical units.
2002 - Heat Pump Pool and
Spa Heaters becomes ARI's 25th product section.
2003 - ARI sets the standard
with 50 years of industry excellence. The industry celebrates the introduction
of air-conditioning by Willis Carrier.
Dana
Chase Publications and the entire Appliance Magazine staff salute
ARI on its 50th Anniversary. We
look forward to continuing to serve ARI, its staff, and its membership.
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