The 44th edition of MCE – Mostra Convegno Expocomfort opened today at Fiera Milano Rho, with over 1,600 exhibiting companies from 48 countries presenting technologies across 12 halls through 27 March. The event is expected to draw more than 120,000 professionals, including official delegations of 320 selected international buyers from 39 countries.
This year’s edition carries the theme “Energy is Evolving” and introduces a redesigned layout for Halls 2 and 4, developed in partnership with design agency Lombardini22 using neuroscientific analysis of visitor flows to improve navigation and engagement in the HVAC components sector.
Research commissioned from TEHA Group and presented at today’s opening examines the strategic challenges facing the HVACR supply chain during the energy transition, outlining development pathways and policy requirements for the industry. The Energy & Strategy Group at the Polytechnic University of Milan will contribute five sessions during the exhibition focused on balancing industrial competitiveness with sustainability and energy transition costs.
Japan has been designated Country Partner for MCE 2026, with a programme of meetings supported by Italian and Japanese diplomatic institutions aimed at connecting exhibitors with buyers from the Japanese market. A parallel initiative with Gen Emirates targets business development opportunities in heating, air conditioning, water treatment, pumps, and valves across Arab markets.
The MCE Excellence Awards 2026, covering efficiency and innovation across heating, cooling, ventilation, and air conditioning, will be presented during the event. Halls 2, 4, 6, and 10 participate in the Intelligent Water project, highlighting water conservation across the exhibitor base.
Natural refrigerants and heat pump components
BITZER (Hall 9, Stand B29/C22) is presenting a full R290 compressor line-up covering four technologies — scroll, screw, reciprocating, and rotary — alongside CO2 and ammonia components, and high-temperature screw compressors delivering fluid outlet temperatures up to 120°C for industrial heat pump applications.
Danfoss (Hall 11, Stand P01/R10) is showing its VPN175 inverter scroll compressor compatible with R290 for commercial heat pumps, the BOCK HGX68 CO2 T transcritical compressor capable of supporting systems up to 3 MW in a single rack, and a range of CO2 ejectors and control valves for transcritical installations.
Midea Building Technologies is presenting an R290 heat pump portfolio with single-module heating capacities from 4 kW to 70 kW, a V9 VRF system with R32 refrigerant for large commercial buildings, and R454C-based solutions as a low-GWP alternative.
KARYER (Hall 11, Stand C11) is exhibiting heat exchangers, evaporators, and condensers for refrigeration and air conditioning applications, including heat pump coils, 5mm coils for CO2 systems, adiabatic dry coolers, heat recovery heat exchangers, and cold room evaporators and condensers. The Turkish manufacturer exports to 80 countries and holds Eurovent and UL certifications.
Air-to-water heat pumps
PHNIX is exhibiting at MCE 2026, having recently launched its airMono R290 indoor monoblock heat pump — an all-indoor unit providing heating, cooling, and domestic hot water without an outdoor unit, targeting space-constrained urban retrofit installations. The system operates with a COP of 2.5–4.1 and a seasonal COP of 4.5–4.7.
SPRSUN is presenting its new Greenergy Pure R290 multi-function air source heat pump series (6–18 kW), featuring full inverter technology with AI defrost and stable operation down to -25°C, with a maximum outlet water temperature of 75°C.
LG Electronics is presenting three new indoor unit models — Combi, Hydro, and Control — for air-to-water heat pump systems. All three carry the iF Design Award 2026 and are designed for pairing with LG THERMA V Monobloc R290 outdoor units, with heating capability down to -28°C and domestic hot water production up to 75°C.
Data center cooling
Danfoss is also presenting its liquid cooling portfolio for data centers, including the XB67 brazed plate heat exchanger enabling CDU development up to 1.3 MW, the CoolTrain valve train for large-scale rack deployments, and an oil-free ecosystem built around the Turbocor TGS380 Active Cooling compressor.
BITZER is showcasing its CSW105 compact screw compressors, which reach up to 4 MW of cooling capacity in tandem configuration, alongside KE condensers up to 2,600 kW and RFV falling-film evaporators up to 2,000 kW, all qualified for operation with R1234ze(E).
Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions is exhibiting at MCE 2026 having recently launched its liquid cooling business in Europe, with CDU models at 400 kW and 800 kW for AI data centers and free-cooling chillers at 800 kW and 1,200 kW. The company expanded into data center liquid cooling following its 2023 acquisition of Italian CCU manufacturer Tecnair.
Distech Controls (Hall 5, Stand S14) is introducing Eclypse Resilience, a PLC-based controller platform developed specifically for mission-critical environments and high-density data center liquid cooling deployments.
Building controls and HVAC management
CAREL (Hall 1, Stand A01/B10) is presenting STone, a new HVAC/R control programming ecosystem with an integrated AI-based coding assistant called STone Copilot, alongside a new generation of boss supervisors with energy optimisation logic and cybersecurity-by-design architecture. The company is also showing the Aletta X cross-flow heat exchanger and updated IAQ sensors.
Johnson Controls is launching its Innovation Tour at MCE 2026, using the Milan show as the first stop to present its building automation and thermal management portfolio to the European market.
Ventilation and air handling
Systemair Group is showcasing app- and cloud-controlled air handling units for hospitals, laboratories, and offices, alongside portfolio presentations from its SagiCofim, Menerga, and Frico brands covering filtration, pool ventilation, infrared heaters, and air curtains.
Installation tools
Rapid Locking System Europe is exhibiting its press-to-connect ACR fittings for flameless, nitrogen-free pipe installation, targeting contractors working in hospitals, data centers, and retrofit projects where open-flame work is restricted.
MCE 2026 runs through 27 March at Fiera Milano Rho.
