IIR Engages at SIFA Expo 2024 to Highlight Industry Innovations and Diversity

The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) actively participated in the SIFA Expo 2024, held from November 19 to 21 at Eurexpo Lyon, France. This leading event for commercial and industrial refrigeration, cold chain, and air conditioning professionals attracted over 130 exhibitors, 30 conferences, 60 industry experts, and 3,800 attendees.

Sharing a stand with the French Association of Refrigeration (AFF), IIR promoted European projects like SophiA, Betted, AGRI-COOL, and ENOUGH, while showcasing its services. This collaboration emphasized innovative solutions and initiatives shaping the refrigeration industry's future.

Ina Colombo, Secretary of IIR’s CaRe working group and upcoming President of the International Network of Women in Cooling (INWIC), spoke at a conference on diversity in the refrigeration industry. Organized by the French Practical Journal of Refrigeration (RPF), the session focused on integrating young individuals and women into the sector.

Frédérique Sauer from SNEFCCA highlighted expanding job opportunities in refrigeration, underscoring the demand in food, healthcare, industry, and green technologies, creating roles for technicians, engineers, and cold chain specialists.

Daniel Garault, Director of Lycée Raspail, discussed the promising prospects for trained refrigeration technicians, emphasizing the quality of professional and advanced training programs available.

Coralie Privet-Thieulin of "Elles bougent" introduced an initiative to encourage young girls and women to pursue technical and engineering careers, addressing gender disparities in these fields.

Ina Colombo concluded by presenting an INWIC survey that explored the experiences of women in the industry, underlining INWIC's role in advocating for greater female participation in the RACHP sector.