From July 24 to 26, Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition is being held as part of Maintenance Resilience TOKYO 2024 in the Tokyo Big Sight’s East Halls. The trade fair is running alongside the Occupational Health & Safety Exhibition and the Noise & Vibration Reduction Exhibition. A total of 12,899 visitors attended the event on the opening day. Reporters from Japan’s leading MICE news outlet, POP Inc., were live on the scene.
Global temperatures are ever-increasing due to the effects of climate change caused by natural gas emissions coupled with deforestation, leading to greater and greater demand for products to effectively defeat the heat. Almost poetically, on Monday of this week, simply two days before the exhibition, the Earth surpassed its highest average temperature in recorded history as heat waves swept over North America and Europe. In such extreme conditions, the issue of countermeasures is more pertinent than ever before.
Walking the aisles of the Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition was an incredibly refreshing experience. Wednesday, the opening day, was sweltering in its own right, and pausing for even a moment in front of an air-conditioning cooler or under an industrial ceiling fan emphasized the necessity of these products more than any sales pitch ever could. The exhibitor booths were swarming with a gaggle of film crews interviewing company representatives about the latest innovations in avoiding heat stroke.
Sakaken Co., Ltd., a construction hardware and tool materials manufacturer based in Niigata, is exhibiting its summer product line. The newest edition is the company’s “Cross-fan EX,” which is a small, portable fan with a revolutionary cooling plate that can be installed in laborers’ jackets. The plate chills the air as it exits the fan, and it is able to retain its low temperature independent of surrounding conditions. Sales Representative Hossain Arif explained that Sakaken was the first manufacturer to introduce the cooling plate technology in its fans. However, he noted that several other companies at the exhibition were already copying this technique, and he holds enough confidence in the product to anticipate that the majority of fan manufacturers will be copying it by next summer.
Sakaken’s long-term star is the PCM Power Cool Vest III, which contains technology used by NASA. The Power Cool Vest consists of a series of ice packs in the shape of a vest that is wearable under clothing. Once left in the freezer for 30 minutes, the vest remains cold for 3 to 4 hours in extreme heat, without the risk of the wearer getting a cold burn. The ice packs retain their cooling power even longer under less severe conditions, so indoor use is highly recommended.
Official website: https://sakaken.net/
Kokubo Ice Co., Ltd. is taking a more organic approach to preventing heat stroke. While other manufacturers have created their own gels and other concoctions, Kokubo decided that the best coolant of all may have already been bestowed upon us by Mother Nature herself, the substance that so many throughout history have attempted to replicate: ice. The company is showcasing its “Rock Ice” lineup at Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition. The crystal clear Rock Ice is offered in a variety of options. From 2-kilogram bags to the personal-use Rock Ice Glass, the cubes are perfect for chilling any beverage. Kokubo’s ice is also endorsed for use in sports conditioning to help prevent injuries in athletes.
Official website: https://kokuboice.co.jp/rockice/
DIC PLASTICS Inc. is focusing its efforts at its booth on demonstrating its cooling construction helmets, of which specifically two technologies are particularly revolutionary in mitigating the danger of heat stroke. Those are the “Heat Barrier” helmet and the “AEROMESH” liner.
Heat Barrier technology kneads heat-shielding pigments into the company’s patented helmet designs, thereby effectively deflecting heat from the Sun’s rays. This is calculated to cool the wearer by up to 12° Celsius more than the average white helmet. AEROMESH liners facilitate the passage of wind through the helmet, complemented by air holes that provide interior ventilation. AEROMESH is calculated to decrease the temperature inside the helmet by up to 8° Celsius.
Official website: https://www.dic-plas.co.jp/products/helmet/index.html
Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition 2024 will continue until Friday, June 27. Visitors are able to use their badges to enter the neighboring TECHNO-FRONTIER 2024 and Sustainable Factory EXPO 2024, which cover the rest of the Tokyo Big Sight’s East Exhibition Halls.
