Business matchmaking to extend beyond the exhibition through headquarters and factory visits
The Korea Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association (KRAIA) is strengthening HARFKO 2026 as a global business platform by inviting leading overseas buyers and providing an integrated export support program that connects pre-arranged matchmaking, business consultations, and on-site company visits.
KRAIA announced that approximately 80 qualified buyers from key international markets, including Russia, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines, will participate in the 18th Korea International HVAC&R Exhibition (HARFKO 2026), which will be held from October 21 to 23 at KINTEX in Goyang, Korea.
Unlike conventional exhibition visitors, the invited buyers have been carefully selected through HVAC&R industry associations and partner organizations in their respective countries. Their credibility, purchasing capabilities, and market potential have been verified in advance, and several of them have already established business relationships with Korean manufacturers through previous consultations or commercial transactions.
The association expects approximately 500 export consultation meetings to take place during the three-day exhibition, representing more than double the number of overseas buyers compared with the previous edition. The expanded buyer program is designed to create more tangible business opportunities for Korean exhibitors seeking to expand into international markets.
To maximize business efficiency, KRAIA will conduct customized matchmaking based on each buyer's purchasing plans, product interests, and ongoing projects. This demand-driven approach will allow exhibitors to meet buyers with genuine purchasing intentions while enabling overseas companies to identify Korean suppliers that best match their technical and commercial requirements.
Additional business matching will be conducted in September for participating exhibitors. The association will review buyers' procurement needs alongside exhibitors' products and technologies to prepare tailored meeting schedules and facilitate productive one-on-one consultations and booth visits throughout the exhibition.
One of the distinguishing features of this year's buyer program is its extension beyond the exhibition floor. On October 19, prior to the exhibition, and again on October 23, the final day of HARFKO 2026, selected overseas buyers will visit the headquarters and manufacturing facilities of Korean companies that attract their interest during pre-arranged meetings and on-site consultations.
These visits will provide buyers with first-hand opportunities to evaluate manufacturing capabilities, quality management systems, research and development resources, and real-world application cases while discussing specific business terms and future cooperation. KRAIA will coordinate the schedules based on consultation outcomes and buyer interest to help convert meetings into concrete contracts and long-term projects.
The association is also expanding its efforts to attract buyers from Europe, where prolonged heatwaves and climate change have significantly increased demand for air-conditioning systems, heat pumps, refrigeration equipment, and energy-efficient HVAC&R solutions. Working closely with European industry associations, institutions, and business networks, KRAIA aims to broaden the international reach of HARFKO 2026 and create new export opportunities for Korean companies.
"Today's overseas buyer program goes far beyond a traditional exhibition visit," a KRAIA official said. "It is a performance-oriented business platform that integrates pre-event demand analysis, tailored business matching, on-site consultations, booth visits, and headquarters and factory tours. Our goal is to help Korean HVAC&R companies secure meaningful export opportunities and establish long-term partnerships in global markets."
KRAIA added that it will continue strengthening cooperation with international industry organizations and overseas networks while expanding its systematic support programs, including buyer sourcing, business matchmaking, industrial site visits, and post-exhibition follow-up services, to ensure that Korean HVAC&R technologies and products lead to real export projects worldwide.
