World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

Ammonia is cheesemaker’s natural choice

GERMANY: Woerle, a traditional Austrian cheesemaker known for its reliance on natural ingredients, has chosen a “natural” refrigeration system for its production site at Henndorf, near Salzburg.

Naturalness is said to be a tradition at Woerle: the company produces cheese from milk sourced from organic farmers in the region. 

The gourmet cheesemaker hadn’t previously had any experience with ammonia – but that has all changed following the installation of three Bitzer ACP ammonia compressor packs at the end of last year. Installed by refrigeration contractor Herzog Kälte-Klima, they are due to be commissioned this month.

The packs will take charge of cooling liquid coolant to -12°C and ice water to +2°C – for cold stores, ventilation systems and production at the Henndorf site. 

With a length of over 2.2m, a width of 2.7m, a height of 2.3m and a weight of up to 7 tonnes per ACP, delivering them was anything but a simple task. Installation required careful planning, an effective team and the appropriate equipment, including the use of a 220-tonne crane.

The Bitzer packs are manufactured in Rottenburg-Hailfingen, southern Germany. The screw compressors are provided by the manufacturing site in neighbouring Rottenburg-Ergenzingen.

Each ACP contains one or two Bitzer OSKA95 screw compressors as well as a Bitzer three-stage horizontal OAHC oil separator. For this special customer case, Bitzer offered ACPs with just one compressor with the option to expand. 

The ACPs boast maximum efficiency thanks to frequency inverters and two double-pole high-speed motors, each with an output of 315kW and a maximum speed of 4,200rpm. 

Latest News

10th March 2026

US HVAC sales down 5.9%

USA: Sales by US HVAC distributors were down 5.9% in January, compared to last year.
10th March 2026

Euro refrigerant prices remain stable

EUROPE: Refrigerant prices in Europe remained relatively stable or even decreased slightly in the fourth quarter of 2025, while the price of reclaimed R404A rose again compared to Q3.
9th March 2026

Daikin extends Altherma 4 R290 range

BELGIUM: Daikin has added a smaller range of its Altherma 4 EPSKS series R290m heat pumps in 4kW, 6kW and 7kW capacities for mid- to highly-insulated houses.
8th March 2026

Chemours faces €20m fine for further F-gas quota violation

NETHERLANDS: Chemours faces a further penalty payment of nearly €20m after claims by Dutch authorities that the company once again placed more HFCs on the European market than permitted.
8th March 2026

British Gas rapped over heat pump claims

UK: British Gas has been rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for using unsubstantiated energy-saving heat pump claims in an advert.
8th March 2026

Over 400 tonnes of ODS/HFC seizures in 2024

BELGIUM: The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has reported 134 seizures of ODS and HFC commodities in 2024, totalling 437,609.6kg of illegal gas and equipment.