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

Climate Center invests in R448A stock

UK: As the F-gas phase down begins to bite, Wholesaler Climate Center says it is now stocking the lower GWP R404A alternative R448A in all its branches nationwide.

With the European F-gas phase down increasing the pressure on prices and availability of R404A,  Climate Center says it has made a significant stock investment to make it easy for customers to access this alternative before demand for R404A outstrips supply.

A blend of R32, R125, R134a and the HFO components R1234yf and 1234ze(E),  R448A has a GWP of around 1300 and is classified A1 by ASHRAE – non-toxic and non-flammable. It can be used in existing R404A equipment with certain system modifications.

Climate Center sales director Robert Franklin repeated industry warnings to those continuing to use high GWP gases: “If companies don’t act now, they run the risk of not being able to access the higher GWP refrigerants as quota reductions limit availability of high GWP blends.”

Latest News

4th May 2026

Energy crisis boosts European heat pump sales

BELGIUM: Sales of residential heat pumps are said to have increased by an average of 25% in France, Germany and Poland in the first quarter of 2026.
4th May 2026

US customs to auction 15 tonnes of seized refrigerant

USA: The US Customs and Border Protection is to auction approximately 15 tonnes of HFC refrigerants seized in actions by its officers. 
3rd May 2026

Skills gap: the answer’s already on the van

Will Overton, director of Vectis Refrigeration and founder of the Wisdom Group FM, argues that the skills gap in refrigeration and HVAC is not a training problem: it is a…
3rd May 2026

Qvantum’s R290 water-source heat pump

UK: Qvantum has launched a new R290 water-to-water heat pump for communal ground-source systems and individual ground source projects.
3rd May 2026

IOR briefs on heat recovery

UK: The Institute of Refrigeration has published the first in a new series of Technology Briefs on the topic of heat recovery. 
2nd May 2026

Kroger to spend $100m to fix refrigerant leaks

USA: Leading US retailer Kroger will pay a $2.5m civil penalty and spend an estimated $100m over the next three years to reduce refrigerant leaks from its refrigerators and other…