Harp sold to French refrigerant supplier

UK: Harp International, the Pontypridd-based refrigerant supplier has been acquired by French conglomerate Gazechim.

Groupe Gazechim Froid, part of the Gazechim Group has acquired a majority shareholding in the business which was first set up in 1991 as HRP Refrigerants. Gazechim is a €450m business involved in the distribution of plastics, composite materials and gases, including refrigerants.

It is reported that following the deal Harp will continue to operate as a separate business with current members of the management team, including md Bryan Davies, continuing in their roles. Company founder Peter Wells has left the board, as has non-executive director Richard Alger.

Harp International supplies a wide range of refrigerants, foam-blowing agents and lubricants to a variety of refrigeration and air conditioning clients from its facility in South Wales. The 75,000ft2 factory includes packaging, reclamation, warehousing and distribution facilities. It also has packaging operations in the United Arab Emirates, and sales and warehousing functions in Qatar and North America.

Gazechim is an independent family group established in 1937. Distribution of refrigerants began in 1990 with the creation of Gazechim Froid, like Harp a specialist in the packaging and distribution of refrigerants. The product range includes a complete range of HFCs as well as ammonia and CO2.

The group includes Refrigerant Italia Srl, an Italian distributor that Gazechim bought last year, and Kimikal the Spanish distributor of DuPont refrigerants.