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

John Austin-Davies is ACR Champion

UK: John Austin-Davies, former director of Epta UK, won the ACR Champions Award at last night’s National ACR & Heat Pump Awards in Manchester.

The annual awards, organised by ACR Journal, also recognised the contribution of women in the industry by naming Jacinta Caden, business development manager at Integral Refrigeration, as ACR Woman of the Year.

The award to John Austin Davies marked his 40 years in the refrigeration industry from his initial footsteps at Prestcold Ltd to his 28 years at Epta (formerly George Barker). 

Other major winners included the SCM Frigo Cubo2 CO2 condensing unit being named Refrigeration Product of the Year, and a further award for Toshiba’s Super Digital Inverter, with its Smart cassette picking up the award for Air Conditioning Product of the Year. 

Birkenhead-based Sure Solutions was named Contractor of the Year, while Cool Concerns was recognised as ACR Training Provider of the Year.

Beijer Ref company HRP was named Wholesaler/Distributor of the Year.

Latest News

24th June 2026

Japan celebrates the invention of air conditioning

JAPAN: Carrier is to launch a campaign in Japan to highlight the origins of air conditioning and its value to society to mark Air Conditioning Invention Day on July 17. 
24th June 2026

Employing liquefied hydrogen as a cold energy source

JAPAN: A new heat exchange technology that employs liquefied hydrogen as a cold energy source for air conditioning and refrigeration equipment is being trialled in Japan.
24th June 2026

Air conditioned bench under trial

JAPAN: Daikin is one of the companies behind the trial of an air-conditioned bench for urban outdoor public spaces.
24th June 2026

CCC backs more support for heat pumps

UK: The UK government’s Climate Change Committee claims a more ambitious plan is needed to electrify key parts of the UK economy, including further action to reduce electricity costs.
23rd June 2026

Enex signs €35.5m ESG-linked refinancing facility

ITALY: Enex Technologies, the Treviso-based industrial and commercial cooling equipment manufacturer, has signed a €35.5m ESG-linked refinancing agreement.
23rd June 2026

Rainer Grosse-Kracht named EPEE president

BELGIUM: Rainer Grosse-Kracht, chief technology officer at compressor manufacturer Bitzer, has been named as president of the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE).