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

Marathon challenge for Panasonic heat pump

UK: Rikki Field, an engineer with London-based contractor Salix Mechanical, is set to run the London Marathon with a Panasonic Etherea heat pump on his back.

Field will be running the marathon on Sunday 26 April raising funds for Ambitious about Autism, a charitable organisation founded in 1997 by a group of parents as a specialist school, originally known as TreeHouse. It has since developed into a national charity providing education, support and campaigning for autistic children and young people.

“I have been inspired by our son and his determination to break down barriers and his own personal challenges on a day-to-day basis,” Field said. “Every day looks different for our son and us as a family, but we embrace every small win along with his bigger achievements.

“I am doing this run to push myself to a limit out of my comfort zone to also try to understand what it is like for an autistic individual who lives in a society where support and inclusion may not always be available, resulting in them also being forced to live outside their comfort zone on a regular basis.”

If you would like to donate, Rikki Fields fundraising page can be found here:
https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/rikki-field.

Latest News

11th October 2026

Carrier cooler protects building workers

JAPAN: Construction workers building Tokyo’s Torch Tower, Japan’s tallest building, here being kept cool thanks to a temporary cooling system jointly developed by Carrier Japan.
11th October 2026

MHI expands sales of high temp heat pump

JAPAN: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is expanding sales of its high-temperature ETI-W series centrifugal heat pump to overseas markets.
10th October 2026

Solstice plans $49m investment in refrigerant R&D

USA: Refrigerant manufacturer Solstice has announced plans to invest $49m in an expansion of R&D capabilities at its Buffalo, New York, facility.
10th October 2026

US AC and HP shipments up 11.4%

USA: US shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totalled 756,739 units in August, an increase of 11.4% on August 2025.
9th October 2026

Hybrid heat pumps – the new Dutch standard

NETHERLANDS: The Dutch government wants homeowners to switch to a smart and hybrid heat pump from 2029 when replacing their central heating boiler.
9th October 2026

Beijer Ref completes Refra purchase

SWEDEN/LITHUANIA: Beijer Ref has completed the acquisition of Lithuanian HVACR equipment manufacturer Refra.