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

Mike Nankivell set to retire

Mike-NankivellUK: Mike Nankivell, who has represented the UK acr industry’s interests at national and European level, is to retire from his day-to-day activities at employer Space Air.

After some 45 years in the HVAC industry, the last 16 of which have been with the Guildford-based Daikin distributor, Space Air, Mike Nankivell has announced he will be “retiring” at the end of 2015.

Mike admitted that this had been a difficult decision influenced largely by an increasingly tiresome daily journey from his home in Kent to Guildford.

Mike commented. “I have spent pretty much the last 30 years commuting part way round the M25 from Kent into Surrey and beyond, typically this can add up to 4 hours to my working day and frequently considerably longer. Unfortunately I have also been advised that this is aggravating a long-standing back condition. This could no longer continue and given that I do not intend to seek alternative full-time employment at this stage in my long career, the logical conclusion was retirement.”

Although retiring from his regular employment, he will continue with many of his industry involvements. Mike is president of the Heat Pump Association, chairman of the ACRIB F-Gas Implementation Group. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Refrigeration and immediate past president of HEVAC.

Cooling Post - PlantWatchPRO banner 300px x 250px - 20.07.2015“I will retain some industry involvement,” he said, “so will not be disappearing altogether, at least for a while. I have offered to continue as president of the Heat Pump Association and my activities with ACRIB for as long as this is practicable, as well as undertake occasional projects for Space Air. I very much hope to remain active in the industry, on a part time basis, for as long as my services can be helpful, but this will not include joining the daily rush hour traffic!”  

He has been the recipient of several industry awards over the years, has had many articles and papers published and regularly presents seminars on Confex and CPD circuits.

Mike Nankivell entered the HVAC sector as a contract detail/design draughtsman in 1971, following an apprenticeship in a research and development establishment with the Ministry of Technology (later Defence). Mike has worked as a designer of perimeter heating systems, contract, commercial and general management in acoustics, fan and air handling unit manufacture. He was with Carrier Air Conditioning for over 13 years, rising to the position of UK marketing manager. For the past 16 years he has been with Space Airconditioning plc and marketing and business development director since 2009.

Latest News

22nd June 2026

Green group calls for end to subsidies for EVs using R1234yf

GERMANY: The influential German environmental aid association Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) is calling on the German government to end subsidies for electric cars with R1234yf refrigerants in their AC systems.
22nd June 2026

Daikin agrees $8.5m penalty over hazardous PTAC

USA: Daikin has agreed to pay an $8.5m civil penalty for failing to immediately report that one of its US-made Amana packaged terminal air conditioners could overheat.
21st June 2026

Korea project to improve refrigerant management

KOREA: The Korean Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute has announced an initiative to improve the country's HFC refrigerant management.
21st June 2026

Ammonia leak kills 7 and sends 70 to hospital

INDIA: Seven people are reported to have died and over 70 hospitalised following an ammonia gas leak at a seafood factory in Tamil Nadu.
20th June 2026

Year-long trial proves electric TRU reliability

UK: Following a year-long trial of Sunswap’s Endurance solar and battery-powered transport refrigeration unit by the TIP Group, the trailer and truck hire company has recorded a 100% uptime.
19th June 2026

Daikin Applied builds new $30m US training centre

USA: Daikin Applied has broken ground on a new $30m training facility in Plymouth, Minnesota.