World News

SPAIN: Daikin is relocating its Tewis commercial refrigeration factory following October’s floods in Valencia that damaged the company’s production facilities. 

FINLAND: The European Chemical Agency’s (ECHA) assessment of PFAS in fluorinated gases, which threaten further restrictions on HFC refrigerants, are now scheduled to be discussed at meetings in March.

EUROPE: Prices of R448A and R449A refrigerants, the lower GWP replacements for R404A, experienced price rises of 10% and 6%, respectively, in the third quarter of 2024.

MALAYSIA: A 5.2MW solar power generation system installed at Panasonic’s air conditioning factory in Malaysia is expected to provide approximately 20% of the facility’s electricity requirement.

USA: Researchers in the USA claim to have developed a magnetocaloric heat pump that matches current vapour compression heat pumps for weight, cost and performance.

USA/IRELAND: Carrier Ventures, the investment arm of the Carrier Global Corporation, is reported to have invested €15m in a company developing a world-first emission and refrigerant-free heat pump.

ITALY/SPAIN: The Giordano Riello International Group (GRIG), owner of Aermec, has acquired the Spanish air conditioning companies Airlan SA and Airlan Industrial SA. 

POLAND: Panasonic has completed the acquisition of Polish refrigeration equipment manufacturer Area Cooling Solutions Sp zoo, a subsidiary of the Barcelona-based distribution business.

SPAIN: Barcelona-based refrigeration and air conditioning supplier Area Cooling Solutions has been acquired by Belgian company IPCOM, while finalising the sale of its Polish condensing unit factory to Panasonic. 

FRANCE: A new report highlights the transformative role of hydrocarbons (HCs) in domestic heat pumps, their current status and a European market overview.

JAPAN: Hoshizaki is to complete its transition to “natural” refrigerants in the Japanese market with upgrades to its commercial refrigerator, freezer, and refrigerator-freezer models.

ITALY/CHINA: Italian heat exchanger manufacturer Lu-Ve has officially opened the extended facilities at its Chinese production plant in Tianmen. 

JAPAN: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has received a Japanese government climate action award for its JHT-Y/JHT-YI series of large-capacity centrifugal chillers using R1234yf. The Minister of…

ITALY: Compressor manufacturer Frascold is participating in a Danish-led project to showcase the effectiveness of ultra-high-temperature heat pumps in cutting-edge industrial applications.

BELGIUM: Close to 350 tonnes of HFCs and ozone depleting substances were seized during an eight-week crackdown this year by 110 worldwide customs organisations.

DENMARK: A CO2-based seawater heat pump, said to be the world’s largest, has commenced operation supplying district heating networks in Esbjerg.

SWEDEN: Swegon has produced two functioning prototypes of its Gold air handling unit in wood. 

BELGIUM: Daikin has revealed that its new CO2 VRV air conditioning product will launch in Europe in April alongside its current VRV5 range on R32.

JAPAN: Daikin Industries and Japanese IT and electronics company NEC have begun air conditioning service engineer training using virtual and augmented reality technologies.

UK: Panasonic has opened a new production line at its Pilsen factory in the Czech Republic, dedicated to its large-capacity Big Aquarea M Series R290 air-to-water heat pumps. 

USA/JAPAN: Two of the HVAC industry’s leading manufacturers, Copeland and Daikin, have announced a joint venture for Copeland to bring Daikin’s inverter swing rotary compressor technology to the US.

JAPAN: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems has received an order for a large-scale Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) system for an automotive parts manufacturer.

EUROPE: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is to consider the impact of PFAS bans on the use of fluoropolymers in the manufacture of vital RACHP components like seals and gaskets.

BELGIUM: The European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) has published a guide to the new European F-gas regulation (2024/573) and its specific implications for the heat pump sector.

GERMANY: Heating company Vaillant has commenced production at a new electronic components factory in Remscheid to support the demand for heat pumps.

SWEDEN/GERMANY: Swedish HVAC manufacturer Swegon has extended its modular air handling unit interests with the acquisition of family-owned German company Howatherm Klimatechnik.

POLAND: At least 115 tonnes of F-gas are said to have been seized in Poland as part of a European crackdown on the illegal F-gas trade.