Carrier enables 2-week delivery of R454B

USA: With the US continuing to suffer shortages of lower GWP refrigerant R454B, Carrier has announced that it is now fulfilling R454B refrigerant orders within two weeks from time of order. 

At the end of May, Carrier announced that it would convert its excess bulk R454B refrigerant into 20lb cylinders for use by distributors and contractor.

This capability is the result of strategic efforts to secure refrigerant, cylinders, and down packing capacity. 

Carrier says that customers can now place orders with no minimum quantity, no maximum quantity, although orders exceeding 5,000 units may require additional lead time, and no bundling requirements with other refrigerants.

R454B, the lower GWP A2L refrigerant replacement for R410A, has been suffering shortages and subsequent rising costs this year as US industry struggles to comply with the HFC phase out under the US AIM Act. The shortage is said to have been exacerbated by a lack of cylinders equipped with pressure relief valves with the left-handed threads required for A2L refrigerants, raw material shortages and limited production capacity. There have also been claims of hoarding by contractors.