MHI signs French CO2 heat pump deal

JAPAN: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is to collaborate with French manufacturer Groupe Atlantic to market MHI’s Q-ton commercial CO2 heat pump water heater in France.

The deal, brokered by UK-based MHI Europe, aims to take advantage of Groupe Atlantic’s extensive sales network and high brand recognition to accelerate sales of the Q-ton.

Established in 1968, Groupe Atlantic is one of Europe’s foremost manufacturers of heating products and includes such well-known brands as Ideal, Hamworthy, Gledhill, Ygnis, Sauter and Keston. It also sells Atlantic-branded Fujitsu air conditioning equipment.

The Group has approximately 5,500 employees in ten locations in France and a further ten overseas. The most recent annual Group sales were approximately €1.35bn.

Sales and after-sales service through YACK SAS, the existing French Q-ton distributor, will continue.

The Q-ton was developed by MHI as the world’s first heat pump water heater usable in ambient temperatures down to -25°C. It adopts a two-stage compressor combining scroll and rotary compressors.