World News
7th January 2019
Mexichem to distribute Honeywell’s R448A in the EU
BELGIUM: Honeywell has appointed Mexichem as a distributor of R448A, its lower GWP replacement for R404A, in the EU. Sold by Honeywell as Solstice N40,…
5th January 2019
Scientists develop PCM for containers
UK: University of Birmingham scientists, working with a leading Chinese railway rolling stock company, have developed what they claim is the world’s first shipping container…
4th January 2019
Branson: AC efficiencies are “pathetic”
UK: Sir Richard Branson, UK billionaire and founder of the Virgin group, says air conditioning efficiencies are “pathetic” and accuses leading manufacturers of being an…
1st January 2019
California enacts HFC refrigerant bans
USA: The state of California has today enacted unilateral prohibitions on high‑global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons. The California Cooling Act affects new and retrofit equipment. Manufacturers…
1st January 2019
Global HFC phase-down enters into force
The Kigali Amendment enters into force today with ratification still awaited from over two-thirds of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol. As of today, only…
1st January 2019
End users unaware of F-gas duties
BELGIUM: Refrigeration and air conditioning end users in Belgium are largely unaware of their responsibilities under the F-gas regulations or of environmentally friendly alternatives. A…
29th December 2018
Slater to AHRI VP government affairs
USA: The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has appointed Samantha Slater as vice president of government affairs. Slater comes to AHRI from the Renewable…
29th December 2018
Fujitsu acquires Australian ac contractor
AUSTRALIA: Air conditioning manufacturer Fujitsu General has acquired Australian service and maintenance company Precise Air Group (PAG). Established in 2002, PAG is based in Sydney…
28th December 2018
Haier signs agreement with Geoclima
CHINA: Sources in China report that Haier Central Air Conditioning has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Italian air conditioning and refrigeration chiller manufacturer Geoclima.…
25th December 2018
More support for World Refrigeration Day
UK: Sustainable cooling experts and leading food federations have added their support for a World Refrigeration Day on June 26. The UK’s Food Storage and…
24th December 2018
Johnson Controls to switch to wind power
USA: Johnson Controls’ unitary HVAC product factory in Wichita, Kansas, is to switch to wind power to provide all of its electricity requirements. The company’s…
24th December 2018
Japan ratifies Kigali
JAPAN: The Kigali Amendment to phase-down HFC refrigerants has been boosted by ratification by Japan – one of the world’s largest consumers of fluorocarbons. While…
21st December 2018
Spool compressor adopts R1234ze
USA: The company developing innovative spool compressors have produced two new models using the low GWP HFO refrigerant R1234ze. The spool compressor resembles a rotary vane…
20th December 2018
Engie acquires German ac firm OTTO
GERMANY: Engie Deutschland has acquired German air conditioning and ventilation company OTTO Luft- und Klimatechnik. The deal was reached with OTTO’s majority shareholders, the private…
19th December 2018
Carrier picks R454B for ducted ac
USA: Carrier has adopted the Chemours refrigerant R454B as its primary lower GWP replacement for R410A in ducted residential and light commercial air conditioners sold…
19th December 2018
Carel to extend US factory
USA: Italian controls and humidification company Carel has broken ground on a 35,000ft² (3,252m²) extension to its US production plant in Manheim, Pennsylvania. The US…
19th December 2018
EU within phase down limit for 2017
EUROPE: The EU’s F-gas phase-down remained on track in 2017, according to the latest annual update published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The EU-wide…
18th December 2018
Three killed in ac factory roof collapse
RUSSIA: Three workers were killed and 15 injured when the roof collapsed at the factory of an air-conditioning and ventilation company in Dzerzhinsky, near Moscow,…
17th December 2018
EC making “nonsense” of F-gas quotas
EUROPE: The European Commission has been accused of making a “nonsense” of the F-gas quota system over its failure to tackle the issue of illegal…
16th December 2018
Italians urged to report illegal trade
ITALY: Leading Italian refrigerant supplier General Gas has described the illegal HFC trade in Italy as “very worrying” and urges customers to report such activities…
16th December 2018
US recall of 150,000 Emerson thermostats
USA: Emerson subsidiary White-Rodgers has announced a recall of 150,000 Emerson-branded Sensi wifi thermostats in the US and Canada amid fire concerns. The recall affects…
16th December 2018
Bulgarian Tangra achieves Eurovent listing
BULGARIA: Tangra-AB claims to be the first Bulgarian manufacturer to achieve Eurovent Certita certification for its air handling units and HiE series of air-to-air plate…
15th December 2018
Emerson takes CO2 on the road
USA/CANADA: Emerson is taking its new mobile CO2 Booster training unit to several locations across the US and Canada in 2019. The CO2 training unit…
14th December 2018
Slovenia is 21st EU member to ratify
SLOVENIA: Ratification of the Kigali Amendment to phase down HFCs by Slovenia brings the total number of EU countries to have signed to 21. With…
13th December 2018
EC welcomes private F-gas action
EUROPE: The European Commission has praised the action taken by a group of Italian contractors to prevent illegal online sales of refrigerant. Replying to questions…
12th December 2018
Lu-Ve to acquire Alfa Laval business
SWEDEN: Alfa Laval is to sell major parts of its commercial/industrial air heat exchanger business to Italian company Lu-Ve for around €66m. The AL Air…
11th December 2018
Haug joins Güntner
GERMANY: Former Beijer Ref Germany MD Martin Haug has joined heat exchanger manufacturer Güntner as managing director for sales and marketing in EMEA. Haug, who…