World News

USA/DENMARK: Danfoss and Google have broadened their recently announced strategic partnership to make use of the latest advances in AI and promote energy efficient solutions in data centres.

USA: Refrigerant manufacturer Koura is to distribute the lower GWP R410A replacement R454B in the US market.

USA: Reclamation Technologies USA (RTI) has purchased AllCool Refrigerant Reclaim, a locally owned and operated refrigerant company based in Frederick, Maryland. 

GERMANY: As Germany celebrates record heat pump sales in 2023, the future of the market is uncertain with sales declining since last June and an “alarming” slump in December. 

JAPAN: Toshiba Carrier Corporation is to change its name in Japan to Carrier Japan Corporation (Nippon Carrier Corporation) from May 1. 

BELGIUM: Daikin Europe has re-adjusted its forecasts for 2024 after a continuing shortfall in European heat pump sales and no expectation of a significant demand increase this year.

SWEDEN/DENMARK: Swedish ventilation company Lindab has signed an agreement to acquire Airmaster, a Danish manufacturer of products for decentralised ventilation.

GERMANY: Facilities management company Apleona has acquired German ventilation, air conditioning and smoke extraction system contractor Air for All.

FRANCE/SPAIN: French industrial and commercial refrigeration contractor Syclef has acquired the Spanish refrigeration and air conditioning companies Enfrío and Iparfrío.

ITALY: Asset management firm Ambienta has acquired a majority stake in the commercial and industrial refrigeration contractor businesses of Frigoveneta SpA and Frigoveneta Service Srl. 

FRANCE: Faced with a global move towards flammable refrigerants, a qualification programme will help governments ensure that refrigeration and air conditioning engineers have the appropriate skills.

BELGIUM/SWEDEN: The Belgian Linumgroup, a manufacturer and distributor of HVACR parts and accessories, has acquired the Swedish wholesaler Luftexpressen AB.

GERMANY: GEA is investing around €5.5m in the modernisation of industrial refrigeration production valves and components at its GEA AWP site in Prenzlau.

NETHERLANDS: Despite a downturn in growth in Q4, initial heat pump sales figures in the Netherlands for 2023 are said to have reached 150,000.

EUROPE: The F-gas revision lead rapporteur Bas Eickhout has hailed yesterday’s EU parliamentary vote to phase-out hydrofluorocarbons by 2050 as “crucial” for the environment, while providing “clarity” for industry.

EUROPE: As expected, the revision proposal to the European F-gas regulation (517/2014) was passed at its first parliamentary reading in Strasbourg today.

BELGIUM: ASERCOM, the Association of European Refrigeration Component Manufacturers, advanced its benchmark certification process in 2023 with the certification of a further 137 condensing units.

SWEDEN: Subscription-based heat pump company Aira has announced the completion of a €145m Series B financing round with leading climate tech investors from Europe, the US and Asia. 

LATVIA/BELGIUM: The Latvian Association of Refrigeration Equipment Engineers (LSIA) has joined the European contractors group AREA. 

EUROPE: The proposals for the revision of the European F-gas regulation are expected to pass tomorrow’s European parliamentary vote with a large majority. 

CHINA: Chinese scientists claim to have synthesised a supersolid material that can be cooled to near absolute zero without relying on increasingly scarce helium.

JAPAN: Scientists in Japan claim to have developed an inorganic solid refrigerant with the world's best cooling performance.

USA: The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has written to the European Commission expressing its concerns over aspects of the European F-gas revision proposals.

GUATEMALA: The Republic of Guatemala becomes the first country this year to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

USA: Aldi has announced that it will transition to “natural refrigerants” across all of its US stores before the end of 2035.

NETHERLANDS: Chemours has successfully contested a €500,000 penalty for releasing 4.5 tonnes of ozone depleting HCFC22 from its fluoropolymer plant in Dordrecht.

USA: The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that a further four manufacturers, Bosch, Daikin, Midea, and Johnson Controls, have passed its cold climate heat pump challenge.