World News

USA: Trane has announced a strategic collaboration to accelerate next generation, oil-free centrifugal compressor technology for commercial HVAC applications.

BELGIUM: The “natural” refrigerants market accelerator Atmosphere ((formerly Shecco) has published a new report giving an overview of the state of “clean cooling” in the data centre sector.

USA: Modine has entered into a definitive agreement to spin-off its Performance Technologies business to become a pure-play climate solutions company.

USA: A $210m United States Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract recently awarded to Hudson Technologies has been put on hold after a bid protest from an unnamed competitor.

USA: Asset management company J F Lehman (JFLCO) has acquired majority stakes in two US refrigerant management companies. 

SWEDEN: Beijer Ref has reported stable growth in 2025 with record-high cash flow and EBITA margin.

GERMANY: Motor and fan manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg claims to have achieved a revenue growth of 12% in 2025, exceeding €1bn for the first time in the company’s 116-year history.

SWEDEN: Per Bertland, former CEO of refrigeration wholesaler Beijer Ref, has been proposed as the company’s new chair of the board.

SPAIN: CEVA Logistics has started construction of a new 27,000m2 warehouse in Tórtola de Henares, Guadalajara, dedicated to air conditioning manufacturer Daikin.

UK: Ten leading companies, including Danfoss, Johnson Controls and ABB, are calling on policymakers around the world to increase the  minimum energy performance standards for air conditioners.

ITALY: Authorities in Italy have reached agreement to co-ordinate surveillance and combat the illegal trade in F-gases.

USA: Copeland has entered into an agreement to acquire Bueno Analytics, an Australian company seeking to transform building performance with AI-driven insights.

BELGIUM: The Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has published a new report aimed at strengthening skills and capacity in Europe’s heating and cooling sector.

ITALY: Beijer Ref has acquired a 75% stake in Italian air conditioning distributor Idema Clima, with an option to acquire the remaining shares.

INDIA: US compressor manufacturer Copeland has completed the first phase of a $55m investment at its Atit, India, manufacturing facility.

USA: A serious injury to an employee of a meat processor was caused by an ammonia release from an isolated compressor, which was thought to be empty.

USA: A Massachusetts-based food processing company will pay a $1.1m civil penalty following a fatal ammonia refrigerant release in 2022.

GERMANY/IRELAND: The Bluu Unit group of refrigeration, air conditioning and ventilation firms has acquired the Irish contractor Tech Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.

USA: Johnson Controls has led a $65m funding of two-phase, direct-to-chip liquid cooling company Accelsius.

USA: Tests on a semi-hermetic spool compressor being developed by Torad have recorded a performance of 72.5% peak overall isentropic efficiency running on R1234ze refrigerant.

MALAYSIA: One person is reported dead and nine injured after an air conditioning compressor exploded at a university in Kuala Lumpur today.

USA: US shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps fell again in November, with the year-to-date total now nearly 20% down on the same period in 2024.

BELGIUM: The Romanian General Association of Refrigeration Engineers, AGFR, has been accepted as a member of AREA, the association of European HVACR contractor groups.

ITALY: Hiroshi Shimada has been appointed CEO and president of Daikin Air Conditioning Italy.

DENMARK: Danfoss has contributed to the development of a new supercomputer that combines more sustainable energy management and advanced AI capabilities.

USA: Carrier subsidiary Automated Logic Contracting Services (ALCS) has acquired substantially all of the assets of CCG Automation (CCG), a leading provider of building automation solutions headquartered in Richfield, Ohio.

BELGIUM: The Keymark heat pump certification scheme celebrates its 10th anniversary this year by now providing product performance of more than 11,000 models.