World News

ROMANIA: Border police from the Vicovu de Sus have intercepted more illegal refrigerant being smuggled across the border from Ukraine.

NORWAY: Swedish refrigeration contractor Francks Kylindustri and its Norwegian subsidiary Therma Industri have further strengthened their position in central Norway through the acquisition of Trøndelag Kuldeteknikk.

SWEDEN: ClimaCheck, the Stockholm-based air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump energy optimisation company, has appointed Carl Johan Håkansson as its new CEO.

HONG KONG: Johnson Controls is to face a competition tribunal in relation to suspected cartel conduct involving the supply of over HK$3bn (US$383m) worth of air conditioning works in Hong Kong.

GERMANY: The environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has called for a ban on installing gas and oil heating systems after claiming that heat pumps are cheaper even in existing buildings.

GERMANY: Bitzer is set to acquire OJ Electronics A/S, a Danish manufacturer of HVAC controls and drives manufacturer.

GERMANY: A leading European refrigeration research council claims that the safe, efficient and trouble-free operation of RACHP systems is not possible without the use of PFAS-containing materials.

UK: This year’s World Refrigeration Day on June 26 will focus on the future of cooling technology, the industry, the people working within it, and those that benefit from cooling. 

GERMANY: The German Federal Environment Ministry (BMUV) is providing €200,000 in funding for an environmentally-friendlier innovative cooling process for steel hardening that promises substantial energy savings.

AUSTRALIA: Johnson Controls is to acquire Gordon Brothers Industries (GBI), Australia’s long-established industrial refrigeration company.

USA: Abstract submissions are now invited for the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Conference which will focus on how IEQ/IAQ, decarbonisation and energy efficiency can benefit people and the environment.

BELGIUM: Registration is now open for the European Heat Pump Association’s annual Heat Pump Forum & Awards in Brussels. 

USA: Johnson Controls has broken ground on a new 105,000ft2 engineering centre and laboratory facility in Wisconsin for the design and testing of smart and sustainable building…

USA: Joe Martinko, senior business director, Americas for Chemours Thermal & Specialized Solutions (TSS) business has stepped in as interim leader following today’s resignation of division president Alisha Bellezza.

EUROPE: EU greenhouse gas emissions decreased 4% in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared with the same quarter of 2021, according to latest figures from Eurostat.

SWEDEN: Beijer Ref executive vice president and CFO Ulf Berghult is to transition out of the company by mutual agreement in the next six months, the Swedish wholesaler has announced.

USA/SERBIA: Coil manufacturer Modine is expanding operations at its factory in Sremska, Serbia, to meet growing demand from the heat pump market in Europe.

USA: Trane Technologies has acquired Helmer Scientific, a US company specialising in precision temperature-controlled storage and processing solutions for hospitals, labs, blood banks, and pharmacies. …

Giordano Riello, a man described as the father of Italian air conditioning, has died aged 97 at his home near Verona.

ITALY: Controls manufacturer Carel has recorded revenues of €161m in the first three months of the year, an increase of 24.8% on the same period…

ROMANIA: Customs officers in Romania continue to intercept illegal refrigerant being smuggled into the country from Ukraine. Over the last three days, border guards and…

USA: The organisation behind the Global Cooling Prize claims that current air conditioning testing standards and performance ratings fall short in the context of a warming world.

FRANCE: A new website launched by the International Network for Women in Cooling (INWIC) will act as a hub for the organisation and its members.…

CHINA: Danfoss has officially opened a new 7,000m2 global refrigeration R&D and testing centre in Wuqing, Tianjin.

BELGIUM: Strong European demand for heat pumps helped Daikin Europe NV achieve record sales of €5.2bn in the year to March 31, a 20% increase on last year.

ITALY: Next year’s Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) in Milan will see the refrigeration, heating and heat pump sectors being grouped together in eight “Indoor Climate”…

USA: Refrigerant cylinder manufacturer Worthington Industries has filed antidumping duty and countervailing duty petitions on non-refillable steel cylinders from India. Worthington, the only US manufacturer…