World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

TICA completes Smardt move

Smardt founder Richmond-Smith with Jiang Li, chairman and CEO of the TICA Group in 2018

CHINA: Chinese air conditioning manufacturer TICA has acquired the remaining shares in the Montreal-based oil-free centrifugal chiller manufacturer Smardt. 

TICA took a majority stake in the Montreal-based Smardt Chiller Group in 2018. 

Jiang Li, TICA chairman, has assumed the additional role of executive chairman of Smardt, succeeding Smardt founder Roger Richmond-Smith, who is retiring. Richmond-Smith was also a co-founder of development of magnetic bearing technology with the Turbocor oil-free compressor.

Smardt was founded in 2005 and grew to encompass manufacturing facilities in Canada, USA, Australia, China and Germany and sales and service operations covering the Americas, Asia Pacific, Australia, China and EMEA.

Established in 1991, TICA has four manufacturing plants in China, a factory in Malaysia and research and development centres in China, Japan, Italy, Australia and Canada as well as 100+ sales and service outlets.

The two companies share a primary focus on energy conservation through water-side oil-free chillers and air-side AHUs and system integration.

Related stories:

Smardt enters JV with Chinese group12 October 2018
CANADA/CHINA: Chinese air conditioning manufacturer TICA has taken a majority stake in the Montreal-based Smardt Chiller Group to form TICA-Smardt. Read more…

Smardt pushes oil-free chiller to 3600TR4 March 2021
CHINA: Smardt has expanded its global oil-free chiller range to 3600TR with the first shipment from its JV partner TICA’s Nanjing factory. Read more…

Latest News

30th April 2026

A-Gas extends reclaim rewards to Australia

AUSTRALIA: A-Gas, the refrigerant supplier and lifecycle management company, has created a reclamation rewards scheme in collaboration with Australian HVACR wholesalers Actrol and Airefrig.
30th April 2026

BESCA CPS achieves UKAS re-accreditation

UK: The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has successfully achieved UKAS re-accreditation for its BESCA competent person scheme against ISO 17065. 
30th April 2026

Danfoss backs new IOR Lego refrigeration kits

UK: Building on the success of its Lego refrigeration plant kit, the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) has announced the launch of even more Lego kits in collaboration with Danfoss. 
30th April 2026

Carrier expands liquid cooling interest

USA: Carrier has increased its investment in ZutaCore, the US direct-to-chip, waterless liquid cooling solutions company that first attracted its interest last year.
30th April 2026

Danfoss builds oil-free capabilities

DENMARK: Danfoss is expanding its Extended Oil-Free (EXO) programme to optimise oil-free HVAC systems, centred on its Turbocor compressors to increase energy efficiency, reduce noise, and minimise maintenance.
30th April 2026

Gregory-Miles heads Tefcold UK sales

UK: Danish commercial refrigeration equipment wholesaler Tefcold has announced the appointment of Dan Gregory-Miles as head of sales for the UK & Ireland.