News Archive - May 2012
Toshiba offers "budget neutral" R22 replacement
30 May 2012
UK: Toshiba has introduced a lease scheme for companies and individuals looking to replace R22 equipment which could virtually pay for itself through the energy savings achieved with new R410A equipment.
Chillventa 2012 set to exceed expectations
30 May 2012
GERMANY: Chillventa 2012, the international exhibition for refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation and heat pumps, looks set to exceed the success of previous events.
LG adds VRF distributors
28 May 2012
UK: Air conditioning manufacturer LG has appointed Hemel-Hempstead-based Pacair and Newcastle based AUK as distributors of its VRF products.
Business as usual for Hastie UK as Australian parent collapses
28 May 2012
AUSTRALIA: Hastie companies in the UK and Ireland will continue to trade as normal despite the collapse of its Australian parent on Monday.
Canadian institute hits out at DIY hydrocarbon refrigerant kits
28 May 2012
CANADA: The president of Canada's President Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute (HRAI) has hit out at companies selling hydrocarbon refrigerants to the general public as a replacement refrigerant for residential or commercial air conditioning systems.
Dangerous counterfeit refrigerant turns up in US army vehicle
27 May 2012
USA: Rumours that the dangerous counterfeit "R134a" refrigerant may have turned up in military vehicles in Afghanistan appears to have been confirmed by the US Society of Automotive Engineers International.
Reflok fittings approved by Daikin in the US
21 May 2012
USA: Daikin AC (Americas) Inc, the US subsidiary of the world's largest manufacturer of VRV equipment, has given official approval for the UK manufactured Reflok compression fittings to be used on its VRV systems.
Thailand factory will be Toshiba Carrier's largest
21 May 2012
THAILAND: Newspapers in the Far East are reporting that Toshiba Carrier is building a new £40m air conditioning factory in Thailand, doubling its current production capacity in that country and accounting for more than 70% of its global capacity.
Bognor celebrates its refrigeration heritage
20 May 2012
UK: The seaside town which was home to one of the great British names in domestic and commercial refrigeration for the best part of 50 years is to host a special commemorative exhibition this week.
AIRAH warns of carbon tax consequences
15 May 2012
AUSTRALIA: THE Australian government has been warned that the impending imposition of a carbon tax, pushing refrigerant prices up by around 300-500%, will have a substantial impact on small businesses, jeopardises safety and risks creating a black market.
Bitzer expands facilities in the US
15 May 2012
USA: Bitzer is expanding its operations in the USA, moving its scroll compressor factory in Syracuse to larger premises and building a new plant adjacent to its existing facility in Oakwood, Ga.
Climaveneta acquires UK distributor Powermaster
15 May 2012
UK: Italian commercial air conditioning and refrigeration manufacturer Climaveneta is to acquire a majority stake in its England and Wales distributor Powermaster Products, together with the majority of its service organisation Powermaster Service. The move follows the acquisition of the chiller distribution and service activities of Climate Equipment from the Walter Meier Group in 2011.
Honeywell appeals decision to revoke 1234yf patent
11 May 2012
REFRIGERANT producer Honeywell has appealed against a European Patent Office (EPO) decision to revoke one its patents on HFO-1234yf. The patent covered the use of certain compounds, including 1234yf, as refrigerants in automotive air conditioning systems.
Dysk becomes Toshiba distibutor
10 May 2012
TOSHIBA Air Conditioning has expanding its UK distributor network with the appointment of Harpenden-based Dysk Air Conditioning.
Climate Center ac sales up 30%
09 May 2012
WHILE overall UK air conditioning sales remain flat or only slightly up, nationwide wholesaler Climate Center claims growth of some 30% compared with last year.
Graeme Fox re-elected as AREA president
07 May 2012
AREA, the European air conditioning and refrigeration contractors association, has re-elected Graeme Fox as president for the next two years. Other board members saw their mandate renewed for another two years, except Gerhard Neuhauser, past president of AREA, who has had to step down due to professional reasons.
Waitrose to trial chiller using 1234ze Turbocors
04 May 2012
KLIMA-THERM, the South-London-based company which has pioneered trials of the new HFO refrigerants in chillers, is set to claim another first with a chiller using Danfoss's super-efficient oil-less Turbocor compressor and HFO1234ze.
Australian fridge firms ignore oxyacetylene regulations
03 May 2012
OVER 60% of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration businesses in Australia's Northern Territories are reported to be breaching transportation of flammable gas regulations.
Firemen flustered by firestation fridge fire
02 May 2012
A DEFECTIVE refrigerator has been blamed for putting a group of Swiss firefighters in the embarrassing position of having to tackle a massive fire at their own fire station.