Mr Große-Kracht was elected as chairman of ASERCOM during its annual general meeting on 12 January, and succeeds Stephane Nassau of Danfoss.

With a degree in mechanical engineering, Mr Große-Kracht has worked for more than two decades in the acr industry. As Bitzer's chief technology officer and a member of its board, he has now represented the business in the ASERCOM association for six years. 

Mr Große-Kracht said: “I am very happy and feel honoured that the association has entrusted me, as the chairman of ASERCOM, with leading the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in this time of far-reaching changes with which we are currently confronted.

“The legal regulations on the protection of our climate are currently going through major changes and that presents us all with significant challenges. In 2018 alone, we have to reduce the CO2 equivalent of the refrigerants used in Europe by 44 percent compared to 2015, while at the same time meeting a higher minimum efficiency standard.

“That is a big task for our member companies but it is an even greater task for the entire industry. Particularly, the smaller OEMs and installers frequently cannot cope with the legislation. Here, we want to communicate more effectively with our local associations and further improve our recommendations and guidelines, making them easier to understand. And ASERCOM is just the right platform for that.”