As part of the joint venture, designed to increase the competitiveness and effectiveness of both businesses, AUK staff will be based at Secon in Sunderland, with the company also retaining its existing base in Newcastle.

In a joint statement, Secon managing director Kevin Carling and AUK managing director Darryl Smith said: “There has been a working relationship between Secon and AUK for over two years now and this new partnership takes it to the next level.

“It will provide the opportunity to supply AUK’s customer base with a vast range of complementary products such as air to water heat pumps from a number of quality brands, along with a range of ancillary stock items such as buffer tanks and pump sets, as well as opening up AUK's extensive product offering to Secon customers.’’

Secon says the move will allow it to grow business in the commercial air conditioning and chiller markets, taking advantage of its partner’s experience in those areas, while AUK aims to build its presence in the renewables sector.

AUK was established in 2009 by the former management team of Airwell UK and began life as a dedicated distributor of Airwell Group products. It expanded in 2012 to supply G I Holding (GIH) ranges including Clint, Montair and Novair direct to the UK and also supplies LG equipment. In January, AUK announced a partnership with Fujitsu General Air Conditioning UK and offers the full Fujitsu air conditioning range alongside applied solutions through the manufacturer’s collaboration with GIH.

AUK supplies equipment ranging from a 2 kW plug-in portable AC unit through to central chiller plant of 2MW and above, and offers pre and post-sales support to customers through design, specification, commissioning and technical assistance.

Secon was founded in 1998 as a solar thermal business and remains a market leader in that field. Using its renewables knowledge to offer heat pump and biomass solutions, it is now one of the UK’s biggest specialist distributors of heat pumps and ancillaries. Secon distributes all the major brands of heat pump including Panasonic, Samsung, Hitachi, Vaillant, Grant, Mitsubishi Electric and Viessmann, in addition to cylinders and buffers from Joule and Cordivari.