The centre features lecture and demonstration areas, with an overhead camera that enables practical demonstrations to be projected onto a large screen. There is also an informative wall-mounted display of the manufacturer’s expansive fittings range that can be easily updated as new products are developed.

Dan Wild, Conex Bänninger Business Unit Director for the UK and Ireland, said: “As more and more ACR contractors and installers are becoming aware of the advantages that press fittings have over traditional brazing, the demand for training in this flame-free, fit-and-forget technology has risen.

“By spending just a couple of hours at the centre they can learn new skills and gain hands-on experience that will benefit them for years to come.”

The sessions are led by members of Conex Bänninger’s knowledgeable technical team and cover theoretical and practical training, including the use of press tools and jaws.

Dan Wild added: “The opening of the new training centre represents a further investment by Conex Bänninger in the future of the industry. It is a practical way of supporting installers and engineers to stay up-to-date with modern methods and practices, while raising professional standards across the sector.

“We will still continue to provide training on-site and in conjunction with our customers, this is another option.”

Conex Bänninger’s >B< MaxiPro fitting has been developed specifically for the higher pressures involved in air conditioning and refrigeration applications.

It is designed to be used up to a maximum operating pressure of 48 bar, with a maximum operating temperature range of -40°C to 121°C.

It has the benefit of Conex Bänninger’s 3-point press, with one press each side of the bead and one compressing the O-ring, providing a permanent, leak-free joint.

>B< MaxiPro’s fitting time is predictable, which means ACR engineers can be confident of timescales when planning installations, as well as benefiting from the greater productivity it delivers when compared to brazing.

To book onto a free training course, email: training@ibpgroup.com. Training is also available for heating and plumbing engineers for Conex Bänninger’s innovative >B< Press range, developed for hot and cold water applications.