News Headlines
21st July 2026
OCS to buy FM rival Mitie
UK: OCS has announced its proposed acquisition of facilities management rival Mitie in a deal worth up to £3.1bn.
19th July 2026
EC seeks reduction in electricity-to-gas price ratios
EUROPE: The European Commission is asking member states to bring down domestic electricity-to-gas price ratios to a maximum of 2.5 and to a maximum of 2 for industry by 2030.
14th July 2026
Japanese fridge firms face cartel allegations
JAPAN: The Japanese Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is reported to have raided the offices of three refrigeration companies over suspected bid-rigging and cartel practices.
22nd July 2026
Spanish supermarkets call for F-gas revision
SPAIN: A group representing Spanish supermarkets is calling for changes to the F-gas regulation, claiming it fails to account for the cooling needs of countries with high ambient temperatures.
22nd July 2026
France relaxes A3 refrigerant ban
FRANCE: Air conditioners using R290 refrigerant could now be used in French high-rise buildings after changes to its stringent safety regulations.
22nd July 2026
EPA sued over rule weakening HFC phaseout
USA: California and Washington are among a coalition of 19 attorney generals and one city suing the US EPA over its rule to roll back refrigerant transition deadlines.
21st July 2026
OCS to buy FM rival Mitie
UK: OCS has announced its proposed acquisition of facilities management rival Mitie in a deal worth up to £3.1bn.
15th July 2026
Bookings open for IOR Dinner 2027
UK: Bookings are now open for the 127th Institute of Refrigeration Annual Dinner, taking place on 25 February 2027 at the Hilton London Bankside.
14th July 2026
Carrier integrates SLD rental brand
UK: SLD Pumps and Power, the industrial pump and generator rental equipment supplier, has been integrated into the Carrier Rental Systems brand.
22nd July 2026
Nibe unveils new R290 heat pump
SWEDEN: NIBE has announced a new air-to-water heat pump, built around an advanced R290 refrigerant circuit, providing high flow temperatures that suit both low temperature systems and radiator retrofits.
17th July 2026
Daikin NEXIO Max rooftop heat pump on R32
USA: Daikin Comfort Technologies North America has launched the Daikin NEXIO Max packaged heat pump, an inverter-driven rooftop unit using R32 refrigerant.
15th July 2026
Daikin X series combines HP cooling and heating
BELGIUM: Daikin Europe is to launch the X Series, a mixed heat pump system combining air-to-air heating and cooling, hydraulic heating such as underfloor heating, and domestic hot water production.
3rd July 2026
Food charity receives free hot water
UK: London food distribution charity Felix is using Beijer Ref’s SEC200 heat recovery technology to help deliver hot water with almost zero energy consumption.
29th June 2026
Bringing ink-based technology to thermoelectrics
USA: A recent study by University of Notre Dame researchers claims to have developed an ink-based printing technology to create low-cost and high-performance thermoelectric materials and devices.
24th June 2026
Employing liquefied hydrogen as a cold energy source
JAPAN: A new heat exchange technology that employs liquefied hydrogen as a cold energy source for air conditioning and refrigeration equipment is being trialled in Japan.
3rd May 2026
Skills gap: the answer’s already on the van
Will Overton, director of Vectis Refrigeration and founder of the Wisdom Group FM, argues that the skills gap in refrigeration and HVAC is not a training problem: it is a knowledge capture problem.
14th December 2025
When glycol loops go bad
David McKune, corporate account manager of Ecolab EU, a global sustainability leader offering water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, discusses the hidden risks of ignoring coolant health in AI-era data centres.
2nd November 2025
Who really owns the S&M data?
Digital job systems and client portals have transformed service and maintenance efficiency, but they have also blurred the line between compliance reporting and intellectual property.
19th July 2026
HPA UK lines up first conference
UK: Tickets are now on sale for HPA UK’s first annual conference since its formation in January from the merger of the three main UK heat pump associations.
16th July 2026
Parts Town offers F-gas Category 1 training
UK: Spare parts distributor Parts Town UK is to offer F-gas Category 1 (FCAT1/Course 2079-11) courses at its training facility in Cannock.
25th June 2026
Daikin first to C&G Assured status
UK: Daikin claims to be the first HVAC manufacturer to have achieved City & Guilds Assured status with its Altherma heat pump training courses.