World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

Luke Haile joins Team UK for WorldSkills Lyon

UK: Luke Haile, winner of the WorldSkills UK Gold medal in 2022, is to represent the UK in refrigeration and air conditioning at WorldSkills in Lyon in September.

The former apprentice at Eastleigh College, now an engineer with Lighfoot Defence, will join the 30 other young people from different professions in Team UK.

Popularly known as the Skills Olympics, WorldSkills Lyon 2024 will host over 1500 young people from 65 countries, who will compete in 62 different skill disciplines.

WorldSkills UK, a four nations partnership between education, industry and UK governments, is responsible for selecting, mentoring and training Team UK. Luke’s training is overseen by Mark Forsyth, a WorldSkills UK training manager and owner of Coriolis International.    

On being selected for Team UK, Luke said: “I was really nervous going into the adjudication room, even though I was the only competitor left in the process, nothing was guaranteed. This is big for me, I have always done well in student awards, but I felt that just proved that I was a good student, hopefully this will prove that I am a good worker too.”

Haile was previously National Student of the Year at the Cooling Industry Awards in 2020 and Trainee of the Year in the ACR News Awards in 2021. 

Latest News

22nd December 2024

Indoor units for large spaces

UK: Panasonic Jet Air Stream indoor units provide high air volume and long throw distance for large spaces.
21st December 2024

Hoshizaki takes 51% stake in Vietnamese company

JAPAN/VIETNAM: Hoshizaki, the Japanese manufacturer of commercial food and beverage refrigeration equipment, has acquired a majority shareholding in Vietnamese company Asia Refrigeration Industry (ARICO).
20th December 2024

Giles Pratt set to retire

UK: Giles Pratt, sales specialist at Fujitsu General Air Conditioning UK, is set to retire after a career spanning 40 years in the UK air conditioning industry.
20th December 2024

Vertiv acquires centrifugal chiller technology

UK: Vertiv has invested in centrifugal chiller technology with the acquisition of certain assets of BiXin Energy Technology (Suzhou) Co (BSE).
20th December 2024

Mitsubishi Electric buys Irish agent

NETHERLANDS/IRELAND: Mitsubishi Electric Europe is to acquire all the shares of its Irish agent – air conditioning installation and maintenance company Crystal Air Holdings Ltd.
20th December 2024

Daikin joins green initiatives agreement

UK: Heat pump manufacturer Daikin has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to support jobs, skills training, warmer homes and more sustainable power.