All Of Your Refrigerant Needs Under One Roof

WE BUY:

R11, R12, R13, R22, R113, R114, R115, R23, R134a, R400, R500, R502 & R503. Shipping documents are provided and most cases the freight cost is paid by A-Gas RemTec. We can provide recovery cylinders for easier transaction.

WE SELL:

R11, R12, R22, R113, R114, R123, R125, R134a, R404A, R407C & R410A. Variety of tanks and quantities available for immediate shipment.

TANK REFURBISHMENT:

Complete DOT certified tank refurbishing located within our facility in Bowling Green, Ohio.

CONSIGNMENT PROGRAM:

A-Gas RemTec can provide the refrigerants you need at your facility at no immediate cost to you. You pay for what you use monthly and offset that cost by sending in your reclaim. Simple. Quick. Effortless.

Contact A-Gas RemTec for all of your refrigerant needs.

Cradle to Grave all under one roof, A-Gas RemTec.

1100 Haskins Road

Bowling Green, Ohio 43402 USA

419-867-8990

1-888-873-6832 toll free

www.remtec.net

Safeway Must Fix Ozone-Depleting Refrigerant Leaks Nationwide

WASHINGTON, DC, September 5, 2013 (ENS) – Safeway, the second largest U.S. grocery store chain, has agreed to pay a $600,000 civil penalty and implement a corporate-wide plan to reduce its emissions of ozone-depleting substances from refrigeration equipment at 659 of its stores in a settlement of alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act.

The settlement, estimated to cost approximately $4.1 million, involves the largest number of facilities to be brought into compliance under the Clean Air Act’s regulations governing refrigeration equipment.

Freezer in a Safeway store, Portland, Oregon (Photo by Heather)

“This first-of-its-kind settlement will benefit all Americans by cutting emissions of ozone-depleting substances across Safeway’s national supermarket chain,” said Robert Dreher, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “It can serve as a model for comprehensive solutions that improve industry compliance with the nation’s Clean Air Act.”

The settlement agreement resolves allegations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department that Safeway violated the Clean Air Act by failing to promptly repair leaks of the hydro-chlorofluorocarbon HCFC-22, a common refrigerant used by supermarkets that is a greenhouse gas and an ozone-depleting substance.

The grocery chain also failed to keep adequate records of the servicing of its refrigeration equipment, the government agencies allege.

EPA regulations issued under Title VI of the Clean Air Act require that owner or operators of commercial refrigeration equipment that contains over 50 pounds of ozone-depleting refrigerants, and that has an annual leak rate greater than 35 percent repair such leaks within 30 days.

HCFC-22 is up to 1,800 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of global warming emissions. The measures that Safeway has committed to are expected to prevent over 100,000 pounds of future releases of ozone-depleting refrigerants that destroy the ozone layer.

Safeway will now implement a corporate refrigerant compliance management system to comply with stratospheric ozone regulations.

Under the settlement, Safeway has agreed to reduce its corporate-wide average leak rate from 25 percent in 2012 to 18 percent or below in 2015. The company will reduce the aggregate refrigerant emissions at its highest-emission stores by 10 percent each year for three years.

“Safeway’s new corporate commitment to reduce air pollution and help protect the ozone layer is vital and significant,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

“Fixing leaks, improving compliance and reducing emissions will make a real difference in protecting us from the dangers of ozone depletion, while reducing the impact on climate change,” said Giles.

HCFCs deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, which allows dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet rays from the sun to strike the Earth, leading to adverse health effects that include skin cancers, cataracts, and suppressed immune systems.

“The impact of ozone depletion is a global phenomenon, and the health and environmental harm as a result of Safeway’s emissions do not have particularized impact on communities near stores where the violations occurred,” explains the EPA. “However, all citizens may be more susceptible to skin cancers, cataracts and immune system suppression as a result of violations like these.”

Under the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty, the United States is implementing strict reductions of ozone-depleting refrigerants, including a production and import ban on HCFC-22 by 2020.

The settlement is part of EPA’s national enforcement initiative to control harmful air pollution from the largest sources of emissions, including large grocery stores.

EPA’s GreenChill Partnership Program works with food retailers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change by transitioning to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, using less refrigerant and eliminating leaks, and adopting green refrigeration technologies and best environmental practices.

Safeway, headquartered in Pleasanton, California has 1,412 stores in the United States and 2012 revenues of $44.2 billion. Safeway operates companies under the banner of Vons in southern California and Nevada, Randalls in Texas, and Carrs in Alaska.

The settlement was lodged Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. It will be available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.

Stopped Cold: Mercedes Sales Blocked in France

BERLIN — Even as showrooms in Europe prepare for the arrival of 2014 vehicles, authorities in France have sparked controversy with a drastic action: blocking the registration — effectively shutting down sales — of some popular new Mercedes-Benz cars, including the A-Class, B-Class, CLA and SL models.

The French environment ministry ordered the ban in response to the German carmaker’s defiance of a European Union regulation on the refrigerants permitted in automotive air-conditioning systems, and the ministry says that it won’t back down until Daimler, the parent of Mercedes, complies. The European Union, though supportive of France’s position, has agreed to step in and referee to keep the squabble from spreading.
      

Why such an uproar over a matter as arcane as an air-conditioning refrigerant?

The ban on registrations was put in place after Mercedes refused to switch to a refrigerant compound that is considerably more climate-friendly than the one currently used in almost all car air-conditioning systems. Mercedes contends that in its crash tests and other independent safety research, the replacement material was flammable in cases where it leaked onto hot engine parts, and that it produced a dangerous gas when burned — increasing the potential harm to passengers in an accident.

European regulators have agreed to review the German test results as part of the process of resolving the tiff. Because of the safety concerns, Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority approved the new models for sale with the current refrigerant, a position that escalated the matter from a disagreement over technology to a political dispute.

      

The issue is of interest to American automakers, as regulators in the United States are likely to consider the new European rules. Naturally, it would benefit the global auto industry to select one common refrigerant for all markets, making it possible to build a single air-conditioning system for domestic and export models.

      

The imbroglio heated up in the 1970s, when the refrigerant compound known as R-12, a chlorofluorocarbon, was deemed a threat to the earth’s protective ozone layer. Like other fluorocarbons, it was outlawed and replaced with supposedly benign alternatives. In the case of vehicles, an ozone-friendly compound known as R-134a took its place. The move is generally regarded to have been effective: since the worldwide shift away from fluorocarbons, the ozone hole has not only stopped growing, it has actually contracted.

       

But R-134a was found to have its own warts, namely that when leaked, the fluid serves as a potent greenhouse gas, packing a punch 1,400 times as great as carbon dioxide, the Environmental Protection Agency says. When that property came to the attention of the European Union, it mandated that as of 2011 any refrigerant with a global warming potential more than 150 times that of carbon dioxide would be forbidden in all newly engineered models. By 2017, this ban would apply to all new vehicles sold.

      

In the search for substitute compounds for R-134a, nonflammable carbon dioxide was championed as a viable alternative, and Mercedes announced this month that it would continue to develop CO₂-based systems. Carbon dioxide is commonly used as an industrial refrigerant — worldwide by the Coca-Cola Company, for instance — and is cheap and abundant.

      

But converting to carbon dioxide-based climate control systems, which require high operating pressures, would entail hardware modifications costing around $130 per vehicle, according to Jürgen Resch, director of the watchdog group German Environmental Aid, based in Berlin. 

      

In Europe, automakers chose a new refrigerant developed by Honeywell International and DuPont, called R-1234yf, that has a far lower global warming potential than R-134a (only four times that of carbon dioxide, according to the E.P.A.) and can replace it without any changes to the hardware under the hood. Honeywell and DuPont control the global supply of R-1234yf, and the companies are forecast to reap billions of dollars in sales.

      

Mercedes originally complied with the refrigerant directive, but its safety tests showed R-1234yf to be flammable, a finding that watchdog groups agreed with.

“The Daimler tests weren’t the first that showed R-1234yf to be extremely dangerous,” Mr. Resch said. “Four years ago, independent testing came to these conclusions, but at the time the likes of Daimler didn’t want to listen. We were surprised but pleased to see they eventually came to the same conclusion.”

      

Late last year, Mercedes recalled cars fitted with R-1234yf-based cooling systems, saying the company would return to R-134a until a better substitute was found.

      

France says it will remain steadfast. The registrations of noncompliant Mercedes models “will remain forbidden in France as long as the company does not to conform to European regulations,” the environment ministry told Reuters.

      

The blocked models account for most of Daimler’s French business and 2 percent of its global sales. Daimler is contesting the ban in court, and a hearing was scheduled for Aug. 23.

The tussle might lead to a better solution for all parties, including American carmakers. Proponents of carbon dioxide, water and air-based air-conditioning systems say that Honeywell and DuPont squeezed them out of the competition before they could get a fair hearing.

      

The German automakers, at least, are ready to look again. According to Der Spiegel, the German weekly, an air-cooled air-conditioner is nearly ready for market and would already be on the road had the playing field for a replacement system been level.

Coming to America

U.K.'s A-Gas Plans Expansion Into North America

A-Gas’s acquisitions in the U.S. will set it up for a significant expansion into North America, including the international rollout of its refrigerant reclamation technology.

This year, A-Gas celebrates its 20th year in business, but no time in those two decades has been quite as busy as last year. The past 12 months have seen intense activity as the Bristol refrigerant distributor and reclaimer bought two U.S. specialists, Coolgas and RemTec, and set up a fully fledged North American division. The firm has transplanted U.K. managing director Ken Logan to oversee the establishment of the U.S. operations for the next two years at least.

The acquisition of the U.S. businesses, plus a further distributor in Australia, Technochem, has seen the A-Gas Intl. group top £100 million turnover for 2012, with a worldwide headcount of 237.

Acquiring Assets

“A-Gas is now the largest independent refrigerant player outside of the U.S.,” said Jon Masters, European managing director. “Our core territories are in the U.K., South Africa, and Australia, in each of which we have a 30-35 percent market share. So we were keen to try and take that offering to the U.S. — it was the right opportunity in terms of the business and the regulatory framework.”

That framework is the U.S. phase out of HCFCs and the probable phase down of HFCs, expected to closely follow the European Commission’s proposed F-Gas model — although progressive states like California are already bringing in more stringent rules.

The particular attraction of RemTec is that its core business is halon reclamation. Although these are largely from fire suppressants, this offers the right range of skills and technology to allow an expansion into refrigerant reclamation. This is where A-Gas brings its own skills to bear, said Masters. “We can bring our reclamation knowhow, and the benefit of the U.K. experience of selling the reclaimed HCFC product. The U.S. market is maybe four or five years behind Europe, but it is rapidly developing, and the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] has announced more cuts in HCFC volume.”

The plan is for the RemTec operation to be brought up to the same standard for refrigerant reclamation as A-Gas’s Bristol facilities by the end of this year.

The commercial implications of the rapid cuts should not be underestimated; in the U.S. over the past year, virgin R-22 has increased in price from $3 per pound to $15 per pound.

Coolgas, by contrast, is a conventional refrigerant distributor, but again the purchase is strategic, providing a foothold in the Southwest, from which A-Gas can build, with a brand name well known to the American market. It also holds all-important import rights to HCFCs.

A foothold in such a large territory is a big deal in its own right, but the potential is far bigger. “The U.S. business is roughly the same size as the U.K. business, but whereas in the U.K. that brings a 30 percent market share, in the U.S. it is only 2 percent of the market. It should be easier to double from 2-4 percent than from 30-60 percent.”

If the plans for reclamation at RemTec go well, it could be joined by other sites. While the U.K. can function well with a single reclamation site, the scale of the U.S. is likely to require a network of two or three more. With reclaimed HCFC expected to be useable in the U.S. beyond 2020, that is an attractive long-term target.

Reclamation Technology

In a relatively short time, refrigerant recovery and reclamation has become a serious business for A-Gas. Its environmental services operations now account for around 20 percent of turnover (refrigerants is the largest proportion at 60 percent).

U.K. business director John Ormerod said, “What we do falls into two areas: cleaning up dirty gas by removing contaminants and separating out gases from refrigerant mixtures.

“We probably lead the world in refrigerant reclamation. There is only one other company in the U.K. and three in the U.S. who can separate refrigerants like we do,” he said.

The separation facilities at Bristol have come on apace since the pioneering days when its technology could be housed in a corner of the warehouse. The original plant is still in situ, but it has been joined by Separator 3, located outside the warehouse and large enough to be able to accommodate tanker-sized volumes of refrigerant, with a capacity to process around 400 tonnes a year.

Although the precise technology is secret, both plants are designed to reclaim refrigerant to Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) 700 standards, as well as being able to split mixed refrigerants into usable batches and to reclaim individual gases from cocktails of recovered refrigerant. The latter is where A-Gas claims distinctiveness, as “the only supplier who has both the technology and the capacity to provide this level of service.”

Content for the European Spotlight is provided courtesy of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Magazine, London. For more information, visit www.racplus.com.

Publication date: 5/20/2013

Counting down to the ban on R22

As the months pass towards the total ban on the use of R22 for servicing air-conditioning equipment, Kevin Groves of Ergro gives his perspective.

The final removal of the HCFC refrigerant R22 from the world’s air conditioning systems has long been heralded and is now upon us here in the UK. Manufacturers of equipment have not included it in new systems since 2003. In 2010 the use of virgin R22 refrigerant was banned, and systems can only now be serviced utilising reclaimed refrigerant for maintenance. Now the final date in the legislative removal of recycled R22 because of its ozone-depleting properties is near. On 1 January 2015, the use of recycled R22 refrigerant will be banned in the EU.

Practically speaking, where R22 refrigerant is in use, there are two main options to make an air-conditioning system serviceable after the ban comes into force. One option is to convert the existing system to enable it to operate using a legal but often less efficient refrigerant or replacing part of or the entire system.

There are two main routes to a conversion solution.

In some cases it will be possible to make a few modifications to the system, such as replacing some gaskets and the oil, which will enable it to run on a new refrigerant such as R422D. This is known as the drop-in refrigerant option, which, in most cases, will lead to a reduction in cooling capacity and increased running costs.

Where another refrigerant cannot be dropped in, there may be the potential to convert the system by installing new fan coils or condensers whilst still retaining much of the building’s existing internal infrastructure such as piping. As well as increasing system capacity, conversion is likely to improve the overall efficiency of a system through the use of modern refrigerants (except when using the drop-in option).

Both solutions are, however, heavily dependent on site, installation conditions and age of the plant.
Systems not suitable for conversion will need to be replaced. Despite the higher installation costs, replacement can lead to greater system efficiencies, lower maintenance requirements and reduced operating costs.

For building-services engineers, the effect of the legislation is likely to mean that air conditioning will take centre stage in many of their operations in the coming years. It’s important that the engineering community understands what is business-critical air conditioning and impresses the importance of preparedness upon facilities managers and business leaders.

Who should act and when, what market forces and liabilities are involved and why it’s becoming the most important news in air conditioning may not be immediately obvious to many business leaders and even facilities managers. In fact, many people who could be affected most acutely won’t even know if R22 is used in their air conditioning or even realise they are responsible for the air conditioning in the spaces they occupy.

At a recent summit in London, held at the Royal Society of Medicine, Ergro assembled a panel of experts to answer some of these questions and to raise awareness of the issues surrounding the ban of R22.

The panel introduced the subject from their various perspectives and took questions from an invited audience comprising building managers, consultants, architects and business leaders.
There were several points upon which the panel was in complete agreement, chief among which was the need for people to gain the knowledge required to properly evaluate their position in relation to a date which, while it seems distant, taken in the context of the financial cycles and business-critical nature of the systems involved, is actually almost upon us.

I represented Ergro on the panel to offer the insight of a contracting engineer who works with air conditioning for skyscrapers, manufacturing, data centres and offices. Also on the panel were representatives of leading air-conditioning manufacturers Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin, legal and liability expertise from property law firm Taylor Wessing and chartered accountants and chartered tax advisors LB Group.

One question concerned the subtleties of supply and demand of the refrigerant itself. R22 is presently trading at around £30 per kilo in the UK, and this price is rising all of the time. When considering the fact that it will become illegal to buy or sell from the end of 2014 it would seem likely that the upward trend in its value will continue.

And what about installing new equipment? If it’s critical to the business that maintenance is possible and downtime avoidable, as it is in many of the instances where an estimated 750 000 systems using R22 exist, then a lot of companies will be looking to replace equipment at around the same time.
Needless to say, where demand outstrips supply in terms of the expertise to fit new systems, there are likely to be delays that could cause unnecessary risk to business continuity.

While it does seem to be a little way off, the R22 refrigerant ban will very soon make its presence felt across the business community. From now and for the next 18 months and beyond, building-services engineers will be at the heart of making business-critical systems compliant and serviceable into the future. But the whole facilities management and building services industry must come together with manufacturers and business services to help the business community to understand how the changes will affect them. Knowledge is power, and a full evaluation of existing systems will equip business leaders with the knowledge to make the right decisions to get ahead of the ban. More information and a countdown to the ban clock is available at the link below.

Kevin Groves is group operations director with Ergro
- See more at: http://www.modbs.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/11893/Counting_down_to_the_ban_on_R22.html#sthash.HbKs8XtY.dpuf

Update: Car engineers pour cold water on Daimler refrigerant fire claims

29 April 2013 | By Andrew Gaved

Car engineering research group SAE International has reported the conclusions of its extensive analysis of HFO 1234yf, calling the refrigerant “safe and effective to use in automotive applications” - free to view, simply register

The team on SAE’s Cooperative Research Programme, comprising most car manufacturers from Ford to Renault to Toyota, concluded that “the risk of passenger exposure to a vehicle fire associated with this refrigerant is exceptionally remote”.

The CRP was established to examine Mercedes owner Daimler’s claims that HFO 1234yf ignited in a staged head-on collision, whereas the previous refrigerant R134a, outlawed by the Mobile Air Conditioning directive, did not.

In the wake of lurid claims about the risk of flammability in the UK tabloid press, the SAE said CRP team members had again concluded that the refrigerant release testing conducted by Daimler is unrealistic, following numerous additional tests of various types to study ignition of an HFO 1234yf leak in a crash-damaged vehicle.

In another strongly worded statement, SAE said Daimler’s test “is not an appropriate test to verify the safety of refrigerant applications in vehicles. The Daimler testing did not include any actual vehicle collisions or the mitigating factors that occur in an actual collision.”

It said these factors include the quenching effect of front end compartment deformation, the extinguishing effect of steam released due to radiator breakage, and dispersion of the refrigerant from the condenser outside the engine compartment.

“Daimler’s refrigerant release apparatus and nozzle does not represent actual crash-damaged refrigerant lines, and was found to be artificial.”

The report was welcomed by Honeywell Fluorine Products, the manufacturer of the HFO, which emphasised that even those German manufacturers which have indicated they are in favour of using CO2 in the future cars had not found anything unsafe about the HFO.

Honeywell European managing director Paul Sanders said: “Pretty much all of the car industry has said publicly it can use 1234yf safely, including all members of the [German carmakers group] VDA, apart from Daimler. Opel had its test programme undertaken by engineering body TUV (above), which is globally respected.”

Following the report, Mr Sanders said Honeywell was now calling for the European Commission to censure Daimler for continuing to defy the MAC Directive. If strictly applied, the EC could forbid the registering of non-compliant cars, such as the Mercedes A and B class models which are still being produced with R134a, in contravention of the directive.

He said: “All we can ask is that the law is adhered to. The MAC directive is unequivocal that non-compliant cars should not be registered. The car industry has had seven years to make a compliant vehicle. HFO 1234yf is available today, it meets the MAC directive and it is cost-effective.”

Mr Sanders also claimed that Daimler’s preferred refrigerant carbon dioxide – which it has asked the EC for more time to develop – is not as environmentally friendly as HFO 1234yf across the lifetime of a vehicle.

He said: “CO2 is a smokescreen and it is three to five years away at best. As it is an asphyxiant it would need significant changes to car designs and the service charges would be higher, since if it was to leak, it would all leak at once.”

He warned that the Commission needed to take action against Daimler or risk appearing ineffectual: “It sets a dangerous precedent for the forthcoming F-Gas regulations if one company is allowed to go its own way and flout the law. Allegedly Daimler is saving 50 euros a car for not using 1234yf.  It is not a safety issue, it is a political issue.”

DuPont Wins Counterfeit Case

January 21, 2013

WILMINGTON, Del. — DuPont Refrigerants recently finished a two-year effort to investigate counterfeit activity of DuPont refrigerant brands in Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.

In 2009, a distributor alerted DuPont to potential counterfeiting of DuPont Suva and DuPont Freon brands. The information they provided led Dupont to suspect counterfeiting activity of Quzhouzhou Fuming Co. Ltd., in Quzhou City. With assistance from a local law firm, DuPont requested that local authorities conduct a raid of the suspected counterfeit facility. A raid action in late September 2011 resulted in the seizure of 1,500 empty refrigerant cylinders with DuPont Suva and Freon packaging, 1,000 counterfeit labels, and 1,000 counterfeit DuPont Freon R-22 cylinders.

After the raid, DuPont issued cease-and-desist letters, however, the company did not respond to the request and continued to sell the counterfeit refrigerants. In response, DuPont filed legal action against those responsible.
A court case was undertaken in China and a judicial settlement was reached in August 2012. The defendant was required to pay the equivalent of $39,400 to the Chinese government and $32,000 in damages and court costs to DuPont. The company is under a permanent injunction to not sell DuPont refrigerants or engage in counterfeit activities involving DuPont trademarks going forward. As part of the sentence, the judge also required the company to post a formal public apology in two Chinese newspapers.

“We will continue to combat counterfeiting of DuPont refrigerants, using assistance from local law enforcement, government officials, and customs organizations,” said Greg Rubin, DuPont global business manager. “This effort is ongoing and this case was an excellent example of cross-regional work between DuPont and our distributors. This is a collaborative effort. We can’t combat counterfeiting alone.”

Publication date: 1/21/2013 AHRI THE NEWS

A-GAS INTERNATIONAL EXPANDS ITS PRESENCE IN AMERICA

LEADING REFRIGERANTS SUPPLIER A-GAS INTERNATIONAL COMPLETES STRATEGIC ACQUISITION OF KEY INDEPENDENT US REFRIGERANTS SUPPLIER AND DISTRIBUTOR, COOLGAS

Bristol-based A-Gas International (or“the Group”), one of the world’s largest independent suppliers of refrigerants, associated environmental services, and speciality gases and chemicals, has completed the acquisition of Houston, Texas based Coolgas Inc. (“Coolgas”), a leading independent supplier and distributor of refrigerants to the US market. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The transaction represents the fifth strategic acquisition completed by A-Gas so far in 2012, and forms part of the Group’s acquisitive growth strategy which is being executed both in the UK and internationally. The enlarged group will have a turnover of c. £130m and 237 employees.

Founded in 1994 by Jesse Combs, Coolgas has grown over the past 18 years to become one of the leading independent distributors of refrigerants in the US. Coolgas’ “refrigerants made simple” philosophy reflects the focus on customer service that has enabled it to grow first to a regional and then to a national player. Coolgas has recently commissioned a new refrigerant storage and packaging facility in Houston and has distribution centres in California, Utah, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Maryland and Georgia ensuring that Coolgas is close to its customers wherever they are located.

In recent years Coolgas has also become an EPA registered reclaimer of refrigerants and a project developer for the generation of carbon offsets on the California Climate Action Reserve exchange. These capabilities enable Coolgas to manage the lifecycle of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and substances with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) to safeguard the environment.

The acquisition builds on A-Gas’acquisition of Ohio based refrigerant reclaimer and halocarbon management specialist RemTec International in July 2012. Coolgas provides a strong strategic fit, bringing a strong brand and complementary footprint that will accelerate refrigerants sales growth. Further the reclaim and carbon credits businesses extend A-Gas’ existing operations in the US Environmental Services market which is already well established in the UK and Europe.

The acquisition of Coolgas follows on from the successful acquisitions not only of RemTec International in July 2012 but also of Australian based Technochem in March 2012 and SA Rural in May 2012, and UK based A-Zone Technologies in April 2012.

Commenting on the acquisition:

John Rutley, Executive Chairman and founder of A-Gas International said:
Jesse Combs and his management team have built a great business in the US refrigerant sector and we are delighted to add it to our rapidly expanding presence in this important market. The fit with our recently acquired business, RemTec, is perfect and allows us to offer a full range of products and services to our customers in the world’s largest refrigerant market.

Jon Masters, Regional Managing Director of A-Gas International said:

The acquisition of Coolgas will significantly strengthen our position as the leading independent global supplier of refrigerants at a time when regulatory changes are providing increasing opportunities for reclamation and recycling of used refrigerants using our market leading technology developed in the UK. We look forward to supporting the Coolgas management team and workforce in continuing to provide outstanding service to its customers.

Jesse Combs, CEO of Coolgas said:

I feel honoured that A-Gas saw Coolgas as a strategic fit and entry point into the US refrigerants’ distribution business. Our team of professionals have a customer service mind-set that I believe sets Coolgas apart from the rest of the industry. I have the upmost confidence that the A-Gas team will support and grow upon our "refrigerants made simple" philosophy for many years to come.

About A-Gas International

A-Gas is an international group of companies with headquarters in Bristol, UK. A-Gas is a market leader in the supply of refrigerants within its core territories in the U.K., South Africa, and Australia, and has state of the art storage, blending, packaging and reclamation facilities in Bristol, Cape Town, and Melbourne. The company also has marketing and distribution centres in Singapore, Thailand, China and Mexico. In the US, A-Gas has a Performance Chemicals business located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania; RemTec International, a refrigerant reclaimer and halocarbon management specialist located in Bowling Green, Ohio; and now Coolgas, headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.agas.com

About Coolgas

Coolgas Inc. was started in 1994 as a distributor of refrigerant gases. Through a continual focus on customer service embodied by its “refrigerants made simple” philosophy it has gained customers across the United States and grown to become one of the leading independent distributors of refrigerants. Coolgas supplies a full product range from essential use CFCs through to the most recent HFC blends. Coolgas also supplies in a wide variety of formats from the smallest auto aftermarket disposable cans through to bulk tankers for industrial customers. Coolgas is an EPA approved refrigerant reclaimer. The Coolgas, Inc. headquarters are located 40 miles north of Houston, Texas. For more information visit www.coolgas.com

Global Expansion Continues With US Deal

The Bristol Post
Michael Ribbeck
August 8 2012

A-Gas buys disposal specialist

A company based in Portishead which specializes in supplying gases used in refrigeration has just completed its fourth takeover this year.

A-Gas has gone on its acquisition spree as part of a strategy to expand into international markets.

The firm is already one of the world's largest suppliers of refrigerated gases, environmental services and specialty gases and chemicals.

The company, which also has offices in Bristol, has bough United States based RemTec International in its latest deal. The firm specializes in disposing of harmful gases.

The value of the deal was not made public but it took place with support from private equity specialist LDC, which invested in the firm in April 2011.

RemTec was set up in 1986 and provides products and services inolved in managing Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and substances high in Global Warming Potential (GWP) across the world. 

As part of the expansion plan A-Gas has now got a presence in the Middle East, China, Australia and India as well as Latin America.

RemTec has contracts with organizations all over the world to remove, recycle and remarket halocarbons.

The acquisition of RemTec follows on from similar acquisitions of Australian-based Technochem in March and SA Rural in May, and UK based A-Zone Technologies in April.

John Rutley, chairman of A-Gas International, said, "The acquisition of RemTec is another great example of our ambition to grow the business on a global scale."

"RemTec brings a market leadership position in Halons and a strong platform for growth in refrigerants; we believe that there is real scope to build further upon RemTec's success to date in North America, whilst also driving value across the enlarged group."

Ian Podmore of LDC added: "2012 has been an exceptionally busy year to date for A-Gas. RemTec is the fourth strategic acquisition completed by the business this year and not only strengthens their existing position in the global refrigerant market but also gives the business real scale within the USA."

"The transaction brings many strategic benefits to A-Gas and is part of an agreed strategy to rapidly expand and build the business both through organic investment and bolt-on acquisitions. We will continue to work closely with the team to drive their amitious growth plans."

Yann Souillard, managing director of LDC South Region, added: "LDC's South team has worked in close conjunction with the management team to support their ambitious 'buy and build' growth strategy. As part of our investment commitment, LDC works closely with our investment portfolio to provide expertise and follow-on funding when the right target companies become available."

West Gas Firm Expands With Buying Spree

Western Daily Press
9 August 2012

A company based in Portishead which specializes in supplying gases used in refrigeration has just completed its fourth takeover this year.

A-Gas has gone on its acquisition spree as part of a strategy to expand into international markets.

The firm is already one of the world's largest suppliers of refrigerated gases, environmental services and specialty gases and chemicals.

The company, which also has offices in Bristol, has bough United States based RemTec International in its latest deal. The firm specializes in disposing of harmful gases.

The value of the deal was not made public but it took place with support from private equity specialist LDC, which invested in the firm in April 2011.

RemTec was set up in 1986 and provides products and services inolved in managing Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and substances high in Global Warming Potential (GWP) across the world. 

As part of the expansion plan A-Gas has now got a presence in the Middle East, China, Australia and India as well as Latin America.

RemTec has contracts with organizations all over the world to remove, recycle and remarket halocarbons.

The acquisition of RemTec follows on from similar acquisitions of Australian-based Technochem in March and SA Rural in May, and UK based A-Zone Technologies in April.

John Rutley, chairman of A-Gas International, said, "The acquisition of RemTec is another great example of our ambition to grow the business on a global scale."

The Coalition for Responsible Fire Protection September Conference

US seafood company to pay $700,000 for R22 violations

USA: One of the USA's largest seafood companies has agreed to pay a $700,000 fine for illegally importing R22 and committing other clean air violations.

The settlement, outlined in a consent decree lodged by the US Department of Justice on behalf of the US Environmental Protection Agency, concerns the improper release and illegal import of ozone depleting refrigerants.

American Seafoods Co and Pacific Longline Co, both subsidiaries of the American Seafoods Group have agreed to phase out the use of ozone depleting refrigerants, implement a comprehensive leak detection and repair programme aboard a number of their vessels and pay a $700,000 penalty to resolve federal Clean Air Act violations.



Between 2006 and 2009, American Seafoods Company and Pacific Longline Company used R22 as a refrigerant in industrial refrigeration units aboard its fishing vessels. American Seafoods illegally imported 70,000 kg of R22 refrigerant to the United States without holding valid allowances. 



The companies were also said to have failed to repair refrigerant leaks in a timely manner; failed to verify adequacy of repairs to its refrigeration systems; having inadequate records of repair service on refrigerant system and using uncertified employees to perform refrigerant-related work.

In addition to the penalty, the companies will spend an estimated $9m to $15m to convert refrigeration systems on several vessels to operate using non-ozone depleting refrigerants. The companies have also purchased and retired R22 allowances to offset the harm caused by their illegal importation.


American Seafoods Company is one of the country's largest seafood harvesters and at-sea processors of pollock, hake, cod, scallops and yellowfin sole. The company sells its products in the United States, Asia and Europe. American Seafoods Company and Pacific Longline Company are based in Seattle.

The cost of keeping your home cool is rising

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With the heat we're feeling, many homeowners are discovering that it's gotten a lot more expensive to keep their homes cool.

The cost of cooling homes is rising because the cost of the Freon gas used in most air conditioners is skyrocketing. The reason -- new EPA regulations.

The next time you call someone like Danny Crimmens to come fix your air conditioner, be prepared for sticker shock when you get the bill.

Repairing leaky air conditioners has never been as expensive as it is right now.

The problem is the rising cost of R-22 Freon gas, the most common coolant used in both home and business air conditioners for some 40 years. In 2010, the EPA began phasing out R-22 because of concerns that it damaged the ozone layer.

"So what everybody did is agreed that beginning in 2010, they would start phasing out R-22, and phase it out over a 10-year period through 2010-2020," said Richard Ciresi, president of AireServ Heating and Cooling.

But then, last year, the EPA changed the rules. Instead of phasing out R-22 at a rate of 10 percent per year, the EPA proposed an immediate 35 percent reduction.

"Well, the moment that proposal hit the street, the price of the refrigerant R-22 tripled literally overnight," said Ciresi.

Tripled from about eight-dollars a pound to 25-dollars a pound. And much of that cost is being passed on to consumers.

"Our price just escalated wildly, some of which we tried to absorb to help our customers."

And it's going to get worse before it gets better. The closer we get to 2020, the more scarce and more expensive R-22 gas will become.

So, many homeowners will face a dilemma -- whether to pay the skyrocketing cost of repairing an older air conditioner, or buying a newer model that does not use R-22 gas.

"If someone has an old R-22 unit and maybe it needs a $500-600 repair, it's probably time to start looking at going ahead and replacing it because the next repair may be $1000 or $1200. We don't know what that number is going to be," said Ciresi.

If your air conditioner was installed before around 1997, it's more likely that it uses R-22 gas. The good news is that modern units are more efficient, and you'll save on your energy bill.

Copyright 2012 WDRB News. All Rights Reserved.

Dangerous counterfeit R-134a

By Elvis L. Hoffpauir, President and COO MACS Worldwide

Last December, MACS circulated a press release from member company Neutronics Inc’s. Refrigerant Analysis Division, warning about counterfeit R-134a refrigerant contaminated with significant quantities of R-40 (aka methyl chloride or chloromethane). R-40 is extremely toxic, flammable and highly reactive when exposed to aluminum. In some cases R-40 may react with aluminum to form a third, highly unstable compound (trimethylaluminum or TMA) that ignites in contact with air.

This counterfeit R-134a mixed with R-40 and other refrigerants has apparently been purposely designed to mimic pure R-134a at a substantially reduced cost, the likely motivation of the counterfeiters. Current refrigerant identifiers, certified to SAE J1771, are not designed to directly identify R-40.

Prior to issuing the warning, Neutronics had been engaged by the oceangoing shipping industry to assist with an R-134a refrigerant contamination problem involving R-40 that resulted in three deaths in three separate incidents. Since that time Neutronics has been working with the Army, which positively identified R-134a contaminated with R-40 in Army depot supplies. Ground combat and tactical vehicles serviced in Afghanistan and Iraq have been affected, and while the Army does not currently know the depth of contamination, it suspects that vehicles and reclaimed supplies may be contaminated.

At an April 25 meeting of Society of Engineers Interior Climate Control Standards Committee, Peter Coll, MACS director and vice president of Neutronics Refrigerant Analysis, provided field test data from 30 samples of recovered refrigerant from both vehicle and commercial applications. R-40 contamination levels of the samples ranged from less than one percent to 10.1 percent. All of the samples tested also contained other refrigerants including hydrocarbons, R-22 and R-12.

Army representatives asked that the SAE Committee form a working group to develop procedures to identify and isolate contaminated vehicles and equipment, as well as ways to safely service vehicles to return them to mission-ready status.

It should be noted that these contaminated refrigerant systems can pose a major safety issue to those working on them. Currently the industry is working on, but has not determined, the best service procedures to be used. Contaminated systems can damage recovery and recycling equipment, and can result in the requirement to replace all vehicle refrigerant circuit components.

At an April 24 meeting on R-40 in Australia organized by Michael Bennett, general manager of Refrigerant Reclaim Australia, industry representatives discussed the discovery of the counterfeit refrigerant in newly manufactured equipment imported from China. Very high levels of corrosion were said to be present in these systems, and it is thought that rapid corrosion takes place once a contaminated system is installed and operated. Like the SAE and others, this group is working to gain a better understanding of the potential extent of the contamination in order to develop an appropriate plan to manage the threat.

Ron Henselmans, vice chairman of Mobile A/C Partners Europe and editor-in-chief at “Automotive A/C Reporter,” first reported R-40 contamination found in Europe in his March, 2011 issue.
In December, 2011 R-40 contamination had not yet been discovered in North America, but in April 2012 lab tests confirmed the presence of R-40 in a number of containers of recovered refrigerant in the U.S. With the confirmation from the military that infected vehicles have invaded our shores, containment actions are of paramount importance. This problem has been seen in many parts of the world having much smaller mobile A/C fleets, so there is the potential for the same problem in the North American market.

While there is no reason to believe that this contamination is currently widespread in this market, its existence serves as one more reason service shops should remain vigilant and purchase their refrigerant from authorized distributors of their chosen refrigerant manufacturer.

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society’s blog has been honored as the best business to business blog in the Automotive Aftermarket by the Automotive Communications Awards and the Car Care Council Women’s Board!

When having your mobile A/C system professionally serviced, insist on proper repair procedures and quality replacement parts. Insist on recovery and recycling so that refrigerant can be reused and not released into the atmosphere.

If you’re a service professional and not a MACS member yet, you should be, click here for more information.

You can E-mail us at macsworldwide@macsw.org or visit http://bit.ly/cf7az8 to find a Mobile Air Conditioning Society member repair shop in your area. Visit http://bit.ly/9FxwTh to find out more about your car’s mobile A/C and engine cooling system.
The 33rd annual Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide Training Conference and Trade Show, Be the Best of the Best will take place February 7-9, 2013 at the Caribe Royale, Orlando, FL.

RemTec International: Full Service Halon, Refrigerant & Clean Agent Specialist

RemTec Launches New Website!

Check out RemTec's new website! We have updated the look and and usability for the convenience of our customers and future customers. Thanks for visiting!
www.remtec.net

California Home Service Contract Association Reports: Value of Home Service Contracts Increases in Wake of EPA Proposal to Reduce Allowances of Freon(R)

VAN NUYS, Calif., May 17, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As a steady increase in the price of a common air conditioning refrigerant prompts a spike in maintenance costs for homeowners across California and the nation, the California Home Service Contract Association (CHSCA) reports home service contracts are increasing in value.

On Jan. 1, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed a ban on the manufacture of new air conditioners using R-22, a refrigerant more commonly known as Freon(R), because of its ozone depleting effects. The use of R-22 was not banned, but allowances were dictated on its future manufacture and in order to service existing home air conditioners.

Then on Jan. 4 of this year, the EPA proposed a rule that, if adopted, would significantly reduce production and distribution of Freon(R) by as much as 50 percent. This has significantly increased, and in many cases, more than doubled the price of Freon(R) in recent weeks, according to the CHSCA.

"The majority of the time our industry repairs an existing air conditioning system, R-22 is involved in that repair," Jeff Powell, chairman of the CHSCA, said. "That means the cost of repairing air conditioners has gone up significantly. However, because home service contracts cover service and repair to existing systems, and providers have generally not increased the price of those contracts, the value to consumers has increased."

Home service contracts generally provide service, repair or replacement for items such as dishwashers, ovens, disposers, electrical and plumbing systems -- and most importantly, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Many home service contract providers also offer a menu of optional items such as pool and spa equipment, well pumps, and free standing appliances such as refrigerators and clothing washers and dryers for an additional fee. Contracts do not cover pre-existing conditions, but provide service, repair or replacement for failures arising due to normal wear and tear during the contract period.

To learn more about home service contracts and providers in California, please visit http://www.homeservicecontract.org/california.htm .

About CHSCA
Members of the new CHSCA, which provide approximately 95 percent of all home service contracts in California, include 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, American Home Shield Corporation, BPG Home Warranty, Fidelity National Home Warranty Company, First American Home Buyers Protection, HMS National/Cross Country Home Services, Inc., Home Security of America, Inc., Home Warranty of America, Inc. and Old Republic Home Protection Co., Inc.

About the National Home Service Contract Association
The NHSCA is a non-profit 501((C)) (6) industry trade organization of member companies serving home service contract providers and consumer interests throughout the United States. To learn more about the NHSCA and to find answers to the most common questions regarding the purchase of home service contracts, visit www.homeservicecontract.org .
SOURCE: California Home Service Contract Association

        
        For California Home Service Contract Association 
        Jeff Powell, 818-374-7477 
        Art Ansoorian, 805-653-1648

R-22 Refrigerant Shortage Anticipated

by Michael Garry
Apr. 9, 2012
 
MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Because of a proposed revision late last year by the Environmental Protection Agency concerning the availability of R-22 refrigerant, “there’s a very good possibility the R-22 supply may not meet the demand,” said Ron Vogl, technical marketing manager for Honeywell Refrigerants here.

Vogl made those comments as the main presenter during a recent SN-hosted webinar, sponsored by Honeywell, on the R-22 phase-out and retrofitting refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.

As an ozone-depleting gas, R-22 has been subject to a federal phase-out that began in 2010 and will proceed through 2020. On Dec. 30, 2011, the EPA published a proposed rule that would remove an additional 30 million to 100 million pounds of R-22 from the marketplace between 2012 and 2014. The final EPA rule will be published later this year.

The EPA is projecting between 27 million and 43 million pounds of R-22 will be reclaimed by users in 2012 — not enough to meet demand, Vogl said. Supply concerns and price increases have “caused a little bit of angst” among retailers, he noted. “Supermarkets are aggressively looking to retrofit away from this refrigerant.”

In selecting a replacement refrigerant, Vogl pointed to several criteria: capacity, efficiency, mass flow, global warming potential, superheat and oil return. A new refrigerant must continue to be miscible with lubricant oil so that the oil can protect the compressor. “Lubricant selection is refrigerant/system/compressor specific and critical to a successful project,” he said.

Some supermarket chains going after efficiency are using the R-407 series refrigerants as a replacement, said Vogl. “If you reduce leaks and charge size in a conventional system using the 407 series, you get competitive from an environmental standpoint with some of the newer systems.”

Refrigerant shortage driving AC repair costs up

Shortage of R-22 refrigerant driving costs up; could require new AC units for some

By Bruce Henderson
bhenderson@charlotteobserver.com 

The soaring cost of some refrigerants will mean sharply higher air-conditioner repair costs this spring, experts say, adding a bit of gloom to this week’s early bloom.

The refrigerant known as R-22 is being phased out because it eats Earth’s protective ozone layer. R-22 air conditioners were made until 2010, and millions still operate.

But owners who need to replace leaked refrigerant this year are in for a nasty surprise: R-22 prices have tripled since January. Homeowners who would have paid $100 to recharge an R-22 system last year can now expect to pay $300 to $350, says an industry group, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America.

It could get much worse, as Charlotte’s Tracy Lee found Friday.

An evaporator coil rusted in one of his home’s cooling units, installed in 2005, and leaked its refrigerant. The repair technician “said the most expensive part of the repair was the refrigerant,” Lee said.

He barely exaggerated. The $1,958 estimate included five pounds of R-22 at $188 a pound, nearly half the repair cost.

Industry officials expect the price spike to smooth out over time – but not before July, in the depths of hot weather.

“In the meantime, I’m going to be caught in the crosshairs,” said Lee, whose house has two other air conditioning units of the same vintage.

AC service companies are scrambling to make sure they can serve their customers.

“For customers, it means they’re going to pay a lot more than they did last year,” said Morris-Jenkins owner Dewey Jenkins, “and going into the summer no one knows, there might not be enough” R-22.

Jenkins’ company, sensing trouble, stockpiled enough R-22 to take care of its customers who are under maintenance contracts. Jenkins estimated that a typical service call might cost an extra $80 to $120 this year.

Replacing a unit’s full R-22 charge with the newer alternative called R-410A, he said, would cost $1,000 to $1,200.

Brothers’ Roger Costner said his company is still working on pricing, but estimates a typical service call might cost an extra $50 this spring. He does not expect suppliers to run out of R-22 because he anticipates it to be increasingly recycled.

But AC experts say some customers will be faced with hard choices about older R-22 units with serious problems such as leaking components.

“Our thinking is if they do have a major issue with their system, they really should consider paying for a new system,” Costner said. New units will cool more efficiently and are likely to have longer warranties than older ones, he said, helping recoup their costs.

Josh Franks learned Friday that he falls into that unfortunate group. Franks paid $289 to recharge the R-22 in his 12-year-old air-conditioning unit, for the second time in two years.

With a slow leak in the unit, Franks said, “it looks like I’ll have to spend a whole lot more to put in a whole new system.” The repairman quoted a new system at $5,500.

The industry has known for years that R-22 supplies would slowly shrink under terms of a 1987 international agreement on ozone-depleting chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency sets new manufacturing limits about every five years.

But even a year ago, the refrigerant was plentiful and selling at record lows.

“Nobody really knows how much is out there, or how we got from a glut to uncertainty” about supplies, said Charlie McCrudden, vice president for government relations at the Air Conditioning Contractors of America.

Last August the EPA, prompted by a lawsuit, proposed reducing manufacturing volumes this year. In December, the agency proposed cutting manufacturing capacity by up to 47 percent for 2012 to 2014, in part to encourage reuse of existing stocks.

That created “a frenzy” that drove prices upward, McCrudden said. He predicts it will be July before the issue is settled.

“I think everybody got spooked,” he said. “I don’t think EPA intended to create this type of price spike and upheaval.”

Henderson: 704-358-5051

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/03/16/3104020/refrigerant-shortage-driving-ac.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/03/16/3104020/refrigerant-shortage-driving-ac.html#storylink=cpy