IN A year which saw it make more acquisitions, Europe's largest refrigeration wholesaler G&L Beijer increased sales by 17% to £552m (SEK5,846.4m) in 2011. Acquisitions contributed £72m (SEK759m) to those sales and have strengthened G&L Beijer's position as the third biggest refrigeration wholesaler in the world.

IN ADDITION to being the largest producer of heating, ventilating and air conditioning products in the world, China is now also the largest market for hvac, a new report claims.

HITACHI has created a new company in Europe, specifically to look after its air conditioning business.

FOLLOWING the successful staging of the inaugural Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Show at the NEC last week, the exhibition organisers Faversham House Group have confirmed that it will become a regular biennial event in the industry's calendar.

EPEE, the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment, has welcomed the European Commission's publication of the ecodesign requirements for air conditioners and comfort fans but has called for effective policing of non-compliance and urged the Commission to swiftly conclude and adopt other ecodesign rules for critical products, such as boilers and water heaters.

THE group battling to save the Grimsby Ice Factory is appealing for financial help in its efforts to preserve the crumbling building and the unique and historically significant refrigeration equipment it contains.

THE coroner who conducted the inquest into the death of the New Zealand firefighter killed in the 2008 Tamahere coldstore explosion has called on the New Zealand government to introduce a licensing scheme for refrigeration engineers involved in the installation or handling of hydrocarbon refrigerants. In his findings following the September 2011 inquest, coroner Peter Ryan also recommended a scheme for the licensing and inspection for installations using hazardous substances posing a significant threat to life or property.

WITH the EC taking measures towards decreasing the use of HFCs, the European contractors body AREA has called for compulsory training on the use of low GWP refrigerants.

IRISH LED lighting specialist Nualight has entered into a "co-development alliance" with US refrigerated display case manufacturer Hussmann in a deal reported to be worth $100m. The announcement follows a partnership deal signed at the end of February with Sainsbury's to supply lighting in refrigerated cases across all new and refurbished stores.

Daikin's Dutch subsidiary has announced an agreement to acquire ServiceNed, a Dutch company involved in the service and maintenance of chillers and applied cooling equipment in data rooms.