VOICES

INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

maintenance and optimisation. Long-term value is not only defined by the product itself, but by the quality of technical support, service capability and application expertise behind it.

A key part of this approach is supporting customers in selecting futureready technologies, including systems designed for low-GWP and natural refrigerants. This enables customers to reduce regulatory risk while ensuring long-term availability of components and alignment with evolving industry standards. Ultimately, the objective is to help customers protect their investment over the full lifecycle of the system – not just at the point of purchase.

In an increasingly complex technical and regulatory environment, this also means guiding customers towards solutions that remain efficient, compliant and serviceable over time. BITZER’ s digital ecosystem – including BITZER Software, BEST Software, ePARTS, the SPOT app and the BITZER Digital Network( BDN) – further supports accurate component selection, remote monitoring, efficient maintenance and improved operational transparency. The objective remains consistent: reliable operation, predictable performance and long-term investment security.

SERVICE EXCELLENCE: THE ROLE OF BITZER GREEN POINT SERVICES

BITZER Green Point Services also play

an important role in ensuring consistent

quality and reliability in the market.

They provide customers with access to

certified workshops, trained technicians

and standardised processes aligned with

global BITZER standards. This ensures that

compressors and components are serviced,

repaired and maintained according to the

correct technical requirements, which is

essential for maintaining performance and

extending equipment life.

For end users, this translates directly into

improved uptime, reduced risk of failure

and greater confidence in long-term system

performance.

Over the lifecycle of a system, components

such as spare parts and oil selection

are equally critical because they directly

influence mechanical integrity, lubrication

and thermal behaviour. Original components

are developed and tested together with the

compressor as part of a complete system.

This ensures compatibility, stable operating

conditions and predictable performance.

LIFECYCLE RELIABILITY / NON-GENUINE AND COPY COMPONENTS

Even small deviations, such as the use

of non-original components or incorrect

oils, can lead to increased wear, efficiency

losses and reduced compressor lifetime.

These effects typically develop gradually

but have a direct impact on lifecycle cost

and system reliability.

The growing presence of non-genuine or

copy components in the market is therefore

an important consideration for end users.

While these components may appear similar

externally, differences often exist in internal

design, material quality and manufacturing

standards. In practice, this can result in

reduced efficiency, increased wear and a

higher risk of premature failure.

There have been cases where

compressors entered the supply chain

without full traceability, with internal

differences such as reused components and

contaminated oil. This ultimately led to early

failure and increased lifecycle cost. Digital

tools and verified supply channels play an

important role in addressing this challenge.

They enable customers to identify the correct

components, ensure traceability and work

with qualified service partners – all of which

are essential for maintaining system integrity.

For customers, the focus should remain

on long-term reliability, traceability and

system performance rather than short-term

cost savings.

PRIORITIES FOR LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE

Looking ahead, maintaining reliable system

performance will require a proactive

and structured approach. Key priorities

include preventative maintenance to

minimise unplanned downtime, correct

commissioning practices to ensure optimal

performance from the start, and working

with qualified service partners.

In parallel, there is an increasing need

to adopt future-ready system designs,

particularly those based on low-GWP

and natural refrigerants, to reduce

regulatory exposure and ensure long-term

sustainability. The use of digital tools and

system monitoring further supports early

fault detection and ongoing optimisation.

Ultimately, refrigeration systems are critical

operational assets. Their value is defined by

their ability to deliver consistent, efficient,

compliant and reliable performance over time

– not simply by their initial cost. CLA

Even small deviations, such as the use of nonoriginal components or incorrect oils, can lead to increased wear, efficiency losses and reduced compressor lifetime.

APCE are looking at rolling out this effective yearly ASTI training programme where there is an ongoing forum for monitoring and assessing responders’ safety and effectiveness. Once every three years is just too long, we forget so easily.

The ASTI Response Training programme is a year-round training framework designed to strengthen ammonia emergency response readiness through a Triad( three groups of responders involved in an incident) collaboration between, one – industry( you the user); two – public safety( emergency response services); and three – local government( OHS Act regulations).

We have looked at this programme to adapt it to our environment where it follows a Triad leadership model of all the responding services aligning applicable standards, with an emphasis on the ability of the sites emergency staff, the OHS Act and SANS 10147 / Department of Employment and Labour( DEL) compliance and lastly the local emergency services.

The ASTI plan emphasises an active learning policy through monthly training sessions, online lessons, command team drills, tabletop exercises and scenariobased simulations to build confident and capable local ammonia facility and public safety command teams. It also incorporates standardised communication protocols and Incident Command System( ICS) procedures to support safe, consistent, and effective response operations across multiple activities as per SANS 1514 Site Response Plan. So how do we see this shaping up? Triad consideration of ammonia response training to attain shared vision for local response operations that address training topics.

The following 10 core ASTI topics are part of the training that requires to be addressed by the response groups to attain a shared vision for best-practice ammonia response operations.

• Emergency response planning and readiness for first responder‘ operations’ level parameters as per the Site Emergency’ s Response Pack.

• Hazard zone and command post setup.

• Hazard analysis and resource connection.

• Approved Facility Incident command training that integrates with disaster management expectations.

• Notification and response co-ordination.

• First responder briefing and task readiness.

• Technical response – facility command integration with local authorities.

• Ammonia exposure effects and decontamination.

• Medical triage and local medical facility engagement.

• Community readiness to address the challenges of an ammonia release.

Andrew Perks is a subject expert in ammonia refrigeration. Since undertaking his apprenticeship in Glasgow in the 1960s he has held positions of contracts engineer, project engineer, refrigeration design engineer, company director for a refrigeration contracting company and eventually owning his own contracting company and low temperature cold store. He is now involved in adding skills to the ammonia industry, is merSETA accredited and has written a variety of unit standards for SAQA that define the levels to be achieved in training in our industry.