NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
P
eter Hoetmer of Metraclark has
compiled a training course for
people in the HVAC&R sector to
make them aware of the special
requirements for handling hydrocarbon
refrigerants in a commercial
environment.
Although many may think that
hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants will only
be coming into the local market in the
distant future, they are already here. HCs
such as isobutene (R600a) and propane
(R290) can be found in various HVAC&R
applications — often unbeknown to the
technician having to work on such.
It’s not just domestic refrigerators (now
charged with R600a). Even Transfrig has
developed a transport refrigeration unit
charged with R290. Equipment such
as self-contained ice cream vending
cabinets charged with either propane or
isobutene are also being imported.
As these refrigerants fall into the A2L
category of ‘flammable’ refrigerants,
it is vital that technicians and anyone
who works on these systems, understand
how to do so safely. That is why training
and educating the market on working
with HCs is so necessary — especially
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those who operate in a commercial
environment.
HC is a natural gas and by law must
have a limited charge, but even so, it
can be very dangerous if not handled
correctly. A domestic fridge charged
with R600a exploded in Pretoria in 2016
and caused extensive damage to the
house, even blowing out the windows.
That is why safety requirements are
so stringent when working with HCs.
When being used in larger areas such
as supermarkets, the same safety
precautions need to be adhered to.
Both R600a and R290 are efficient
refrigerants with a global warming potential
(GWP) of below five and are often
seen as a viable option towards ‘green’
refrigeration. As with all other so-called
hazardous refrigerants, if handled correctly,
they do not present an undue threat.
That is why Hoetmer, who has
many years of on-the-job and training
experience (he used to be a full-time
trainer at the OTTC training centre in
Springs), has developed a course on
HCs and is currently presenting it to
Metraclark’s client base throughout
the country.
Hydrocarbons training for
commercial environment
Hydrocarbons are being used more and more in supermarkets — that is why training is so important.
The training takes place at select Metraclark branches as
well as at their head office in Benrose. The HC course has a
specific focus on R290 and 600a. CLA
Beijer Ref buys its third
SA wholesaler, TecsaReco
t the end of January, refrigeration
wholesaler Beijer Ref’s proposed
acquisition of Tecsa was given
the green light by the Competition
Commission South Africa (CompCom SA).
Beijer Ref announced its binding
agreement to acquire Tecsa, owned
by Westbrooke Investment, in October
2017. CompCom SA, the South African
competition authority, has now confirmed
that the acquisition will not affect the
competitive situation in the South African
refrigeration market. However, the
decision specifies that two of the 25 Tecsa
branches in South Africa, in Polokwane
and Rustenburg, must be sold.
Competition authorities in Botswana
and Namibia are still to decide, but
their decisions, it is said, will only have a
marginal impact on the deal, as more
than 95% of Tecsa’s operations are in
the South African market. Tecsa has one
branch in each of those two countries.
Pleased to have received clearance,
Beijer Ref CEO Per Bertland commented:
“There is great market potential in
southern Africa and expanding our
presence in South Africa with another
superior company is in line with our
strategy.”
Tecsa trades as TecsaReco with a
wide range of products and brands
within commercial and domestic
refrigeration, air conditioning, and spare
parts for domestic appliances.
The purchase price is expected to
be between EUR26.6m and EUR31.3m.
In total, TecsaReco has more than 300
employees, and gross sales in 2016
amounted to approximately EUR45.4m.
Beijer Ref says Tecsa will continue to be
operated as a standalone business in its
COLD LINK AFRICA • March | April 2018
current form. It will supplement Beijer Ref’s
existing subsidiary wholesalers in South
Africa, namely Eurocool and Metraclark.
“Everybody at TecsaReco is extremely
excited to be joining the Beijer team,”
says Alan Brown, managing director of
TecsaReco. “Being part of such a large
worldwide organisation that understands
our industry so well can only bode well for
the future. TecsaReco has a very diverse
product range and the fact that Beijer is
interested in that very diversity means that all
of our product divisions will continue to show
remarkable growth,” adds Brown. CLA
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
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