www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I September 2023 7
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ACRA RECEIVES CONDENSATE PUMP DONATION FROM ECKERLE
The HVAC & R training academy , Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy ( ACRA ), on Friday 21 July received a generous donation of a condensate pump . German company Eckerle ’ s Benjamin Meyer , assistant director : sales and marketing , presented the pump to ACRA owner Grant Laidlaw , with local Consultaire dealership owner Dave Mitchell and RACA Journal in attendance . Accepting the donation , Laidlaw stressed the importance of such contributions as ensuring its many training courses were industry-led to ensure graduates acquired skills needed within the industry .
With an annual intake of 2 000 to 2 500 students , ACRA ' s reach extends throughout South Africa , excluding the Western Cape . The academy has recently expanded to Kimberley , with an official opening to be held shortly . Laidlaw similarly believes in the importance of government involvement and funding , and Kimberley was opened with extensive engagement with local authorities and the premier .
The idea for the donation came about when the various representatives met up at last year ’ s Frigair 2022 exhibition and identified the potential for collaboration . The donated demo unit allows students to familiarise themselves with the company ' s products and gain practical experience .
The evaporation pump , while a small component of an air conditioning installation , is essential in about 10 % of midwall installations , says Mitchell . The number of units requiring the pump varies around the world , but there has been an increase in demand over the past 21 years of pumps which to date seldom featured in training manuals .
Laidlaw says the donation of the condensate pump is a significant contribution to ACRA ' s training programmes , allowing students to gain hands-on experience with industry-standard
The donated Eckerle fine condensate pump .
All images by © Eamonn Ryan / RACA Journal
From left to right : Benjamin Meyer , Ecklerle assistant director sales and marketing ; Pauline Thangavaloo , Consultaire administrator ; Dave Mitchell , owner of Consultaire ( Eckerle Southern Africa distributor ); Grant Laidlaw , ACRA owner , and Anria Pieterse , ACRA admin manager
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I September 2023 7