HFC refrigerant prices show further falls

European demand for HFC refrigerants has dropped and prices continue to decrease from the highs of 2018, according to a new report.

The latest price monitoring report from Öko-Recherche reveals that the demand for HFCs in Q2 of 2019 was lower than in the previous quarter and prices have again decreased.

Average prices, however, are still several times higher than before the HFC phase-down was implemented. For service companies, this means that purchase prices of R404A are 900% more than in the baseline year of 2014, R410A is 800% more, R407C 700% more and R134a 500% more.

Prices for most lower GWP alternatives and natural refrigerants are said to have remained unchanged or slightly decreased.

Chinese factory to produce commercial air conditioners

Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning, a leading global air conditioning manufacturer, is to invest $US135m in the relocation and expansion of its factory in Wuhu, Anhui Province, China.

The factory, opened by Hitachi in 2002, currently specialises in manufacturing residential air conditioners for the China and Japanese markets. The opening of new areas in the east of the Wuhu Economic and Technological Development Area have now created an opportunity to relocate the facility to a larger site and significantly expand its capabilities.

The new manufacturing facility will add commercial air conditioning products and components to its residential air conditioning manufacturing capabilities.

The new factory is scheduled to be completed in May 2021 with production commencing January 2022.