MechChem Africa August 2017

August 2017

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MechChem Africa

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Heating, cooling, ventilation and air conditioning

⎪

-Gas South Africa is segmented

into five business units, namely

Refrigerants, Environmental Ser-

vices, Industrial Special Products,

Fire Protection and Performance Chemicals.

“Through the wider A-Gas network, we see

ourselves as being able to think globally and

deliver locally. Our global knowledge and

reach, combined with significant investment

in bulk storage, equipment and cylinders, en-

sures we can deliver the latest technologies

and products,” says MD Johnny Scott.

The growing trend for environment-

friendly products has resulted inA-Gas South

Africa actively promoting ‘cradle-to-grave’

product stewardship. “Wehaveauniqueenvi-

ronmental service offering, whereby custom-

ers have the option to return unwanted and/

or contaminated refrigerants to be recycled

or destroyed,” Scott continues.

This is a clear example of the company’s

commitment to ensuring that the local

HVACR industry remains up-to-datewith the

latesttrendsanddevelopments.Inthisregard,

A-Gas South Africa remains at the forefront

of technological development within the

industry.

“We have the added benefit of sharing

skills and experiences from more developed

and advancedmarkets that theGroup has es-

tablished over the past 20-plus years. During

this time, A-Gas hasbuilt upa respectedbrand

both locally and globally, a brand associated

with quality product and high levels of ser-

vice,” he adds.

A-Gas South Africa has also played a lead-

ing role in ensuring that the local HVACR

industry meets the requirements within the

regulatory framework established under the

Montreal Protocol, an international treaty

designed to protect the ozone layer by phas-

Celebrating its 20

anniversary this year, A-Gas South Africa’s is a global leader in the supply and

lifecycle management of refrigerant and service gases to the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning

and refrigeration (HVACR) industries. The company’s primary focus in South Africa is providing

total solutions to its diverse markets.

Total refrigerant solutions

for SA

ing out the production of the substances

responsible for ozone depletion.

The company was established in 1993 to

introduce ‘greener’ alternatives to traditional

CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), A-Gas South

Africa Commercial Director Chris Phillips

points out. “We specialise in the supply of the

latest environmentally acceptable refriger-

ants, in addition to developing world-class

recovery and reclamation facilities,” he says.

A-Gas South Africa is always cognisant

of the latest international developments in

the HVACR industry. For example, it hailed

the signing of the Kigali Amendment on

15 October 2016 as a “historic international

agreement” for the phasedownof commonly-

used, high GWP (Global Warming Potential)

refrigerants.

The Kigali Amendment includes: specific

targets and timetables to replaceHCFCswith

more environment-friendly alternatives; pro-

visions to prohibit or restrict countries that

have ratified the protocol or its amendments

from trading in controlled substances with

states that are yet to ratify it; and an agree-

ment by developed countries to help finance

the transitionof poor countries to alternative

safer products.

In particular, African countries opted

to phase down the chemicals faster than

required, citing the grave threats the region

faces due to climate change. “We have been

able tomeet our target of reducing ourHCFC

consumption by 10% in 2015, and are com-

mitted to ensuringwemeet all of our targets,”

said SouthAfricanMinister of Environmental

Affairs, Bomo Edna Molewa .

The Kigali Amendment has divided the

world’s major economies into three groups,

eachwitha target phase-downdate. Themost

developed countries, including theUS and the

A-Gas MD,

Johnny Scott.

European Union, will reduce the production

and consumption of HCFCs from2019. Most

of theworld, includingChina, Brazil, and all of

Africa, will freeze the use of HCFCs by 2024.

Asmall groupof theworld’s hottest countries,

such as Bahrain, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait,

Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the

UAE, only have to halt HFC production and

use by 2028.

“We believe that the Kigali Amendment is

overwhelmingly good news for our business,

and will help strengthen and grow A-Gas

across all of our regions, as well as bringing

new and exciting business opportunities.

Robust international environmental policies,

together with the necessary level of enforce-

ment, are key drivers in the success of A-Gas

worldwide. With this latest announcement,

we see this continu-

ing to grow for many

years to come,” reveals

A-Gas group commer-

cial business devel-

opment director,

Ken Logan.

HFO-1234yf is

a new class of

refrigerant with

a global warming

potential (GWP)

335-times lower

than R-134a and

only four-times

higher than CO

It has similar

cooling properties

to R-134a,

commonly used

as an automotive

refrigerant.