ACR Journal

June | July 2021 Volume 7 No.4 EDITOR/CONTENTS 04 World Refrigeration Day is just around the corner with its focus this year on creating a legacy to attract new blood into our industry. In what will be a programme of fantastic events, as we start to move out of the restrictions that suppressed last year’s celebrations, we have to ask ourselves - are we doing enough collectively throughout the rest of the year to make our industry attractive to a young audience? I’d be interested to hear what schemes and approaches are taking place. The comments I have received from people contributing to this edition are that even though enhancements in product technology and automated diagnostics help bridge our self-declared skills gap, it is in no way adequate to replace the fundamental training provided by our institutions and training providers. The consensus being that product-specific activity plays a key role, but an appropriate level of core training is essential. Appropriate being a choice word and a discussion for another time. Elsewhere, Brexit has caused quite a bit of confusion in terms of F-Gas quotas, with some contractors and wholesalers struggling to understand the government’s guidance for compliance with the UK F-Gas quota, its purchasing and reporting. Equipment and refrigerant manufacturers have to find alternative supply routes to avoid expensive duplicate costs, especially where business in Northern Ireland is concerned. Smaller wholesalers who import equipment from organisations with an EU presence but not directly in the UK are, for the most part, left with little or reluctant assistance in obtaining F-Gas quota allocation from their suppliers. This is simply due to the lack of a clear understanding across the supply chain. Finally, it’s a pleasure to feature Linda McVittie in Women in ACR for this edition. Linda is a well-respected industry advocate and, hopefully, we can learn from the hard work that people like this have carried out to make our industry more diverse, and channel those ideas into attracting that new generation. I hope you enjoy this edition of ACR Journal, Andy REGULARS 6. News Key industry updates 12. Tools Talk 26. Mitsubishi Electric What skills have you learnt during lockdown? 38. Design Focus Using all that lovely heat 40. Women in ACR Linda McVittie of J&E Hall 42. Changing Faces Who’s new and who’s moved 44. The Innovation Zone The latest products and launches 46. Chilly Chatter 29 14 22