Around the Nation 1
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1 ARBS MOVES TO 2022
Made from a thermoset phenolic material, KoolDuct is claimed to have exceptional fire performance, demonstrating low flame spread, smoke emissions and toxicity emissions under fire.
After first moving to February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ARBS has now been rescheduled to April 27–29, 2022, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Go to www.kingspan.com/au/en-au ■
3 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE
“The decision to postpone ARBS 2021 was not entered into lightly, and took into account the local and global concerns about COVID-19 as well as federal and state government advice,” says ARBS exhibition manager Sue Falcke.
Fridgies could find it easier to do business across state and territory borders as part of a new government plan for automatic recognition.
“We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our exhibitors, speakers, award finalists and visitors; however, we must prioritise the health and safety of all attendees. We wish to thank everyone for their continued support and understanding during such uncertain times.”
The proposal, announced by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, will cover trades such as RAC workers, electricians and plumbers, as well as a raft of other licensed occupations. The reforms have been agreed to by federal, state and territory treasurers, and a framework will now be developed by the Council on Federal Financial Relations (CFFR).
In the meantime, some ARBS activities will shift online, as several new digital events will be introduced over the coming months. This will include the ARBS 2020 Awards ceremony. Go to: www.arbs.com.au ■
2 KOOL ALLIANCE Insulation specialist Kingspan has announced Ductus as its new national distribution partner for KoolDuct. “The phenolic based KoolDuct insulation board, produced in our Somerton, Victoria, facility, is a real game-changer for the HVAC market, and we are excited to make it more readily available to Australian consumers through our new partnership with Ductus,” says Kingspan managing director Scott Gibson.
The Kirby Apprentice Fund has celebrated its first anniversary. The fund accumulated $6,065 in donations with 83 HVAC&R apprentices registered across 63 companies. The fundraising efforts made by Kirby staff, customers and suppliers CPS, Supercool Group, Testo, Fieldpiece, HLP Controls, Danfoss, Emerson, Tesuco, Sauermann, VetoProPak and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, have enabled the fund to distribute inaugural packs containing trade tools,
It weighs up to 75 per cent less than ductwork constructed from conventional galvanised sheet steel and bulk insulation – this makes it ideal for refurbishment projects, where existing building structures have insufficient load capacities for new services. |
HVAC&R Nation
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www.airah.org.au/nation
The government hopes to have the scheme up and running by January 1, 2021, subject to legislation being established in states and territories. CFFR will report back to National Cabinet in October 2020 on its progress. ■
4 KIRBY CUTS THE CAKE
According to Kingspan, KoolDuct is the only premium performance pre-insulated ductwork in the world to be UL Listed as a Class 1 Air Duct under the UL 181 Standard for Safety when fabricated to the UL specification.
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Although mutual recognition already exists for some occupations and jurisdictions, workers need to apply for recognition in another state or territory, pay fees and sometimes meet extra requirements. The “red-tape reduction” reforms will allow individuals who hold an occupational licence in one Australian jurisdiction to undertake equivalent work in another jurisdiction under the same licence.
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Spring 2020
maintenance product, merchandise and literature valued at over $450 each to every apprentice registered up to June 30, 2020. South Australia and Northern Territory-based Sims Refrigeration was one business that embraced the intent of the fund early and registered nine apprentices. “Sims was pleased to have supported the Kirby Apprentice Fund through the purchase of Kirby T-shirts,” says owner David Sims, M.AIRAH. “Kirby is an active industry member, having trained our technicians in CO2 systems technology, so it made sense to support them in this excellent initiative. I encourage all business owners to register their apprentices and support the Kirby Apprentice Fund.” Go to: www.kirbyhvacr.com.au ■
5 DEALER DELIGHT Mitsubishi Electric Australia has celebrated its best dealers across the nation and within each state and territory at this year’s Dealer Awards. Although the event was hosted virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions, Mitsubishi Electric Australia says that the sentiment behind acknowledging its most valued dealers and the company’s successes remained the same as previous years. “Mitsubishi Electric Australia recognises the hard work of our dealer network throughout the last 12 months, and so now is a time to reflect and celebrate the past achievements and talk about where the company is going in the future,” says Zane Barron, general manager – LEG national sales, Mitsubishi Electric Australia. “All considered, The Diamond Dealers enjoyed another strong year of sales over the last financial year and whilst we’ve been struck with some difficult circumstances, the company continues to stay on track with business growth and targets. “The number of dealers working with us has increased and is a testament to the great products on offer, particularly in our ducted product category and the strong after-sales support that we provide to all our customers.” Go to: www.mitsubishielectric.com.au ■
