Around the Nation

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Jon Seeley, Affil.AIRAH

1 POP IT IN YOUR QUOTE

The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has partnered with Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to produce a brochure that promotes the value of always using a licensed RAC technician.

As well as raising awareness of the industry, it is intended to help improve recovery rates from residential systems at end of life. One of the barriers for recovery is price. If an installer charges for the time spent recovering refrigerant from an old system, they will very likely lose out to someone who doesn’t.

“We all know how difficult it can be for a licensed technician to compete on price with someone who may be cutting corners, not recovering used refrigerants, and trimming the price accordingly,” says ARC CEO Glenn Evans. “To help redress that balance, fridgies can attach this brochure to their quotes to explain that only ARCtick licensed technicians safely and legally recover gases from fridges, air conditioners and heat pumps.” The brochure is available as a free download from the ARC and RRA websites for licensed technicians to include with their digital quotes. Go to www.arcltd.org.au/technical-services ■

2 GLOBAL EXPANSION FOR SIMPRO

Trade business management software company simPRO has opened two new office spaces in Singapore and the Netherlands. The two new offices employ six local team members in sales, business development and implementation consultant positions. simPRO also has locations in Brisbane, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Broomfield, CO; and St. Ives, UK.

“Our new office locations in Singapore and the Netherlands represent strategic growth of the simPRO brand and cements our global leadership position in trade business software,” says simPRO CEO Sean Diljore. “simPRO’s move into these high-growth markets builds on our core mission to help trade businesses that are essential small businesses for communities to grow and thrive.” The openings of these locations were under development prior to the COVID pandemic, which caused the plans to be put on hold. According to simPRO, this provided an opportunity to put more time and research into the regions under consideration. It also allowed more time for customer contacts to be made and demand for field management software to grow. Go to www.simprogroup.com/au ■

3 TTRA READY TO GROW

As of July 1, 2022, Tri Tech Refrigeration Australia (TTRA) is operating as an independent business unit under the Climatech Group umbrella. “It marks an exciting turning point for TTRA as they embark on their next phase of growth, capitalising on the incredible tailwinds the industry is experiencing at present,” says the company. After much deliberation, TTRA founder Greg Atkinson selected Climatech Group as the partner to help position TTRA as a leading refrigeration company in Australia.

According to TTRA, the company has a depth of experience in the deployment of sustainable natural refrigerants, while TTRA are experts in the deployment of zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) refrigeration solutions for a plethora of projects – food processing, cold storage and distribution, pharmaceuticals, mine cooling, gas and chemical. Together, Climatech Group and TTRA say they intend to offer innovative, environmentally friendly systems, utilising zero-ODP refrigerant solutions, to both industrial and commercial spaces. Go to ttra.com.au ■

4 HALF‑TON UP FOR SEELEY

Seeley International is celebrating its golden jubilee in 2022 – 50 years of manufacturing air conditioning and heating solutions. With its global headquarters in Australia, more than 500 employees and three manufacturing facilities, Seeley International exports to more than 100 countries around the world through its global distributor network. The company also has sales offices in the US, UK, France, Italy and South Africa, and has delivered millions of installations around the globe. The company says its large R&D investment is focused on energy efficiency, emissions reduction, peak demand reduction, improved health and biological control, as well as extreme climate performance capability. “2022 is an exciting year for us, because it marks 50 years of Seeley International – a golden anniversary that is immensely gratifying,” says Frank Seeley, Affil.AIRAH, Founder and Executive Chairman.

Group Managing Director, Jon Seeley, Affil.AIRAH, says Seeley is looking forward to the next 50 years. “We have a key role to play in national and global emissions reduction, since conventional air conditioning is a major contributor to energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions,” says Jon Seeley. Go to www.seeleyinternational.com ■

5 BOOST FOR MAINTENANCE

AIRAH has partnered with field-servicing software provider Uptick to offer DA19 HVAC&R Maintenance as an integrated online solution. The partnership will allow Uptick to provide AIRAH’s DA19 inspection checklists, routine maintenance frequencies, and asset-class taxonomy to its premium customers. AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, says the partnership will help HVAC&R companies improve compliance and meet the expectations of facility managers to provide comprehensive service. “AIRAH is excited to enter into this partnership to integrate our DA19 HVAC&R Maintenance manual into an online solution,” Gleeson says. “This will help facilitate greater energy efficiency, system sustainability, better asset management, the digitisation of maintenance, and much more. Uptick CEO Aidan Lister says the partnership with AIRAH is another step towards his firm’s vision of making the compliance of every building in the world visible in real time.

“We’re excited to be the first software vendor to partner with AIRAH on DA19,” Lister says. “We look forward to the opportunities this presents our flagship customers to maintain their customers’ assets to the highest standards.” Go to www.airah.org.au/da_manuals/da19 ■

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Daniel Caruso from City Multi Jaymel Air Conditioning

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Taylor Hartman (right) with Kirby HVAC&R’s Sean Kelly

6 AIR QUALITY HITS HOME

A new indoor air quality study from Daikin has revealed more than half of Australians have experienced health issues due to poor air quality at home. The company says its Understanding indoor air quality in Australian homes research shows that humid conditions, poor ventilation and a lack of awareness of how to improve air quality at home is impacting the immune systems of millions of Australians.

The survey of more than 2,000 Australians was commissioned by Daikin in May 2022, and found that more than half of Australians (52 per cent) have experienced health concerns such as respiratory problems, asthma, allergy symptoms, poor sleep and headaches due to poor air quality at home. According to the findings, 84 per cent of Australians are concerned about indoor air quality, with COVID-19 contributing to 40 per cent of Australian adults changing the way they think about – and manage – air quality in their home. “While many Australians know that good indoor air quality is important,” says Dan Tosh, General Manager Marketing and e-commerce at Daikin Australia, “our research has found that some of the simplest choices and behaviours to improve indoor air at home go overlooked.” Go to daikin.com.au/articles/air-quality/ understanding-indoor-air-quality-australian-homes ■

7 FOUR ON THE TROT FOR MHIAA

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioner Australia (MHIAA) has been awarded the Canstar Blue 2022 Most Satisfied Customer Award for the fourth year in a row. Consumer review and comparison site Canstar Blue runs yearly independent surveys on Australian consumers across 300 different goods and services. As part of the 2022 review, more than 1,000 consumers were asked to rate air conditioning brands across the country. To take part in the survey, consumers must have purchased a new air conditioner in the past three years. They then list the brand and rate their experience across overall satisfaction; quietness; performance and reliability; ease of use; value for money; and functionality and features. In the 2022 awards, MHIAA outperformed all other brands to achieve a 5-star rating in five of the six categories in the survey. “Here at MHIAA we are extremely honoured to have received the Canstar Blue award for the fourth consecutive year,” says MHIAA Managing Director Yuji Ito. Go to mhiaa.com.au ■

8 SOUTHERN GUNS

The winners of the annual AIRAH South Australian Apprentice Awards were announced recently at a dinner function in Adelaide.

Sponsored this year by Kirby, Air Con Serve and Airefrig Australia, the event was an opportunity to recognise some of the brightest young talents in our industry. Nominees are put through a rigorous evaluation process, including interviews with members of AIRAH’s SA division committee.

Taking away the Apprentice of the year award was Taylor Hartman, from Oomiak. Evgeny Radzievskiy, Stud.AIRAH, from O’Connors, took out the Runner Up prize. The Encouragement Award went to Corey Kemp from Amertec Refrigeration. Scott Roberts from Control Air Australia scored the Airefrig Scholarship Award. Congratulations also to finalists Charlie Pietsch, Meg Weckert, Cooper Halliday and Jeb Tester. ■

9 DEALERS’ TIME TO SHINE

Mitsubishi Electric Australia recently hosted its Diamond Dealer Awards weekend at Daydream Island, marking the annual celebration of the company’s dealer network. The three-night event gathered business owners from across the nation and included a “white island party” and sports-themed evening featuring keynote speakers. Zane Barron, General Manager – Living Environment Group (LEG) National Sales, thanked guests for their loyalty, acknowledging how challenging the past two years had been. “The Diamond Dealer Awards is always a great opportunity to thank our incredible network, and this year we intentionally chose to do things differently,” said Barron. “After another unprecedented year for many, it was important for us to make sure our dealers left feeling appreciated and inspired. We look forward to another successful year ahead.” General Manager Awards for 2021–22 were presented to: • RAC, Brisbane Air – Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, accepted by Barney Lindner. • Mr Slim/Com-Pac, Elite Heating and Cooling, accepted by Fabian Muscat. • City Multi Jaymel Air Conditioning, accepted by Daniel Caruso (see photo). Go to www.mitsubishielectric.com.au ■

10 RELIABLE AGREES TO DEGREE C

Reliable Controls has added Degree C to its Australasian Dealer Network.

Degree C is a Tasmanian-based company with offices in Hobart, Launceston and Ulverstone. According to Reliable Controls, Degree C has grown from “humble beginnings” 45 years ago into a highly respected HVAC&R, electrical and industrial service provider with more than 285 employees statewide. Jason Duncan, the Australasian Regional Sales Manager for Reliable Controls, says the company has a very stringent process for new dealer applications to ensure all the Reliable Controls Authorised Dealers have professional, sustainable businesses and the technical aptitude to deliver high-quality outcomes. “When I met with the Degree C team, I could tell right away they were a top-level company,” says Duncan. “Their professionalism and processes coupled with strong values and a will to deliver quality outcomes was clear from the get-go. We are very excited about this new partnership.” Go to www.degreec.com.au ■