ACR Journal

CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai acrjournal.uk 09 NEWS Clivet opens new European hub in Milan Air conditioning and heat pump manufacturer Clivet has opened a new European hub in Milan. The offices are on the first floor of the SuperLab Bicocca, a sustainable building refurbishment powered only by renewable sources and boasting LEED Gold certification. The new HQ will be dedicated largely to exports and also includes a new Clivet-Midea R&D hub, with another due to be opened in Padua later this year. The company says it plans to expand the number of employees at its new Milan offices from 16 to around 70 by 2024. The opening was attended by Danilo Oscar Lancini, a member of the European Parliament's International Trade (INTA) and Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committees and football legends Franco Baresi and Daniele Massaro representing AC Milan, a partner of Clivet. Clivet CEO Stefano Bellò said: "The building has features that reflect Clivet's DNA and our principles of sustainability and total well-being. First and foremost, I refer to the LEED Gold certification for energy performance and the ecological quality of the interiors, the resources and materials used, such as the recycled elements from the silicone rubber of the façade. The structure is also completely carbon-free. We believe it is the space with the right characteristics to represent the international expansion that is among our main goals.’’ Clivet's expansion plans will also be supported by the construction in Feltre of a new 30,000 square metre factory dedicated to the production of heat pumps, with 300 new employees to be hired during 2024. New owners for Hawco Distributor Hawco, along with sister company Abbeychart, has been acquired in a management buyout by Bay Tree Partners Private Equity. The Hawco group was previously owned for 20 years by Diploma PLC. Bay Tree says it intends to invest in Hawco to enable the business to take advantage of the opportunities to reach the next level of growth in both the UK and overseas markets. Martin Butler, managing director of Hawco, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time and a huge opportunity for the business. It will bring the tools needed to build further on the value-add services we offer, ensure we have the most up-to-date product offerings for our customers and expand on the success of our international sales, an area that is now core to the business.” Michael Simmonds, who joins the board with fellow Bay Tree partner Ed Cottrell, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Martin and his team to complete the management buyout of Hawco. We have been impressed by Hawco's depth of technical support for customers and by its strength in supplier relationships. Its resilience was proved during lockdown and with access to funding we believe it can build on this strong foundation.” Established in 1973, the acquisition coincides with Hawco celebrating 50 years of trading. ‘Significant concerns’ over EU F-Gas proposals FETA chair Mark Hughes says the EU approach to F-Gas regulations revision are a cause for significant concern in the UK. Speaking at the annual FETA lunch, Hughes, who is also president of the British Refrigeration Association (BRA), added that he was encouraged by the UK government's response. He said: "The EU is deep in the process of detailed negotiations around the revision of the F-Gas regulations which relates to refrigerant used in heat pumps, air conditioning and refrigerated products. "The process is not yet over, but it is fair to say that currently we have significant concerns that the EU may be focusing on legislation which, while reducing the global warming potential (GWP) for refrigerants, does so at the expense of the much bigger prize of energy efficiency. "It is in this area where our industry, given the flexibility around choice of technology, can make the biggest impact by reducing dependence on fossil fuels – the role of our heat pumps being a shining example. "There is no question that industry buys into where we need to be on Net Zero but there is a need to be pragmatic and ensure we do actually achieve the targets. I am therefore pleased to report that the UK Government is taking an approach where it seemingly wants to fully understand the impacts of potential proposals before acting.'' More than 600 people attended the event at The Brewery in London, and Hughes called on young professionals to become involved with FETA. He said: "In particular, we are keen to encourage people early in their careers to get involved where they can, not only to be at the forefront of influencing the development of the industry but also their own careers, bringing a direct benefit to their companies.'' He also paid tribute to FETA delegates Alan Green and Tony Breen for their long-standing commitment to FETA, and welcomed Catherine Walker and Charlotte Lee, who have recently been appointed as BCIA executive officer and HPA chief executive, respectively.