Daikin Germany guarantees R410A supply
With prices of R410A rising and concerns over restrictions on supply, Daikin Germany says it will guarantee the availability of the refrigerant for its supplied VRV systems.
The German subsidiary of the Japanese air conditioning manufacturer Daikin says it will ensure that its customers are guaranteed sufficient refrigerant for commissioning of its supplied VRV systems and its ZEAS and Conveni-Pack commercial refrigeration products.
The company says it is responding to growing concerns about the price development and availability of R410A as a result of the European F-gas phase down timetable. There are currently no alternatives to R410A in VRV/VRF systems, but its high GWP saw huge price increases last year and the imposition of supply limitations by some suppliers.
Daikin Germany has now set up an R410A shop for VRV installations for its German customers via the German app DAIKIN to go, and in cooperation with the refrigeration wholesaler Frigotechnik.
After a one-time registration, German customers can easily and conveniently buy R410A online for each system. “We have recognised the concerns of our customers around the issue of R410A availability at an early stage, take them seriously and are now acting accordingly,” said MD Gunther Gamst.
Speaking at the Daikin Leading Air Convention in Hamburg last month, Gunther Gamst, revealed that Daikin had secured the fifth largest refrigerant quota. “We have done our homework and can ensure the availability of refrigerants for our Daikin VRV systems in the future,” he said.
Daikin is unique in being the only air conditioning and refrigeration equipment manufacturer that also has refrigerant interests, a situation which it says enables it to respond flexibly to quota regulation.
Announcing the new initiative, Gamst said: “VRV technology is and will remain a technology of the future. The quota guarantees the long-term availability of R410A for the VRV sector, provided that alternatives are available ─ such as in the split area.”
Rapid change to R32
While Daikin Germany has acted to reassure customers over R410A availability, it has reminded the market that manufacturers in Europe do not have enough refrigerant for a “business as usual” scenario and urged a move to R32 split systems.
“We call on planners and plant builders to use the existing alternatives and thus to stimulate the demand for low-GWP refrigerants,” said Gunther Gamst.
After switching its split air conditioning range to R32, Daikin says it is already working on VRV and cold water systems with R32.