Sales enquiries increase as equipment rental provides solution to R22 phase out

Carrier  Rental  Systems, the world”s leader in the temperature control market, has  identified  an  increase in sales enquiries of its hire  fleet of  process chillers and industrial air-conditioning systems as a  direct result  of  the impending phase out of the refrigerant R22.

With  the squeeze on capital investment and the reduced availability of funding options,  combined  with  the  need  to short  term  cooling alternatives,  CRS anticipate a growing demand for rental equipment through to the end of the  year as  companies see chiller hire and air-conditioner rental as credible  financial alternative to purchasing new refrigeration equipment through the R22 phase  out period.

From the end of December 2009 the use of virgin HCFC”s will be prohibited in the maintenance  and  servicing  of  refrigeration and  air  conditioning equipment existing at that date, leading to the likely problem of depleting stocks of R22, a  shortage  in the availability  of qualified refrigeration engineers  and  the rise in the cost of the remaining recycled R22.

Initial  customer research carried out by Carrier Rental Systems indicates that many  manufacturing  companies in the UK are still to implement  a satisfactory strategy to comply with the impending legislation changes and risk being  caught up  in  reduced availability, increased prices and possible refrigeration system downtime.   In  response  to this situation, CRS is  making  25%  of  its fleet specifically  available  to  clients who need  to  implement  a  rental cooling solution  to  cover  production  time whilst  either  a  “drop  in replacement” refrigerant  is  identified and introduced or while upgrades  to  the incumbent cooling  system takes place. Chillers and coolers will be available  for  either short  term rental or longer term hire with special product and service packages available for clients looking for long term hire solutions.

R22  is  a  HCFC  low temperature refrigerant that is used in process chillers, industrial  refrigerant  plants, commercial cold  storage facilities  and  air- conditioning  systems throughout the world and it is estimated by  Carbon  Trust that  70% of UK based food manufacturing sites have a refrigeration system using R22.

R22  is an ozone depleting HCFC and like many HCFC”s has been used as an interim replacement  to CFC”s which were banned in 2000. R22 damages the earth”s  ozone layer  which filters out incoming radiation in the ultraviolet (UV) part of  the spectrum.  The  discovery  of  a  large  ozone hole  over  Antarctica  and  its association with man-made CFCs led the world to take action to protect the ozone layer  through  the introduction of legislation covering their manufacture,  use and disposal.

HCFC”s including R22, were banned in new refrigeration systems in 2000. From the 31st  December  2009  it  will no longer be possible to use  virgin HCFC”s  for maintenance  of  refrigeration systems and the use of recycled HCFC”s  will  be banned from the end of 2014. After this date all R22 users will have either  had to have found acceptable alternative refrigerants or have invested in new plant. There will be no other (legal) alternatives.

Keith  Browse,  director Carrier Rental Systems said ” We are anticipating that demand  for  hire equipment  will soar this year as clients are faced with  two issues   of  replacing  capital  for  the  purchase  of  equipment,   but more significantly the looming legislation changes to the use of R22 which will come into place at the end of the year. I think many companies will opt for long term rental solutions until the economy picks up and they feel more comfortable  will the  R22  availability situation. I think many companies are putting  off  major changes  to their refrigeration equipment until they have seen what has happened and what solutions other manufactures have implemented”

Carrier  Rental  Systems operates worldwide and throughout the  UK providing  a market leading range of specialist temperature control rental products to a wide variety  of industries and clients and is a key part of the Carrier Corporation, a  United  Technologies  Company. Since its formation in  1995,  Carrier  Rental Systems  has gained a solid reputation for providing high value rental solutions to diverse and demanding applications.

For more information please contact;

Carrier Rental Systems Ltd

Wigan Road, Leyland, Lancashire PR25 5XW

Telephone: + 44 (0)1772 643040
Fax: + 44 (0)1772 643061

Web; www.carrierrentalsystems.co.uk