Freezer servicing costs could rise
THE cost of servicing freezer cabinets is set to rise by up to 10% because there is no industry standard for freezer refrigerants.
This was the daunting message from Williams managing director Michael Williams and marketing manager Martin Bryant,who explained to visitors the problems which had been encountered as a result of the acceleration of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) phase-outs.
The UK Government, under pressure from public opinion and environmental bodies, has pledged to phase out CFCs by January 1995.
From that date chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce CFC gases, although some advance stock piling will mean that they will not become obsolete overnight.
As far as refrigerators are concerned the industry standard is R134A, a non-CFC refrigerant.
Williams estimates that some 10% of commercial cabinets currently in service now have this refrigerant, with users converting to it when a system needs updating.
When it comes to freezers, however, there is no industry standard replacement for CFC R502, the traditional freezer refrigerant.
Half a dozen chemicals are available, but manufacturers appear reluctant to adopt any one of the chemicals because lifetime testing, which ensures criteria such as reliability, is not available.
There have been attempts to simulate lifetime working, but according to Mr Williams and Mr Bryant, they are no substitute for actual performance.
Until an industry standard is agreed, something which could be two years away, service engineers will be obliged to carry a multitude of spare parts to service units using different refrigerants.
A variety of leak detectors, different gases and gauge sets will lead to increased costs and chaos, all of which will inevitably take their toll on the end-user.
Williams claims to have overcome the problem to a certain extent by building cabinets with removable replacement systems. This way, the company claims, "old cabinets can be made as new".
On the whole Williams reports a successful show with business including a £30,000 contract for cold rooms at a Yorkshire bakery and a £25,000 contract for general catering refrigeration with London Underground signed in the last two days.
Even at 2pm on the final day and despite bad weather conditions the crowds were still flooding in, reported Mr Bryant.
Williams also appointed three overseas distributors during the course of the show to cover Spain, Majorca and Hungary.
New products on the stand included a sliding door cabinet designed for caterers with limited space and a mobile heated cabinet, aimed at schools, hotels and hospitals needing to transport hot food from kitchens to serving areas.
