“… In a statement following a test at Mercedes’ HQ in Sindelfingen, near Stuttgart, Walter Pütz, director of vehicle certification and regulatory affairs at Mercedes-Benz Cars said: “the whole vehicle can catch fire and the burning refrigerant [R1234yf] generates acutely poisonous hydrogen fluoride which poses a severe danger to both passengers and rescue workers.”…
Mercedes in war of words with EU over air-con chemicals. The Irish Times, July 10, 2013
USA: Honeywell has announced a further expansion of the supply of low GWP refrigerant R1234yf after signing a license agreement with a Chinese manufacturer.
Following last month’s news of a production deal with Navin Fluorine International in India, the US manufacturer has signed a further deal, this time with Juhua Corp, one of China’s top fluorine material enterprises.
The multi-year agreement will see Juhua manufacturing R1234yf in China for Honeywell, and Honeywell marketing and selling the product to customers in the US and Europe. Production is expected to begin by the end of this year. In addition to helping to meet worldwide demand, the Chinese plant will also support the future adoption of 1234yf in the region. The additional production will complement capacity currently being built by Honeywell in the US.
The new HFO is currently being widely adopted to replace R134a in car air conditioning systems and is proposed as a component in many low GWP blends for stationary applications.
“This agreement with Juhua will ensure supply to meet growing global demand as well as to help support future adoption of low-global-warming-potential products in China in response to concerns about increasing global greenhouse gas emissions,” said Ken Gayer, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Fluorine Products.
Honeywell and its suppliers are investing approximately $300m to increase global production capacity for Solstice yf, including the construction of a new, world-scale manufacturing plant using new process technology at the company’s existing Geismar, Louisiana, refrigerants manufacturing site.
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See also:
April 7, 2016. Honeywell signs R1234yf deal in China. CoolingPost.com
November 16, 2014. Mercedes takes aim at ‘toxic’ R1234yf air conditioning coolant. Driving.co.uk
October 27, 2014. Chilling effect – EU Commission alleges possible collusion over in car air conditioning systems. Lexology.com.
October 22, 2014. Honeywell hits back over EU Commision’s 1234yf ‘Objection’. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning News.
October 21, 2014. Antitrust: Commission sends Statement of Objections to Honeywell and DuPont regarding cooperation on new refrigerant used in car air conditioning systems. Press release of the European Commission.
October 21, 2014. DuPont Statement: European Commission Investigation. Press Release from Dupont.
August 28, 2013. DuPont president claims lifting of Mercedes ban changes nothing. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning News.
July 31, 2013. EU coolant row heats up. Fleet News.
July 10, 2013. Mercedes in war of words with EU over air-con chemicals. Cold War over refrigerants heats up. The Irish Times.
June 26, 2013. SAE: Controversial new vehicle refrigerant safe. Tire Business.
Dec 15, 2012. Mercedes faces off with Honeywell, DuPont over coolant safety. Automotive News. Reuters.
Sept 9, 2011. Honeywell defends “killer refrigerant” against German opposition. ACR News.
May 17, 2006. Greenhouse gas (HFC-134a) for emissions from air-conditioning systems in motor vehicles and amending. Directive 2006/40/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. Official Journal of the European Union.
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