Interview with Manuel Lamúa, Secretary General, ANEFRYC

In my opinion quite well. One has to consider that the Association with the ANEFRYC acronym is born with the Law that regulates association activities in Spain, but its group of members was already united as refrigeration companies inside the Chemical Industries Trade Union, and integrated in an Association with its own funds. Therefore, ANEFRYC started before the 50s and in this sense one might say it is the oldest association in the sector. Since then it has significantly contributed to the creation and consolidation of the National Refrigeration Network,which is the cold chain’s support platform.

2- The Association offers several services to its members, such as training and export support. Which are the most successful?

Fortunately, the Association offers more services to its members other than continuing education and export support. Perhaps the best service it provides to its associates and the industry in general is its role as a spokesperson with the different Ministries (industry, environment, agriculture, health, education, labour, etc...)  and, in general, with the three administrations (national, regional and local) on issues that affect industry professionals, promoting different actions, mainly legislative, cooperating with the incorporation of guidelines, supporting and advising these Organizations on technical matters specific to this sector, most of the times directly and, others, through CEOE.

The support of company exports is a necessary service because most member companies are SMEs and this kind of entity needs all possible institutional aids in order to be able to enter and compete in other markets outside the specific scope of the EU. Thus, there is a department for some years now that is dedicated to these goals and there have been very interesting actions thanks to the support of the ICEX, and undoubtedly to the entrepeneurial spirit of the companies participating in the Exports Group.

3- Will there be a renewal of the existing activities or will new ones be presented until the end of 2008?

Almost all activities we’ve developed cover the fields of interest of member companies. The priority regarding the assignment of available resources is established by the Board of Directors, after the demands of the member companies are heard and analyzed. Therefore, we are always available to consider the service demands requested by associated companies.

4- ANEFRYC cooperates with several national and international entities, such as IDAE and EUROVENT. Could you present a practical example of this which has or is contributing for the future development of the sector?

ANEFRYC has and is cooperating with different public bodies and entities (National and Regional Ministries, IDAE, International Institute of Refrigeration), as well as International Associations (AREA, EUROVENT, EURAMON, EPEE, etc...)

A practical and current example of this cooperation has been ANEFRYC’s presentation of a proposal for a new Regulation on the Safety of Refrigeration Installations and Plants and subsequent participation of several members of ANEFRYC’s Technical Commitee in the work group created at the Ministry of Industry to draw up the final text, in which, moreover, the Group’s Secretary has been engaged. The said document is the basis for the legislative framework which supports the execution, maintenance and use of refrigeration installations. In short, it regulates the activity with the due respect to safety and the environment. With its promulgation, entry into force and control we will have a much more powerful instrument to help plan and professionalize the activity of professionals and companies in a much more effective way than the current one.

5- The Association believes in the energy efficiency and safety of cooling towers when used in an adequate way. What has been the feedback from the central government about the restrictions on the use of these equipments locally?

The Directorate General for Industry has demonstrated its support to the rational use of equipment. In the written document received in answer to our demands, it shows a favourable position towards cooling towers, and I quote: “they are safe and efficient whenever they get proper mechanic and sanitary maintenance”. Moreover, this body has declared it will defend its installation and rational use with the Autonomous Communities. This is an old claim of ANEFRYC’s Towers Group, which, as you state, argues for the energy efficiency and safety of cooling towers when they are properly used.

In what concerns energy efficiency, it is important to note the environmental, energy and economic benefits of cooling towers and evaporative condensers, which include a lower electric power and water consumption, lower refrigerant leak potential, lower acoustic and greenhouse effect environmental impact, the possibility to use low environmental impact refrigerants or the reduction of installations investment cost, among others.

Anyway, this is an inter-ministry matter which, in my opinion, involves health, industry, environment, agriculture and the treasury and, thus, we keep working to get the recognition of other ministries.

6- How would you charaterise the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in Spain and abroad? How will it evolve globally?

The level of deployment of the refrigeration sector (installed refrigeratión power/inhabitant) indicates a country’s development and well-being level. In Spain the refrigeration sector has true expansion possibilities. Industrial, commercial and hotel refrigeration is closely connected to the food industry. In a country that exports horticultural products, with 45 million inhabitants, plus the million tourists visiting it, all of which necesarily consume food, it is clear that the National Refrigeration Network needs to have an important dimension, constantly developing, and constantly needing to renovate the said network’s refrigeration equipment pool.

Something similar, but with higher intensity, if anything, happens with air conditioning, whose demand is directly related to the equipment of the construction sector through new buildings, and the existing housing pool still with a high percentaje without air conditioning installations, and many more equiped with obsolete systems that need replacement by others that are more efficiente and less noisy.

Today, comfort, domestic, office and commercial air conditioning, etc., is no longer a luxury, rather a need.

Besides, in the next few years there should be a conversion of a large number of refrigeration instalations using HCFC, as the end of the use of this refrigerant is established for 1.1.2015 at the latest, and it should be replaced by alternative non-ozone depleting refrigerants.

7- Which are ANEFRYC’s plans for 2008/2009?

Continue with all ongoing activities. Disseminate the project for the new Safety Regulation, making the sector aware (including users) of the intrinsic benefits of its aplication (safer, more efficient refrigeration installations with less environmental impact). Promoting the necessary instruments to control compliance with the legislation currently in force: Regulation on Safety, European Regulations on Ozone Depleting Substances, European Regulation on Certain Greenhouse Effect  Fluorinated Gases, etc...

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