Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials To Present Next-Generation Refrigerant Seminar

Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials (OF&EM) announced a new educational seminar, “The Refrigerant Transition: The Evolving Regulatory Landscape and Practical Considerations for Motor Vehicle AC Servicing,” will be presented at the MEMA Aftermarket Technology Conference held in Frisco, Texas, on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

As part of MEMA’s automotive technology track, co-presenters Scott Stone, an attorney who heads the law firm of Glencoe Strategies LLC, and Adam Kimmel, Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials senior manager, business development, will share their expertise on the changing regulatory landscape for motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) systems during this time of refrigerant transition, and will speak on the commercial availability of new low-cost substitutes—R-456A and R-444A, according to a press release.

Manufactured by Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials, R-456A is a new low-cost refrigerant developed as a direct replacement for R-134a, which is still in use among older vehicles. R-444A, also manufactured by Orbia, is a low-cost replacement for R-1234yf, which is used primarily in later-model vehicles.

How the AIM Act Is Reshaping A/C Service

The 45-minute seminar will explain how the gradual phasing out of older classes of HFC refrigerants, such as R-134a, under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM Act), signed into law by President Trump during his first term, is creating markets for new, lower-cost, domestically manufactured substitute refrigerants. These new refrigerants allow auto repair shops to prioritize cost, performance and availability when servicing existing MVAC systems, the release noted.

Stone will highlight current federal regulatory requirements and likely changes to those requirements by the end of the decade, and Kimmel will outline what this means for the automotive supply chain, aftermarket service centers and retailers, as well as consumers seeking to have their A/C systems serviced.

Meet the Presenters

Stone, an attorney who has practiced administrative, environmental and energy law for more than 20 years, played a major role in the passage of the AIM Act and represents trade groups, chemical producers, manufacturers, reclaimers and others in AIM Act and related Clean Air Act regulatory proceedings. In particular, Stone will break down the substitute refrigerant approval process under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) run by U.S. EPA and describe the early market entry mechanisms that make low-cost substitutes to market commercially available ahead of final regulatory approval.

Kimmel, with a background in product development, business development and marketing, will speak directly on the product features and benefits of R-444A and R-456A, the purpose and parameters for their development and how to retrofit to R-444A and R-456A.

MEMA senior director, member content & engagement, Todd Campau, said, “There is still a lot of confusion in the aftermarket about why new refrigerants are being introduced, their purpose, their availability and how to practically incorporate new refrigerants into service. This seminar could not be timelier to help dispel myths and show how next-generation refrigerants can fill the gap for the millions of vehicles that are still using R-134a and the millions more newer vehicles using R-1234yf.”