José Luis Bescós (AEFYT): "By making refrigeration facilities more efficient, we help generate more business"
José Luis Bescós, representative of the Sub sectorial Group of Manufacturers and Distributors of Refrigeration Equipment and Components of AEFYT (Spanish Association of Refrigeration Companies and their Technologies), states in the following interview that refrigeration equipment and components are fundamental in the air conditioning and refrigeration sector, especially in the current context where efficiency and sustainability are more crucial than ever. “By making refrigeration facilities more efficient, we help generate more business and sales opportunities for end users," he says. Bescós is also CEO of AKO Electromecánica SAU.
What are the main aims of manufacturers of refrigeration equipment and components in the air-conditioning and refrigeration sector?
Our main aim is to provide the industry with efficient, sustainable and connected solutions that guarantee the safety of food and people, thus ensuring the traceability of the cold chain. Refrigeration equipment and components are essential in the air conditioning and refrigeration sector, especially in the current context where efficiency and sustainability are more crucial than ever. By making refrigeration facilities more efficient, we help generate more business and sales opportunities for end users.
What is the role of new technologies in this aim?
Digitalisation and energy efficiency is the cornerstone. In a sector facing major challenges, technology has become indispensable to maintain competitiveness and sustainability. It is essential to translate the benefits of these new technologies to both installers and end-users, ensuring that both are confident and convinced to incorporate them. Installers have always been the real driver of any change in the sector and should remain so in this digital transition.
What challenges do manufacturers and distributors of refrigeration equipment and components face?
We face several crucial challenges today. Firstly, the transition to low or zero GWP refrigerants driven by the new F-GAS regulation. To this end, it is essential to align visions and actions among all actors in order to generate greater value and satisfaction for the end users of industrial, commercial and transport refrigeration. These partnerships are essential to create a more efficient, profitable and sustainable sector.
Another important challenge is to foster open innovation. Creating an innovation ecosystem to share knowledge and accelerate the adoption of new technologies. This collaborative approach is necessary to stay at the forefront of innovation and meet market demands, while complying with the highest standards of quality and safety.
And finally, driving operational sustainability is the key challenge. Promoting the implementation of preventive and proactive maintenance systems is essential to maximise energy efficiency, minimise environmental impact and extend the lifetime of refrigeration facilities. Transforming reactive maintenance into a value-added management strategy dignifies the sector and its professionals. This approach not only improves operational efficiency, but also contributes to the long-term sustainability of the sector.
Addressing these challenges effectively will enable the sector to grow sustainably and remain competitive in an ever-changing environment.
What other issues do you consider important in the sector today?
On the one hand, the role of the digital refrigeration technician, who is a professional trained in the latest technologies and industry practices to ensure optimal management of refrigeration installations. It is crucial to lead the transformation towards a more efficient and connected management, to offer better solutions and generate more business for their customers, suppliers and themselves. And, on the other hand, the importance of breaking glass ceilings and increasing female representation at all levels of the sector, promoting an inclusive and equitable environment. Our goal is to build a near future in which refrigeration is not only efficient and sustainable, but also integral to the economic and social development of our communities.