Honeywell opens State-of-the-Art Refrigerant Laboratory at HITC

Honeywell has inaugurated a state-of-the-art refrigerant laboratory at the Honeywell India Technology Center (HITC) in Gurgaon, Haryana. The laboratory was unveiled by Robert Kemp, Deputy Minister Counselor, Economic, Environment, Science, and Technology at the United States Embassy, who dedicated HITC’s new lab in the region.

The new laboratory will support local and regional OEM partners in designing, incubating and testing new refrigerants, while helping them transition to low-global-warming-potential (LGWP) alternatives. The new Honeywell laboratory is fully equipped with modern equipment to evaluate air conditioning and refrigeration technologies. Amongst other capabilities, the laboratory can simulate in environmental chambers a full spectrum of global temperatures, from the hottest places on earth to the coldest. 

As one of the key signatories to the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, India has committed to cutting down hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) use. By reducing the use of chemicals with high global-warming-potential (GWP), the historic amendment aims to limit the global temperature increase to no more than 0.5°C by the end of the century.

“Honeywell is committed to providing next-generation solutions that are available today as an option to support the Indian Government on transitioning from HFCs to environmentally preferable materials,” said Julien Soulet, Managing Director for Honeywell Fluorine Products in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. “With the launch of this laboratory at HITC, we look forward to working hand in hand with our Indian partners to design near drop-in refrigeration solutions that help them meet their environmental commitments.”

Honeywell is a world leader in the development, manufacture and supply of refrigerants that are sold worldwide under the Solstice and Genetron brand names for a range of applications, including refrigeration, building and automobile air conditioning. Honeywell works closely with OEMs to support the transition to next-generation products.

“Honeywell’s new state-of-the-art refrigerant lab is designed to support our local customers and partners in India as they work to transition to next-generation materials,” said Rajiv Banavali, Vice-President & Chief Technology Officer, Honeywell, Advanced Materials. “First mover customers in the region will benefit from the development of an industry based on environmentally preferable LGWP refrigerants that is aligned with the Government of India’s vision of Make in India.”

Honeywell and its suppliers are in the middle of a $900-million investment program in technology development and new capacity based on Honeywell’s hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) technology, which helps customers lower their carbon footprint without sacrificing end-product performance. Honeywell has a diversified global supply network that includes commercial partnerships with manufacturers in India, China and Japan.