Natural refrigerant systems accounted for 79% of Francks Kylindustri’s SEK 1.8 billion (€165 million/$185 million) turnover in 2024, according to the leading Nordic HVAC&R company’s inaugural sustainability report.
The report, released in early April, outlines the company’s goal to increase the share of natural refrigerant-based systems it sells by a further 10% in 2025. Francks Kylindustri also reaffirmed its long-term commitment to reducing carbon emissions across its value chain and eliminating environmental pollutants such as f-gases and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from customers’ refrigeration systems.
“We take pride in contributing to the green transition by moving the industry towards natural refrigerants, while ensuring efficiency in our processes,” said Sören Jensen, CEO of Francks Kylindustri.
In 2024, the company expanded its Francks Academy training initiative with a new ammonia (R717) safety program for both employees and customers. The training aims to meet increasing demand for ammonia as the industry shifts to natural refrigerants.
Founded in 1950, Francks Kylindustri employs more than 600 people across Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The company has seen rapid growth over the past year, acquiring several firms across the region, including Danish ammonia specialist NH3 Kølegruppen.
“We take pride in contributing to the green transition by moving the industry towards natural refrigerants, while ensuring efficiency in our processes.”
Sören Jensen, CEO of Francks Kylindustri
Natural refrigerant projects
Among the natural refrigerant projects featured in Francks Kylindustri’s 2024 sustainability report is the installation of a high-capacity ammonia system at Frigoscandia’s new 36,000m2 (387,500ft2) cold storage facility and headquarters in southern Sweden. According to the company’s website, the warehouse includes four distinct temperature zones for deep freezing, freezer storage, cold storage and standard refrigeration.
The ammonia-based system delivers 2.6MW (739.3TR) of cooling capacity at −38°C (−36.4°F) and 4MW (1,137.4TR) at −10°C (14°F). In addition, it recovers waste heat for frost protection beneath the cold storage zone and for space heating in the headquarters building.
The company also highlighted an installation at a secondary school in Sweden, where it replaced an outdated R404A system in the school’s commercial kitchen with a modern CO2 (R744) refrigeration plant. The school is currently assessing the feasibility of adding heat recovery functionality for domestic hot water production.
