U.S.-based CO₂ Refrigeration Systems (CRS) has released Switch, its first standard transcritical CO₂ (R744) skid package, available in two sizes: 60 and 90TR (211 and 317kW).

The convertible temperature package offers an SST range from −32 to 35°F (−35.6 to 1.7°C), applicable to large-scale commercial or industrial applications. At an SST of 23°F (−5°C), the 60TR unit provides a refrigeration capacity of up to 74TR (260kW), and the 90TR’s capacity is up to 111TR (390kW). President and CEO of CRS Zach Laws told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the company also offers the skid in an extended SST range down to −50°F (−45.6°C) for colder applications.

CRS showcased the housing for Switch at the International Institute of All-Natural Refrigeration (IIAR) Conference and Expo 2025, held March 2‒5 in Phoenix, Arizona.

“We pride ourselves on serviceability,” Laws said. “The skid doors swing out and lock into place. It comes with a built-in door rack for every one of its interchangeable doors, with the hinges designed for one-person toolless removal.”

Additional details: The walk-in CO₂ packaged unit’s dimensions are 26 × 11.8 × 8.3ft (7.9 × 3.6 × 2.5m), and its inside height is 6.5ft (2m). It includes an integrated gas cooler, an adiabatic gas cooler and evaporator controls.

• With stainless steel piping, the unit has a maximum low-side operating pressure of 1,305psi (90bar).
• The unit comes with a five-year factory warranty and subscription-free remote access.
• Laws told NaturalRefrigerants.com that since making Switch available last August, CRS has entered negotiations to “sell a number” of units. “We don’t have any installed yet, but we are excited.”

North American foothold: According to Laws, the founding of CRS in 2022 was part of a joint venture between the Australian CO₂ refrigeration systems manufacturer MB Group Solutions and Cubicool International, a South African-based producer of CO₂ equipment.

• MB Group, founded in 2007, designs, manufactures, installs and services industrial-sized custom-made transcritical CO₂ heating and cooling systems. Cubicool, founded in 2004, supplies modular refrigeration systems for commercial and light-industrial applications.
• “We are translating everything done for decades [by those two companies] into the North American market,” Laws said.
• In 2024, CRS opened a new manufacturing facility in Marshalltown, Iowa, to increase its production of CO₂ refrigeration equipment, including racks, packaged skids, gas coolers and overfeed systems.

CO₂ gaining ground: From 2023 to 2024, the North American market added 1,542 transcritical CO₂ systems, according to Natural Refrigerants: State of the Industry 2024, a report from ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com.

• Of the 70,562 supermarkets and grocery stores in the U.S. and Canada, 5.8% – around 4,090 – were using transcritical CO₂ refrigeration systems in 2024, up from 4.1% in 2023.
• Major retailers embracing the technology include Aldi US and Kroger. Aldi US operates transcritical CO₂ systems in 745 of its stores in 2024, and Kroger announced it will install transcritical CO₂ refrigeration units in all its new stores starting in 2025.
• In 2024, approximately 870 industrial facilities in North America were using transcritical CO₂ systems, up from 498 in 2023.

Quotable: “Not too many manufacturers look at serviceability, but it lowers the total cost of ownership for the end users and makes technicians’ lives easier,” Laws said. “When a tech gets a 2 am service call, you want to make it as easy as possible.”

“We pride ourselves on serviceability.”

Zach Laws, President and CEO of CRS