CO₂ (R744) components make up “well over” 50% of the Henry Group’s business at its factory in Chatham, Illinois, according to Aaron Arnold, a Sales Manager at the company.

Arnold and his colleague, Jesse Meredeith, Regional Sales, shared the rising demand for the company’s R744 components during an interview at the 2026 IIAR Expo, held March 15–18 in San Antonio, Texas.

Meredith said that four years ago “demand was probably zero” and that three years ago “it was probably not much better than zero.” The market has shifted in the past two years, causing demand for the company’s pressure vessels, the only CO₂ component it manufactures in Chatham, to skyrocket.

“We just had an OEM we spoke to that we’re building flash gas receivers for, and they said there’s a chance they may need to double their order of 300 units,” Arnold said.

Arnold compared the company’s growth to the hockey stick curve, a period of minimal activity followed by rapid acceleration. “We’re on that curve upwards,” he added. Meredith added that “it seems like the industry has made some decisions over the last 12 months” after previously asking questions around pressure ratings for components. The Henry Group supplies components used by end users in food retail, cold storage, pharmaceutical processing, and more.

Meeting demand

Along with pressure vessels, the Henry Group also manufactures pressure relief valves (PRV) as well as components for commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning, compatible with propane (R290), isobutane (R600a), and ammonia (R717). Operating in Australia, China, Singapore, the U.K., and the U.S., the company serves a global market.

Julian Parker, CEO of Henry Group, previously told NaturalRefrigerants.com that the major growth area for the company is the U.S. He also highlighted that its key areas are the manufacture of customized pressure vessels and the high-pressure PRV range.

Echoing the focus and demand on the U.S. market, Arnold noted, “Probably more than 90% of our CO₂ products are staying in the U.S.”

To keep up with the surge, the Henry Group has a global supply network. “Not everything is made in our Illinois facility — some products, such as PRV products, come from Scotland, while ball valves are supplied from South Korea,” noted Arnold. “Other products are sourced from Italy and Taiwan. It’s a global network.”

Looking ahead, the company expects to see exponential growth in the next five years. “We’re focused on continuing what we’re doing: bringing more innovative products to support CO₂ and other natural refrigerants,” Arnold said.