Gazechim expands refrigerant recovery capacity with new plant in France and UK project

Gazechim is stepping up its efforts in refrigerant recovery and regeneration. The group has increased its processing capacity with the installation of a second distillation unit in France and is planning a similar facility in the United Kingdom. The expansion is part of the CoolGreenCycle programme, through which the company aims to develop its circular-economy activities across key European markets.

The technology can be used to recover, purify and regenerate a wide range of refrigerants, including HFCs, HFOs and HFC/HFO blends, with the aim of returning treated gases to the supply chain while reducing their environmental impact.

Gazechim’s first industrial plant began operations around two years ago in La Bazouge-du-Désert, Brittany, following an investment of €1.5 million. The facility has a processing capacity designed to prevent emissions equivalent to approximately 2,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The plant also uses heat pumps, helping to significantly reduce the energy required for the treatment process.

The new facilities will build on the experience gained from the first plant, as well as on the technological developments achieved since it became operational.

The next project is planned for the United Kingdom, where Gazechim intends to install a new unit at Harp International’s site in Pontypridd. The company has not yet provided a specific timetable for the project.

At the same time, Gazechim is assessing the possibility of establishing additional facilities in other European countries. The expansion of the network will depend largely on market demand and on the company’s ability to secure sufficient volumes of used refrigerants for recovery and regeneration.

“Refrigerant recovery is a key tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the transition towards a circular economy,” said Gilles Minier, general manager of Gazechim Group’s Refrigeration Division. “Our ambition now is to build on this experience and progressively develop new regeneration capacity as close as possible to the needs of our European customers.”

The world of industrial and commercial refrigeration, logistics, freezing and cryogenics will meet at REFRIGERA, the international event dedicated to the sector, taking place at Bologna Exhibition Center from 10 to 12 November 2027.