Tried and tested reciprocating compressors can now be used
in an even more versatile range of ways

• Greater energy efficiency
• Enhanced cooling capacity
• Extended application limits

Sindelfingen, 27.03.2012. At the Mostra Convegno Expocomfort trade fair in Milan, BITZER will be unveiling its extended range of BITZER ECOLINE reciprocating compressors. These compressors can now be used for an even more versatile range of applications. In addition to R134a, many other refrigerants can also be used, e.g. R404A, R407A, R407C, R407F and R507A. With this new range, BITZER has succeeded in leveraging all the benefits of the tried and tested BITZER ECOLINE series for refrigerant R134a for an even broader range of applications, as well as offering its customers significant added value. 

The extended BITZER ECOLINE range offers a great many product and efficiency benefits: With immediate effect, the compressors can deliver a 5-6% improvement in cooling capacity in medium temperature applications - and for low-temperature applications, these same compressors provide even more impressive improvements. At the same time, BITZER engineers have succeeded in increasing the coefficient of performance (COP) of this upgraded series by up to twelve percent for high as well as for low condensing temperatures. All compressors impress with substantially extended application limits when using refrigerant R404A and motor version 2 (medium and low-temperature applications), e.g. with condensing temperatures of up to +60°C and an evaporation temperature of 0°C.
Yet another attribute is the tremendous suitability of the new ECOLINE range for very favorable speed control by frequency inverter, a great bonus in terms of system efficiency. Irrespective of that, all 4 and 6-cylinder models can be equipped with cylinder head deactivation and this in turn delivers a very cost-effective form of capacity control. These measures already enable BITZER at this time to meet the foreseeable rise in requirements relating to energy consumption, while also meeting customer wishes for an exceptionally flexible range of compressors.

Versatile application options on a tried and tested platform
Thanks to the scope for using many of the commonly available refrigerants, these compressors cover a wide range of applications, and provide great added value to BITZER customers. BITZER ECOLINE compressors are used, for example, in medium and low-temperature applications in supermarkets, food storage facilities, condensing units, the chemical industry as well as large catering kitchens, the pharmaceuticals sector and in high-temperature heat pumps. All compressors in this upgraded range are based on the successful 2nd generation of semi-hermetic BITZER reciprocating compressors, for many years now a synonym for proven quality, great efficiency and reliability. For this recently upgraded range, BITZER has optimized the know-how gained from the successful ECOLINE series for R134a and made available for the use of other refrigerants. The tried and tested compressor platform has remained the same - which enables the updated BITZER ECOLINE range to completely replace the previous series. There are also no changes in the assembly hole pattern, the suction and discharge line connections and, in almost all cases, the valve position and installation space for the new series, compared to the standard range. This assures universal interchangeability.

In addition to the upgraded compressors in the ECOLINE range and the recently developed ORBIT 6 scroll compressors, BITZER will be unveiling a world first at the BITZER trade fair stand H29 K30.

A wholehearted entrepreneur: Peter Schaufler, Senator h. c. and Chief Executive Officer of BITZER SE, celebrated his 70th birthday on November 28. He has devoted his efforts to the service of the company for more than 30 years. "I continue to enjoy going into the office each morning and taking responsibility for BITZER and for my employees," says Peter Schaufler. 120 invited guests came to his birthday reception at his museum, SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen, which opened in June this year.

 Peter Schaufler took over BITZER Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH, today the world's leading manufacturer of compressors for refrigeration and air conditioning systems, in 1979. At that time the company had a turnover of about DM 30 million and a workforce of 270. Since 2008 BITZER SE has been a European joint stock corporation with Peter Schaufler as CEO and Chairman of the Administrative Board. "In 2010 BITZER will achieve a consolidated turnover of about EUR 511 million with 2,700 employees," Peter Schaufler says. The company owes its great success and growth over many years to strategically planned international positioning. To date, Peter Schaufler has founded over 30 subsidiary companies on all five continents, including large production facilities in China, Australia, Brazil and the USA. Thanks to constant innovation in reciprocating, screw and scroll compressor technology, Peter Schaufler has succeeded in recent years in retaining or extending BITZER's market leadership in most of the segments in which it is represented.

In the course of his work at the head of BITZER, Peter Schaufler has received numerous honors from industry and politics. The honorary senatorship conferred by the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart demonstrates the importance of his achievements, as does the "Oscar for medium-sized businesses" for his services to the development of Germany's new federal states and the "Enterprise Medal" awarded by Baden-Württemberg for his promotion of trade and industry. Peter Schaufler has also received awards on the international stage. He was named "Outstanding Entrepreneur 2004" by the Portuguese NerCap entrepreneurs' association to mark a career of great personal and entrepreneurial success. However, the most significant of all his awards and honors is the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany which he received in June 2010.

As CEO, Peter Schaufler continues to influence the fortunes of his company to a significant extent and takes decisions on the founding of subsidiaries and the direction of company policy. A major part of his life is also dedicated to his love of the arts. For some years now, Peter Schaufler has been making an international name for himself as an art collector and patron and crowned his achievements in 2010 by opening his own museum: The SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen was opened in June and is immediately adjacent to the company's head office in Sindelfingen. It shows the 20th and 21st-century modern art Peter Schaufler and his wife have collected over more than 30 years.

Energy efficiency and environmental friendliness: the importance of these issues for BITZER could be seen in the many product innovations that the compressor manufacturer introduced at Chillventa for the first time. BITZER exhibited its path-breaking innovations in reciprocating, screw, and scroll compressors to over 29,000 specialist visitors and presented itself as a problem solver for the challenges faced by the refrigeration and air-conditioning industries.

For three days Nuremberg was entirely given over to Chillventa 2010, the international trade fair for refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation, and heat pumps, at which almost 900 exhibitors displayed their products. As a leading compressor manufacturer BITZER was represented by various highlights. These included reciprocating compressors for subcritical CO2 applications, the OCTAGON VARISPEED series and the ECOSTAR condensing unit, CS.3 series screw compressors and the ORBIT 8 scroll compressor series, and at this year's BITZER stand at Chillventa all these highlights impressed with their high energy and ecological efficiencies. "With our innovations we are responding to the future challenges that are becoming ever more significant for the refrigeration and air conditioning industries," said Hans P. Meurer, chief sales and marketing officer and managing director of BITZER. "These are a growing sense of responsibility towards the environment, the question of sustainability and the ever greater importance of energy savings owing to rising energy costs".

Overall Mr. Meurer had a positive view of the fair: "We are very pleased with this year's Chillventa. The top-class specialist visitors and conversations at our stand showed that our products and solutions are fully meeting the demands of the market," he said after the close of the fair.

In addition to the technical innovations on display, the award of the Valerius Füner Prize on the first day of the fair was a further highlight at the BITZER stand. As the main sponsor of the Valerius Füner Foundation, BITZER has supported the training of young people for many years. This year the prize was awarded to Thorsten Hauck, who graduated from the faculty of mechanical engineering and mechatronics at the Hochschule Karlsruhe in June 2009 with an overall mark of 1.3 and a distinction. In addition Peter Schaufler, Senator h. c. and CEO of BITZER SE, presented the winner with a check as a personal gift.

Product Dokumentation:

Now available:

Refrigerant Report

Competence in Capacity Control

Product Range

BITZER is exhibiting innovative solutions that match the challenges of the refrigeration and air conditioning industry at Chillventa:  

• OCTAGON reciprocating compressors for subcritical CO2  applications
• OCTAGON VARISPEED reciprocating compressors
• ECOSTAR condensing units
• CS.3 compact screw compressors
• ORBIT 8 scroll compressors for R410A

Inform yourself about the new BITZER products:

Hans P. Meurer, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and Managing Director of BITZER SE, has been elected to the Main Board of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA, Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e.V.). He was voted into office for three years by the participants at this year's General Assembly in Munich on 7 and 8 October. "It is a great honor for me and for BITZER to receive this vote", said Hans P. Meurer immediately after his appointment. BITZER, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of compressors, has long played an active role as a member company in the VDMA's "Air-handling technology" Association. Dr. Thomas Schräder, Managing Director of the Association, had also proposed the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of BITZER SE for a position on the VDMA Main Board. "Thanks to the confidence that has been shown in me, we as a company and I as an individual can bring our experience of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly solutions to bear even better in the important area of refrigeration and air conditioning. This also gives us the opportunity to apply our competence in German engineering to the international arena", continued Mr. Meurer. The VDMA Main Board is made up of the chairpersons of all its associations and committees, the executive directorate, the board of chairmen and 30 employees from member companies. VDMA is the most important industry association in Europe. It represents 3100 mainly medium-sized member companies, giving it one of the largest memberships of any federation in Europe.

BITZER Australia Pty Limited has celebrated its 50th anniversary at the famous Sydney Opera House. The event entertainment featured a violin and cello trio, an opera singer and a traditional Didgeridoo player. The ceremony was attended by the guests of honour; BITZER CEO and Senator h. c. Mr Peter Schaufler and his wife, and also other members of the Management Board who had travelled from Germany, all of which were as delighted as the other 200 or so guests. Celebrations culminated in a large barbecue for the BITZER employees at the St Marys site. The first BITZER compressors were sold by the company back in 1960 when owned by WH Evans and also by Buffalo Trident, founded in Melbourne ten years later. The BITZER group took over these companies in 1989 and 1992 respectively. Today, BITZER Australia Pty Limited has more than 180 employees and is expected to achieve a turnover of some 60 million Australian dollars this year.

BITZER has introduced an iPhone app that calculates the pressure to temperature characteristics of refrigerants. The digital refrigerant ruler shows the most current refrigerants, can use imperial and metric units simultaneously and can display them in any desired combination.

The new iPhone app from BITZER, for calculating the pressure-temperature characteristics of refrigerants, is intuitive to use and the user can adapt it to his or her specific needs. With this application BITZER offers a modern alternative to traditional refrigerant ruler. The application features an intuitively operated reference wheel for saturation pressure and temperature.

The app defaults to the most common refrigerants; the user does not have to search through a mass of rare refrigerants but can rather look up those relevant to his or her requirements and sort these into a chosen order. Refrigerants available to date are: R11, R113, R114, R115, R116, R12, R123, R124, R125, R1270, R13, R134a, R14, R142b, R143a, R152a, R21, R218, R22, R227ea, R23, R236fa, R245fa, R290 (propane), R32, R401A, R401B, R401C, R402A, R402B, R403A, R403B, R404A, R405A, R406A, R407A, R407B, R407C, R407D, R407E, R408A, R409A, R409B, R41, R410A, R410B, R411A, R411B, R412A, R413A, R414A, R414B, R415A, R415B, R416A, R417A, R418A, R419A, R420A, R421A, R421B, R422A, R422B, R422C, R422D, R427A, R500, R502, R507A, R508A, R508B, R600a, R717 (ammonia), and CO2 (carbon dioxide).

A further highlight of the BITZER app is that the user can use imperial and metric measurement units at the same time. Moreover these can be displayed in any desired combination - for example, Celsius and psig or Fahrenheit and bar. 

The application is also very easy to use. Each point on the pressure wheel represents a refrigerant. By sweeping from left to right over the refrigerant bottle shown the user reaches the desired refrigerant type. The app additionally displays oil types, global warming potential, safety group, and the appropriate pressure-temperature wheel. Touching the wheel also displays the saturation pressure and temperature values. The user sets the units using the buttons at the sides. If a unit appears green, the appropriate values are displayed on the wheel. Pressing on the arrow keys enables the user to jump to one or other end of the wheel. The left-hand arrow leads to the lowest available temperature and the right-hand arrow to the highest. Additional information such as molar mass, critical temperature or critical pressure for each refrigerant can be obtained via the "i" button.

This BITZER app is available now from the iTunes Store:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitzers-refrigerant-reference/id373683792?mt=8

Last year ECOSTAR won the State Prize for Design in the state of Saxony – and now the BITZER condensing unit has also been nominated for the 2011 Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany. This award is the country's highest official accolade in the area of design and places high demands on participants. A company may only compete for the Design Award if the product it wishes to submit has already achieved distinction at home or abroad. Additionally, the product must be nominated by the regional ministries of economy and their senators or through the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. The award was first presented in 1969 as the national "Gute Form" prize. Since 2006 the award has been conferred annually under the name "Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany" for outstanding performance in the fields of product and communication design. The judges' final decision on the winner of the 2011 Design Award will take place on August 23 and 24. 

For further information please visit www.designpreis.de

Winner in the public transport category: Spheros GmbH, a long-standing customer of BITZER, has been distinguished for its new "Citysphere" air conditioner design with the 2010 prize for innovation of the specialist "busplaner" magazine. The modular air conditioner uses a new air conditioning concept based on a hermetic BITZER scroll compressor. The refrigerant used is R134a and the unit is the result of an exclusive research and development collaboration between Spheros and BITZER.

As well as dispensing with hose lines in the "Citysphere", the ECH series compressor helps achieve the best possible sealing of the air conditioner unit. And thanks to minimal leakage of refrigerant the unit is maintenance-free, which leads to substantially lower lifecycle costs. The compressor is driven by a 24-volt electric motor and thus guarantees constant cooling irrespective of the speed of the vehicle engine. This considerably reduces fuel consumption compared to buses with conventional air conditioners. The unit is also very simple to install - it comes pre-filled with refrigerant and no refrigerant lines or air channels must be provided in the vehicle. The "busplaner" magazine has already awarded its innovation prize three times, in the public transport, tourism, and technology categories.

It's become a tradition: For more than ten years now BITZER and the Chinese company Songzhi, based in Shanghai, have worked closely together on air conditioning systems for buses. Just as much of a tradition is the meeting of BITZER's Board of Directors with the management of Songzhi during the Busworld fair in Shanghai to consolidate their plans for future cooperation in an atmosphere of partnership. This year was no exception: at the Busworld fair in early May BITZER Managing Director Peter Schaufler, Senator h. c. together with Rainer Große-Kracht, Chief Technology Officer, Helmut Meyer, Director Transport Products and Stephan Luerssen, Managing Director BRT, jointly signed a major contract for the company with the

Chairman of the board, Mr. Chen Fuquan und the General Manager Li Bing of Songzhi. Songzhi, a market leader with some 1000 employees and over 75 per cent market share of the city bus market in China, engaged the specialist company for refrigerant compressors to supply of about 22,000 four and six-cylinder BITZER automotive compressors. The reciprocating compressors will be mostly fitted into buses of the 'Beijing Bus Company' and 'Golden Dragon' companies.

Peter Schaufler, Honorary Senator of the University of Hohenheim, Chief Executive Officer and sole owner of Bitzer SE, was decorated with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany on 9 June in Stuttgart. The ministerial director of the Ministry of Science of Baden-Württemberg, Klaus Tappeser, awarded the honor to the entrepreneur for his many years of voluntary commitment to business, science and culture. "Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler has made a great contribution to public life in Germany in many ways. He gave and continues to give particular attention to the development of science and research, particularly in the areas of refrigeration and air conditioning", said Tappeser. The reasons for awarding the Order of Merit, Tappeser continued, included Mr Schaufler's high level of cultural engagement. He is an active member of several friends and supporters organizations, including the Friends of the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart and of the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart. The foundation set up by him, "The Schaufler Foundation", sponsors the "SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen" art museum, to be opened on 11 June in the former manufacturing halls adjacent to the headquarters of Bitzer SE, Sindelfingen.

On the 4th-5th of May 2010 BITZER Refrigeration Asia held its biannual strategy conference, Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler opened the conference with the distinct theme “Ready for an energy saving future”. The participants from across Asia Pacific represented many of the leading distributors and OEMS all of whom share a close and long standing co operation with BITZER. This year’s event was held at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel, Seoul South Korea. In total there were 82 participants stretching across Asia Pacific and including personnel from BITZER headquarters Germany.

Products in focus during this seminar included, the ORBIT 8 R410A scroll compressor series, BITZER ECOLINE R134a optimized reciprocating compressors, CSW optimized screw compressors, natural refrigerant success projects and Inverter technology solutions.

BITZER introduced its expansion and investments in development made in 2009, these included the new scroll factory in Syracuse USA, Green Point Korea, BITZER Factory Indonesia expansion and a new site for BITZER UK, the BITZER ECOLINE development, expansion of CO2 product range & extension of the Inverter series. All these clear and confident investments were made during the global crisis highlighting the strength and the resilience of BITZER globally.

On the final evening BITZER held a gala dinner at the prestigious Aston House overlooking the Han River. During this event the much awaited distributor of the year is awarded. This year’s recipient Samyoung Machinery Co. Ltd was introduced as having 20 years co operation with BITZER, tremendous success with Aluminum compressors, and a broad business model successfully distributing and wholesaling the full range of BITZER equipment. Mr. Keun Ock You graciously accepted the award and reiterated his continued support.

The Strategy Conference was concluded as a resounding success. BITZER and their Representatives parted with a clear view that the next years shall hold a green and energy saving future.

For this year's 'Tag des Ausbildungsplatzes' ('Apprenticeship Day') organized by the German Federal Labor Office, board member Raimund Becker visited the company's works in Schkeuditz. Since its founding the company has been committed to a thorough in-house employee training program to ensure a continuing supply of qualified personnel. Visitors to the premises and to the training workshop can see for themselves how seriously BITZER takes the matter of training.

"Naturally, the year of the economic crisis did not leave BITZER unscathed", says Frank Fuhlbrück, Director Plant at the company's Schkeuditz facility. "Yet despite the difficult conditions, we were able to offer five training positions again in 2009 – and have even engaged another craftsman as an additional trainer for our training workshop." Since its founding in 1991 over 80 apprentices have been trained at the BITZER factory at Schkeuditz. "It is particularly gratifying that in all these nearly 20 years, not one apprentice has quit his training with us", Mr Fuhlbrück continues. And Ingo Smit, Head of Human Resources at the company's headquarters in Sindelfingen, adds: "As a leading company in our industry we guarantee the best quality products for our customers. But we can only be sure of this in the long term if our personnel have the best possible training. For years we have therefore provided our new employees with thorough training; this is a central element of our success in the market. Once they pass a final exam, we therefore usually offer our apprentices at Schkeuditz permanent employment." Even in the crisis year of 2009 BITZER was able to offer this opportunity to its apprentices – and they all accepted. This trust pays off: most of the apprentices trained at Schkeuditz since 1991 are still working for BITZER today. The company employs some 600 staff in total at this site, which produced almost 120,000 reciprocating compressors and units in 2009.

Cooperation with external training providers
BITZER also offers various in-company placements and cooperates with a number of external training providers. In the last three years more than 90 trainees were able to gain work experience at BITZER in Schkeuditz, of whom 65 were completing their apprenticeship and 25 were students. Students working on their degree theses are also offered positions, primarily in the technical development centre. For BITZER this is a further means of preventing a shortage of competent staff and ensuring a flow of new technical personnel. The 'Arbeiterwohlfahrt' or AWO (welfare association) at the Schkeuditz site is also of particular importance. "We have maintained a close partnership with the AWO since 1996", says Frank Fuhlbrück. "For example, up to 20 disabled employees can take on pre-assembly work there and form a reliable, indispensible partner for our production facility. If these employees were to fail us, the production lines here in the factory would come to a standstill in two days." And the Technical University in Dresden places high value on the social responsibility of the company: the BITZER endowment finances the chair for refrigeration and compressor engineering. This was initiated by BITZER's Chief Executive Officer and majority shareholder, Peter Schaufler, Senator h. c.

António Granjeia, 55, is Vice President of Centauro Internacional in Portugal. He has worked for the company for 27 years and has been familiar with BITZER products for 30. In this interview he tells us more about natural refrigerants, and about CO2 in particular.

António, what is your daily work all about?

António Granjeia: As Vice President I am responsible for research and development and also for quality assurance at Centauro Internacional. On top of this I am also technical director. You could say that application engineering and coaching of new engineers is what my everyday work is about. I work on after-sales services and on special customized solutions. Customers with technical problems call me and my team in search of individual solutions for their specific needs.

You were a participant in the BITZER natural refrigeration seminar. What new knowledge did you gain from the seminar and what was the biggest benefit for you in being there?

António Granjeia: I have attended BITZER seminars for many years now, on various subjects. I always find them very useful – not least because my company uses BITZER products in many of our customers’ projects. The BITZER presenters explain the latest technology in a very down-to-earth way and the information they give is always reliable.

Is there anything you learned at the seminar that you will put directly into everyday practice when you go back to Portugal?

António Granjeia: Yes indeed, and most importantly, cascade applications with CO2 as the refrigerant. We receive a lot of customer requests about CO2 systems and needed to refresh our knowledge. With the BITZER compressors we can now move forward and find useful solutions for our customers.

Which natural refrigerant, in your view, will become the focus for the refrigeration and air conditioning industry in the future?

António Granjeia: From what I see and hear in the markets in which we sell our refrigeration and air conditioning solutions, I would say that CO2 is definitely one, if not the one, refrigerant of the future. That’s my current prediction.

Where do you see the main problems of natural refrigerants?

António Granjeia: Looking at the situation in my country as well as in Spain and the other markets in which we work, the end users do not yet understand the potential of natural refrigerants, especially CO2, sufficiently to be willing to pay a little more for using this natural refrigerant. Delivering on time is also a big problem: the big players in the market normally expect three, four or five-week delivery. But the legislation is difficult for these new refrigerants and I don’t believe that such timings are possible. So I think that the end-users require informing in a particular way: if they really want to be “green”, they must change their views a little bit more and allow more time for their contractors to do the job properly and to guarantee the reliability of the installation. Today you can imagine a situation in which the director is opening a new supermarket while the technician is still working on the valves. With new refrigerants like CO2 this cannot be done, as I learned during the seminar – for reasons of both system functionality and safety.

Are you implementing CO2 projects with your customers?

António Granjeia: We have been supplying CO2 heat exchangers for our customers for more than two years now, mostly in Germany and the Netherlands. We also receive requests to make racks, which we will probably start producing this year.

How many times have you attended BITZER seminars? Which were they?

António Granjeia: Many, many times! I have the certificates on my wall but I cannot tell you exactly. I have been here in Sindelfingen often. There has been a major evolution at BITZER in recent years but I always have the feeling that I am with the right partner in refrigeration technology.

Would you recommend BITZER seminars?

António Granjeia: Definitely. It might be good for BITZER to offer more seminars for end-users as well so that they can better understand the difficulties of some projects or requirements – especially in relation to natural refrigerants.

Win 10.000 EURO for the top concept

Due to the high level of participation and the success in previous years the Association of European Refrigeration Component Manufacturers (ASERCOM) is proud to announce once again its sponsorship of the ASERCOM Energy Efficiency Award.

The association would like to recognise an outstanding innovative concept for energy efficiency improvement. Over the lifetime of refrigeration and air conditioning systems, energy consumption makes a greater contribution to the production of greenhouse gases than HFC refrigerant direct emissions. In Europe, for example, such systems account for approximately 14% of the overall power consumption. Hence, efficiency improvement is our industry’s primary responsibility in the reduction of emissions.

The € 10.000 award is granted for the most innovative energy saving concept or system in refrigeration/air conditioning, including heat pumps. An international panel of technical experts will evaluate the applications. Applications must present a new concept which is technically feasible and economically viable.

Award details are available on the ASERCOM website: www.asercom.org

For additional information, please contact:

ASERCOM Office, Motzstr. 91, D-10779 Berlin, Germany Phone: +49 30 21 47 98 72, fax: +49 30 21 47 98 71, email: office@asercom.org

Application deadline: 31 July 2010

The Management Board at BITZER SE rewarded long-standing employees for their long service to the company. Among those celebrating were also three employees whose 40th anniversary at BITZER took place in 2009.

A total of 28 BITZER employees received congratulations from the Management of BITZER SE for their long service, including three who had passed their 40th anniversary of working for the manufacturer of refrigerant compressors and pressure vessels. Ingo Smit, Head of Human Resources at BITZER, also congratulated a further 25 staff who, since 2008, could look back on 25 years of service with the company. After a champagne reception and a short greeting the Management of the traditionally-run company thanked its loyal employees and presented them with gifts and bouquets. Dinner was then provided for all at the 'Hotel Berlin' in Sindelfingen.

In his speech of thanks, Ingo Smit spoke of long-term company loyalty, which today is no longer taken for granted. "Last year we were able to celebrate the 75th year of the BITZER company", he said. "You have all contributed greatly to this successful outcome. Those of you who have already worked with us for 25 years have accompanied BITZER for a third of the way. And those who are celebrating 40 years have helped to shape more than half of the history of the company." He then gave his best wishes to all the employees and expressed the hope that many of those now celebrating 25 years would also go on to reach their 40th anniversary at BITZER.

On 18 March BITZER Kühlmaschinenbau Schkeuditz GmbH honored its employees for their long service. Among those celebrating were also five employees whose 40th anniversary at BITZER took place in 2008.

The head of the company, Peter Schaufler, Senator h. c. and Chief Executive Officer of BITZER SE, took the opportunity to personally congratulate the employees for their long company loyalty and to thank them for their work. Together with Chief Production Officer Christian Wehrle he travelled from Sindelfingen, headquarters of the refrigerant compressor manufacturer, specially for the occasion. In addition Frank Fuhlbrück, Director Plant at BITZER Schkeuditz, expressed his appreciation for the employees' performance.

A total of eleven BITZER employees received congratulations from the BITZER Management of the traditionally-run company for their long service; among them were five who had marked their 40th anniversary at BITZER in 2008. Peter Schaufler also wished six other employees well who between 2008 and 2010 had reached their 25th anniversary of working for the company. After a short aperitif and welcomes from Peter Schaufler and Frank Fuhlbrück, the BITZER Management presented certificates and bouquets to the employees. Lunch was then provided for all at the 'Schillerstuben' restaurant in Schkeuditz.
All the employees honored at the event began their careers at Maschinen- und Apparatebau Schkeuditz, and following the founding of BITZER Kühlmaschinenbau Schkeuditz GmbH in 1991, were taken on by the new company.

At this year’s Mostra Convegno BITZER will be focussing its presentation on energy efficiency. The compressor manufacturer will show special models for air-cooled and water-cooled applications with screw and scroll compressors and demonstrate its competence in capacity regulation. This presentation by the company from Sindelfingen in Germany will further underline its role as an innovator in the air-conditioning and refrigeration industry. Optimised compact screw compressors offer significant efficiency improvements
One of the highlights of the BITZER stand is an optimised version of its tried-and-tested CSH series of compact screw compressors. In addition to the attributes for which it is famous, such as its exceptional reliability and close-stepped, wide capacity range, the series excels for yet further improved levels of energy efficiency. BITZER has achieved savings of up to 20% in terms of seasonally-weighted energy requirement (ESEER) and up to 15% under full-load conditions compared to the competition. The extended application limits further enable a wider range of uses, particularly in the area of heat pumps. The series includes 33 models covering 21 different displacement steps from 137 m³/h to 1120 m³/h at 50 Hz. Where low condensing temperatures and water-cooled applications are concerned, first choice is the CSW series, which BITZER will also present at the Mostra Convegno. This range includes 26 models covering displacements of between 195 m³/h and 1120 m³/h at 50 Hz.

One of a kind: the optimised ORBIT 8 version for water-cooled applications
BITZER has also prioritised maximum energy efficiency in its new ORBIT 8 series of scroll compressors by differentiating between areas of application. As the first scroll compressor manufacturer, the company offers the series in two different versions: a Standard version optimized for air-cooled applications and heat pumps, and the Boreal version for water-cooled applications. Higher energy efficiency levels can thereby be obtained relative to conventional scroll compressors – for example, up to 15% higher ESEER figures can be achieved. A further major benefit of the ORBIT 8 series is its noise level, up to three dBA lower than that of competing products. The series comprises a choice of six displacement steps with cooling capacities from 39 to 103 kW at 50 Hz.

20% higher annual COP with the new BITZER ECOLINE series
BITZER is also exhibiting its new ECOLINE series of reciprocating compressors for the first time at a trade fair. These reciprocating models are based on the renowned OCTAGON compressors and those of the .2 generation, while the manufacturer has extended their application limits down to lower condensing temperatures. Significant design features are the reduction of the pressure drop in the compressor and the optimization of the working valves and drive motors for the extended application range. At reduced condensing pressure the compressor‘s COP improves by up to 40% in medium-temperature applications, which can lead to a 20% higher annual COP with the result of significant energy and cost savings for system operators. The new BITZER ECOLINE series covers twelve displacement steps, ranging from 35 m³/h to 152 m³/h at 50 Hz. All compressors are ideally suited to variable speed drive. Motor Version 2 models for medium temperature applications are designed in a way as to allow inverter operation up to 70 Hz even with the standard motor.

In addition, BITZER demonstrates capacity control competence with the OCTAGON VARISPEED series of reciprocating compressors with built-in frequency inverter. Use of this frequency inverter can improve the efficiency of a refrigeration system significantly and allows precise adjustment to the actual cooling load. OCTAGON VARISPEED offers five displacement steps in the range from 13.4 m³/h to 32.5 m³/h at 50 Hz.