<<BACK TO HOME

French-owned chemicals group Arkema is to start production of a new generation fluorinated gas with a lower global warming potential (GWP) than the present gases used in automotive air-conditioning systems.

The gas, called R1234yf, is expected to replace the HFC134a used in AC systems.

Under a 2006 European directive, HFC134a has to be phased out on new automotive platforms by 2011, and out of all new vehicles by 2017. Arkema says that it has developed R1234yf at laboratory scale and now intends to produce it on an industrial scale in Europe.

Arkema has manufacturing sites in France, Spain, China and the US. Its products sell under the Forane brand name.