COVER STORYFANS Managing the transition James Graham refl ects on his fi rst months as UK MD of Bitzer.
What have been your priorities so far? My immediate priorities have been focused on listening,
learning and building a strong team. Since taking on the role, I have spent a great deal of time meeting colleagues, customers, contractors, wholesalers and industry partners to gain a thorough understanding of the business and the challenges and opportunities facing the market.
One-to-one meetings have been particularly valuable,
allowing me to gather honest feedback and understand what is working well and where we can improve. Bitzer has an excellent reputation in the UK market, and my focus is on building on that foundation by ensuring we continue to deliver the highest levels of technical expertise, service and support to our customers.
How do you see Bitzer’s UK business evolving? The refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sectors are undergoing signifi cant change, driven by legislation, sustainability targets and advances in technology. Over the next three to fi ve years, I expect to see increased adoption of natural refrigerants, greater use of intelligent controls and monitoring systems and continued growth in heat pump applications. Bitzer is well-positioned to support these developments
through its broad portfolio of products and solutions. We will continue to invest in technologies that help customers improve effi ciency, reduce environmental impact and future-proof their systems. Alongside this, services such as remanufacturing through Green Point will play an increasingly important role in supporting sustainability and circular economy objectives.
What feedback have you received from customers, contractors and wholesalers? The feedback I have received has been overwhelmingly positive. Customers value Bitzer’s product quality, technical expertise and commitment to supporting the industry. At the same time, they are facing increasing pressures around skills shortages, regulatory compliance, energy effi ciency and project delivery. These conversations have reinforced the importance of being close to our customers and understanding their day-to-day challenges. They have also highlighted the need for strong technical support, readily available products and practical training. As a result, our strategy is focused on ensuring we continue to provide solutions that help customers navigate a rapidly changing market. Strong relationships have always been central to Bitzer’s success, and we are committed to building on those partnerships. Our approach is centred on providing excellent customer support through technical assistance, training, account management and product availability. We are working closely with our distribution partners to ensure a broad range of Bitzer products is readily available
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across the UK, making it easier for contractors to specify and source the solutions they need. By combining high-quality products with expert support, we aim to make Bitzer the partner of choice throughout the supply chain.
Are there specifi c product lines or technologies you expect to prioritise for the UK market? Heat pumps will play an increasingly important role in decarbonisation strategies across commercial and industrial sectors. In response, Bitzer has developed a range of screw, reciprocating and scroll compressors designed for hydrocarbon refrigerants such as R290 and R1270, which are particularly well suited to heat pump applications. These technologies provide customers with effi cient, future-
ready solutions that support both environmental objectives and long-term operational performance. Digitalisation will become increasingly important as businesses look to improve effi ciency and address ongoing resource constraints. Advanced monitoring, data analytics and predictive maintenance technologies can help identify issues before they become failures, reducing downtime and improving system performance. We see this as a natural evolution for the industry, enabling engineers and operators to make better-informed decisions and achieve more with the resources available to them. Bitzer will continue to support customers through solutions that combine proven engineering with intelligent technologies.
What role will Bitzer play in supporting engineers? Training and knowledge sharing are critical as the industry transitions towards lower-GWP and natural refrigerants. Bitzer is committed to supporting engineers through a comprehensive programme of training courses covering screw and reciprocating compressor technologies, as well as refrigerant handling and best practice. Delivered from our Milton Keynes headquarters and through
our training partners, these programmes are designed to equip engineers with the knowledge and confi dence needed to work safely and eff ectively with emerging technologies. The skills gap remains one of the biggest challenges facing our industry. Addressing it requires collaboration between manufacturers, training providers, educational institutions and employers.
Bitzer UK is proud to support the Institute of Refrigeration Industry Skills Alliance, which plays a vital role in helping to align training with industry needs. By investing in education, knowledge sharing and professional development, we can help attract new talent while supporting the next generation of engineers.
www.acr-news.com • July 2026 9 James Graham
"Customers value Bitzer’s product quality, technical
expertise and commitment to supporting the industry. At the same time, they are facing increasing pressures around skills shortages, regulatory compliance, energy effi ciency and project delivery."
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