RectorSeal said the acquisition, plus the recent development of its own GasGuard™ locking cap brand, now positions it as the market-share leading manufacturer of locking caps. The company said increasing locking cap sales across the nation are being driven by the recent trends of teenage huffing deaths and black market refrigerant theft due to the inherently easy access of air conditioning units’ Schrader valves. The caps also provide environmental benefit as their O-ring seals minimize refrigerant loss due to leaking Schrader valves.

Locking caps are currently required for new air conditioning installations by the International Mechanical Code (IMC) and the International Residential Code (IRC). However, sales could escalate in 2015 if a proposed IMC and IRC code mandate is passed to install locking caps on any existing system that’s opened during service.

Novent locking caps can be unlocked only with a unique key available to licensed air conditioning and refrigeration contractors through HVACR wholesalers. It complements RectorSeal’s keyless GasGuard, which can be removed only with a proprietary socket tool. “Wholesalers and contractors now have the flexibility of an easy to install and tamper-resistant keyed or keyless locking cap, both marketed by a 75-year-old company with a reputation of standing behind the products it sells,” said Larry Kaiser, vice president, RectorSeal.

RectorSeal was previously marketing the Novent locking cap as a result of its 2011 acquisition of Fall River, Mass.-based manufacturer/importer Airtec Products Corp., whose assets included U.S. distribution rights for the product. Consequently, RectorSeal will continue marketing Novent through the same established network of manufacturer’s representatives and wholesalers.

For more information, visit www.rectorseal.com.

Publication date: 4/29/2013