ANAHEIM, Calif. – Turbocor (La Crosse, Wis.) has not rested on its laurels after winning the 2003 AHR Expo's "Energy Innovation Award." At a press conference prior to the opening of the 2004 AHR Expo, Turbocor management and customers spoke of the reasons why 2004 is expected to be a banner year for the company.

Brian Evans, president of Turbocor, announced an extensive expansion of the company's compressor product line. "We will expand the width, breadth, and depth of our product line in 2004," he said. "Width means we'll be increasing the product line from its current 60 to 90 ton sizes up to 150 tons in a single standard lift compressor.

"Breadth underscores that we will have ‘high' as well as ‘standard' lift capabilities. Depth refers to an expansion in refrigerant flexibility. In 2004 we will offer not only R-134a but also R-22 compressors."

Evans added, "We are excited about reaching nearly 80 percent of chiller market coverage in 2004."

Eugene Smithart, vice president of sales and marketing for Turbocor, said there is a lot of excitement about the new Turbocor compressors. "The compressor has a 33 percent better operating efficiency, is oil free – with 50 percent less maintenance costs – and is so quiet you literally can't even hear it running. How important is that for schools?"

Some of Turbocor's partners and customers were at the AHR press conference, supporting the "good news" from Turbocor.

Keith Sinclair, owner of the Sinclair Co., said that since he retrofit his five-story multi-use office building with Turbocor compressor technology, he has seen a 33 percent reduction in total energy costs, and added, "Reliability has been 100 percent since the day we turned the [compressor] switch on."

Steve Ghilardi, account executive with Airco Commercial Services Inc. talked about the benefits of the Turbocor Retrofit Alliance Program.

"With California's volatile energy market, Turbocor retrofits present an ideal vehicle for commercial and industrial owners to reduce operating costs via increased HVAC operating efficiency," he added.

Speaking of retrofits, Dan Thatcher, vice president of Aftermarket Business for Turbocor, said that contractors should be especially interested in the new "oilless" compressors.

"Some contractors have even told me they don't care as much about energy efficiency," he said. "They are saying, ‘Get me away from the oil problems.'"

In closing, Evans added, "We believe we are on the verge of doing to screw compressor technology what screws did to reciprocating compressors starting about 25 years ago – make them obsolete."

Publication date: 01/26/2004