ESSENTECH to Ride the CO2 Refrigerant Transition, Expand Push into European Market

[Financial News] ESSENTECH is expanding its push into the European market, targeting the global refrigeration and air-conditioning industry's transition to environmentally friendly refrigerants. Following increased exports of ball valves for conventional refrigerants, the company is seeking new customers with a product lineup for R744, which uses carbon dioxide (CO2) as a refrigerant.
ESSENTECH said on the 17th that it will participate in Chillventa 2026, an international refrigeration and air-conditioning exhibition taking place in Nuremberg, Germany, from October 13 to 15.
At the exhibition, the company will place CO2 (R744) ball valves and three-way ball valves at the forefront. The move is aimed at expanding its overseas portfolio beyond exports of existing products, in line with the global refrigeration and air-conditioning market's shift toward environmentally friendly refrigerants.
The company will also showcase the SB1 Quick Push Connector to Refrigerant Line, a no-weld connector for refrigerant pipes. The product connects refrigerant pipes without brazing. ESSENTECH plans to display service tools and piping accessories as well as the connector as it seeks new European customers.
Improved recent performance is another factor behind the overseas expansion. ESSENTECH's standalone sales in the first half of this year totaled 32.48 billion won, up 18.1% from the same period a year earlier. Operating profit rose 111.7% to 1.87 billion won. Increased exports of refrigerant ball valves and cost efficiency measures drove the improvement in profitability.
The company plans to target new markets, including Europe, by increasing shipments to existing overseas customers while promoting products for CO2 refrigerants.
Industry observers believe the transition to environmentally friendly refrigerants could provide refrigeration and air-conditioning component makers with an opportunity to reorganize their supply chains. Whether products for CO2 refrigerants, following increased exports of existing ball valves, lead to new customer acquisitions will be a key factor determining ESSENTECH's further growth.
An ESSENTECH official said, "We will focus on introducing valves for CO2 refrigerants and no-weld connectors to global customers and turning those efforts into new customer discoveries and tangible business opportunities."


[email protected] Reporter Kim Kyung-a Reporter