Star Technical Solutions (STS) has been launched by Star Refrigeration as the company's technical advisory arm for customers wanting assistance on a wide range of refrigeration engineering issues.

Operating as an independent consultancy, the development of STS follows growth in the need to guide customers through the maze of legislation regarding refrigerants and cooling plants, says director David Blackhurst.

"We believe that many companies in the food industry are unaware of the legal obligations brought about by recent changes in European legislation," says Blackhurst. "They do not realise the impact that these regulations have on the freezing and chilling equipment they operate."

He points out that the use of ozone-depleting hydro-chloro-fluorocarbons (HCFCs) in new refrigeration equipment is banned. "However, it is not generally recognised that second-hand and refurbished systems are also affected by regulations that are mandatory and legally enforceable."

Contact: Star Technical Solutions, Tel: 0141 638 7916