Nine partners are co-ordinating the two-year Improving Cold Store Equipment in Europe project, including, in the UK, Bristol-based Refrigeration Developments and Testing (RD&T), working with London South Bank University.

The project will carry out detailed surveys of temperature- controlled facilities across Europe. The Brussels-based Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation is funding the initiative.

Work began in May, but RD&T is now calling on chilled and frozen food processors to take part in initial studies, which begin next month, preceding a more detailed survey. Responses can be kept confidential and participants can benchmark results against their peers to glean tips and guidance.

"A lot of advice in this area is very generic and people have to be very specific to come up with the financial case for any changes," said RD&T md Judith Evans. "More detail is required to look at issues at specific facilities."

The aim is to involve 500 firms across Europe.

RD&T was set up in August 2009 by former University of Bristol, Food Refrigeration and Process Engineering Research employees.

l The European CO2 Refrigeration Training Academy has been opened at Minworth, near Birmingham, as a centre of excellence for training engineers and end-users in carbon dioxide-based refrigeration technology by WR Refrigeration.