Orbia to preview next-gen refrigerants at MEMA conference

Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials will present a seminar Oct. 6 at the MEMA Technology Conference in Frisco, Texas, focused on the refrigerant transition in motor vehicle air conditioning. The session will cover regulatory changes, retrofit considerations and new lower-cost substitutes for R-134a and R-1234yf.

Why it matters: - The seminar addresses a real pressure point for repair shops, suppliers and drivers as older vehicle A/C systems move through a refrigerant transition. - Orbia is positioning R-456A and R-444A as lower-cost replacement options for widely used refrigerants in older and newer vehicles. - The discussion matters because refrigerant availability, price and regulatory compliance affect service costs across the automotive aftermarket.

What happened: - Orbia Advance Corporation S.A.B. de C.V.'s Fluor & Energy Materials business announced a new seminar for the MEMA Technology Conference in Frisco, Texas, on Tuesday, Oct. 6. - The 45-minute session is titled "The Refrigerant Transition: The Evolving Regulatory Landscape and Practical Considerations for Motor Vehicle AC Servicing." - Scott Stone, an attorney and head of Glencoe Strategies LLC, and Adam Kimmel, Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials senior manager of business development, will co-present. - The seminar is part of MEMA's automotive technology track.

The details: - Orbia says the session will focus on the changing regulatory landscape for motor vehicle air conditioning systems during the refrigerant transition. - The presentation will cover commercial availability of R-456A and R-444A. - R-456A is a direct replacement for R-134a, which remains in use in older vehicles. - R-444A is a replacement for R-1234yf, which is used primarily in later-model vehicles. - The seminar will explain how the phasedown of older HFC refrigerants, including R-134a, under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 is creating demand for new domestically manufactured substitutes. - Stone will outline federal regulatory requirements, likely changes by the end of the decade and the substitute refrigerant approval process under the U.S. EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy program. - Stone will also address early market entry mechanisms that can make low-cost substitutes commercially available before final regulatory approval. - Kimmel will cover the features, benefits, development goals and retrofit process for R-444A and R-456A. - Todd Campau, MEMA senior director of member content and engagement, said the aftermarket still has confusion about why new refrigerants are being introduced, how they are used and how they fit into service operations. - Campau said the seminar is intended to help dispel myths and show how next-generation refrigerants can fill the gap for millions of vehicles still using R-134a and millions more using R-1234yf.

Between the lines: - Orbia is using the conference to market itself as a practical supplier in a transition period where regulation, pricing and service access are colliding. - The focus on domestically manufactured substitutes suggests the company sees an opening in the U.S. aftermarket as compliance and cost pressures rise. - The emphasis on retrofit guidance signals that adoption will depend not just on product approval, but on how easily shops can switch.

What's next: - The seminar will take place on Oct. 6 at the MEMA Technology Conference. - Orbia directs interested readers to more information about Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials. - The company also provided the email fem@orbia.com for additional inquiries. - Orbia said the broader refrigerant transition will continue as regulatory requirements evolve through the end of the decade.

The bottom line: - Orbia is betting that regulatory change, shop economics and refrigerant shortages will create demand for its lower-cost replacement products in the automotive A/C market.