The popularity of wine continues to grow as is evident by the wide varieties, the greater availability, and the increasing number of arguments over what constitutes a really fine wine. Refrigeration plays an important role. In fact, refrigeration is vital not only in storage, but on the front end in the winemaking process, and once a bottle is uncorked.

Planning is already underway for the every-other-year conferences at Purdue University dealing with compressor engineering and refrigeration/air conditioning. The International Compressor Engineering Conference and the International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference take place concurrently July 14-17, 2008, on the Purdue campus.

At SkillsUSA, the industry members involved are showing support for the young people coming into the industry. I would hope those young people appreciate this, and realize that such support (ongoing training and troubleshooting help) is available from manufacturers and associations for as long as they are in the industry.

Call it a church revival or preaching to the choir, but when Joel Gilbert of Apogee Interactive gives the keynote talk at the upcoming Food Marketing Institute Energy & Technical Services Conference, he will be telling those who think they have done it all in terms of energy savings that there are still ways to do better.

As the 2010 deadline for the use of R-22 in new equipment comes closer, efforts are on the increase to put the topic on a need-to-know basis for contractors and technicians who work with the refrigerant. As part of that, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a few months ago provided training for HVACR and plumbing instructors under the topic, “The 2010 HCFC-22 Phase Down.”

Members of more than a dozen councils and committees in the Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) headed to Horseshoe Bay, Texas, in mid-June to do some serious planning for the HARDI 220 Annual Fall Conference October 6-9 in Orlando, Fla., at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.

With 285,000 people in SkillsUSA chapters throughout the country, the 4,800 who made it to the National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City this summer as the result of winning local, state, and regional competitions "were in the top 2 percent of all SkillsUSA students in the United States." In that mix of 4,800 competitors, there were 52 taking part in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration contest.

Those who install and service ice machines, coolers, and freezers may want to take notice of what was shown recently at two major trade shows. First the Food Marketing Institute Show featured the latest products for supermarkets and c-stores. Then the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show highlighted similar technologies for restaurants, hotels, and motels.

Scroll compressors continue to gain inroads throughout the HVACR industry. But a still-to-be-conquered new frontier for such technology is walk-in coolers.

Contractors and technicians who work on refrigeration equipment that comes in contact with food need be aware of this common sense commandment: Safety is No. 1. I’m not talking about personal safety - although that should certainly be the highest priority on the job. I’m speaking about food safety.