Brisbane-based Century Batteries is investing $7 million its Australian manufacturing facility, which is expected to boost production to more than 1.3 million batteries per year with almost all materials and components also sourced locally. Century, which recently gave Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk a tour of its Carole Park facility, employs around 600 people across Australia and New Zealand. It … Continue reading VASA member Century Batteries boosts Australian manufacturing
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently identified online sales of a potentially unsafe refrigerant promoted for use in automotive air-conditioners. VASA’s North American counterpart MACS Worldwide is spreading the word with a safety alert on its website. While the product (branded “Cool Penguin F-12”) appears to be marketed as CFC-12, some of the cans contain a mixture of … Continue reading Dangerous fake ‘F-12’ refrigerant sold online in US
A petition calling for restrictions to be lifted from the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants in Queensland, submitted to the state Parliament by One Nation MP for Mirani Stephen Andrews in August, has been given short shrift by Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Dr Anthony Lynham. The petition, which gathered 588 signatures, made … Continue reading Claims Made in Pro-HC Petition Debunked by Queensland Minister
VASA director Mark Mitchell, who is part-owner and director of Unicla International, has written a book chronicling and celebrating the compressor manufacturer’s fascinating story and achievements to date. Pre-release copies of the book, titled Unicla and the Midnight Technician, have been well-received by global industry figures including MACS Worldwide president Elvis Hoffpauir, MACPartners Europe president Michael … Continue reading High Praise for Mark Mitchell’s History Book About Compressor Manufacturer Unicla
Grants of up to $5000 are currently available to women working in the Australian automotive sector to support their participation in one of three professional development programs. The grants have been provisioned for use by women right across the country, with a specific focus on the automotive sector, but must be allocated by the end … Continue reading Last 2020 Women’s Leadership Development Scholarships Now Available
THE announcement of a 10-year new car warranty by Mitsubishi Motors Australia has courted controversy because it is conditional on customers exclusively servicing their vehicles at Mitsubishi dealerships, else the warranty duration is reduced to five years. Announced before Mitsubishi had obtained full approval from the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC), the proposed warranty … Continue reading Conditional 10 Year Mitsubishi Warranty Raises Ire of Australian Auto Repair and Parts Industry
MACPartners Europe, the continental cousin of VASA, has launched a new website to support the automotive air-conditioning industry in Europe that provides a centralised portal for webinars and technical bulletins and an opportunity to connect with members of the community, to help strengthen and unite the automotive air-conditioning industry as a whole. Founded in June 2004 by … Continue reading VASA’s European Counterpart Launches New Website, Resource to Support Auto-AC industry
ASA welcomes the upcoming replacement of controversial Unit of Competency AURETU005 “Retrofit and modify air conditioning and HVAC systems” as part of a broader update to the Automotive Retail, Service and Repair (AUR) Training Package due to concerns raised by this organisation and other industry groups. Unit of Competency AURETU005 included a focus on retrofitting … Continue reading Common sense prevails in change to HC retrofit requirements within AUR Training Package
The Australian Federal Government has announced plans that will enable tradespeople with a state government occupational licence could have their licence automatically recognised in all states and territories from 1 January 2021. It is proposed that individual tradespeople with an occupational licence in one Australian jurisdiction will automatically be able to take equivalent work in … Continue reading Automatic cross-border trades licensing recognition finally on the horizon for Australia
A pioneering vehicle air conditioning specialist and VASA member, Graeme Nathan, one of a long line of Nathans who were prominent in the early Victorian auto industry, died recently in Melbourne, after a long battle with health issues. The family patriarch was Graeme’s grandfather, Myer Nathan, a savvy engineer, who owned a large dealership in … Continue reading Vale Graeme Nathan: VASA honours a true pioneer
