US refrigerant management sector consolidates

A major consolidation is underway in the United States refrigerant management sector, with private equity firm J.F. Lehman & Company moving to establish a larger environmental services platform through the acquisition of two specialist operators.

The firm has acquired majority equity stakes in Reclamation Technologies USA (RTI) and Tradewater LLC & Affiliates, combining the businesses into a single platform focused on lifecycle management of industrial and refrigerant gases, alongside the mitigation of uncontrolled methane emissions.

The move brings together complementary capabilities across refrigerant recovery, reclamation, processing, and permanent destruction, forming what the companies describe as a “closed-loop” service model for regulated gases.