The Air-conditioning and Refrigeration European Association (AREA) has voted for a new board headed up by new president Gerhard Neuhauser from the Austrian Association OEKKV.
Graeme Fox, former chairman of the UK 's RAC group, has joined the AREA board as a director. Per Vemork from KELF, Norway, also joins as a director and Frank Heuberger, from the German BIV, is the board's new treasurer.

Those remaining on the board are vice president Attila Zoltan from HKVSZ, Hungary, Jean Jacquin from the French Association SNEFCCA and new president Gerhard Neuhauser from the Austrian association OEKKV.

Neuhauser as AREA president-elect, replaces Christian Scholz who resigned. Neuhauser said he believes AREA must:-

-continue improving the national associations' representation in Brussels, -preserve the interests of the contractors, mainly with regard to the new legal challenges as well as the directives on environment, health, safety and energy efficiency -'Harmonize' the levels of training across the EU -support the EU and national governments in matters of the environment.

Norman Mitchell has stepped down from the board to retire. He is one of AREA's longest serving representatives, and served as a former treasurer.

The board has yet to appoint a new general secretary, a post previously held by Joop Hoogkamer.

The AREA trade associations was founded in 1988 and represents European contractors and specialists in air conditioning, refrigeration and heat exchanger technology.

AREA's 21 members come from 19 countries and represent more than 10,000 companies throughout Europe.