For the past few months, our UK teams have been working on the development and launch of RefHub, our new digital refrigerant management platform.
Navigating the new compliance regulations has made this a complex and challenging project, but also an exciting and rewarding one. Seeing the platform come to life and the value it will bring to our customers and business is something we're all incredibly proud of.
With just one week to go until the go-live date for RefHub, we grab a few minutes with our Chief Technology Officer, Simon Launder.
RefHub is launching on 1st October - what problem is it solving?
Simon: RefHub is our customer platform, designed to make doing business with A-Gas easier.
We’re starting with refrigerant and waste returns, supporting the UK’s move to digital waste tracking and reducing paperwork. But the ambition is broader - one connected place where customers can access our services, manage their refrigerant activity and get the information they need.
There's a lot of talk about digital transformation in refrigeration - what does it mean in practice?
Simon: It means making everyday work easier. Capturing information once, completing tasks on site and accessing records without chasing paperwork. RefHub puts that into practice.
Over time, better connected data can also help customers and our teams anticipate needs, plan ahead and deliver more responsive service.
Technology should support the expertise and relationships our industry is built on.
“Digital waste tracking is the first milestone. Our ambition is for RefHub to become the everyday platform connecting customers with A-Gas.”
Simon Launder, CTO
How does RefHub support the new DEFRA Digital Waste Tracking requirements?
Simon: RefHub captures digital returns information as part of the everyday customer workflow, supporting A-Gas’s UK waste reporting obligations and reducing administration.
This is our first compliance milestone.
The foundations are designed to support other markets and regional requirements over time - including areas such as F-gas recordkeeping and reporting, bringing these activities into one connected customer platform.
What difference will RefHub make day-to-day for wholesalers and contractors?
Simon: Initially, it means simpler returns, less manual administration and easier access to information from a desktop or mobile device.
Our ambition is to bring cylinder visibility, inventory, rentals, reporting and more customer self-service into that same experience.
We want RefHub to become a useful part of customers’ everyday work - giving them more control and more time to focus on their businesses.
Why do you see RefHub as a gamechanger for the industry?
Simon: We’re building RefHub on foundations designed to scale across our markets with an experience that can be tailored to different customer groups, channels and local requirements.
The ambition is to connect customers’ everyday work with A-Gas services and the full refrigerant lifecycle - making recovery and returns easier, strengthening relationships and giving us better insight to plan and grow.
