Coil Tech/US Chiller reports that interest in its services has been brisk despite the fact that the joint venture is just six months old.

The chiller services venture, which was set up jointly by Bahrain-based Coil Tech and US Chiller Services, an American company, is a fairly new concept in the region but is widely practised elsewhere, according to the company.

''In the US, it's an accepted fact that independent chiller service organisations provide a better alternative for service and repair rather than approaching the agent or manufacturer," says Dan Mizesko, managing partner. "In fact, chiller manufacturers and agents are not as interested in providing solutions and services that benefit the end-user as they are in selling new chillers.''

He continues: "Outside the Middle East, 90 to 95 per cent of the services provided on liquid chillers are performed by independent service organisations. These organisations have no allegiance to any one manufacturer but are certified to service chillers of all manufacturers. However, in the Gulf the practice of going to an independent is still a fairly new concept.

''A myth or piece of misinformation that seems to be prevalent in the Gulf, is that the agent is certified to service the chillers of the manufacturer it represents. This is entirely false - in fact, most agents in the Middle East do not have in their employ, factory and industry-certified service engineers to perform repairs and overhauls on the liquid chillers they represent."

Coil Tech/US Chiller has American service engineers who are factory and industry-certified to repair equipment from manufacturers such as Carrier, Trane, York, and McQuay, he says.

Coil Tech/US Chiller is keen to increase awareness that another option is available to users in the region when a chiller is old, inefficient, in disrepair, or not operating to its original capacity.

''While the agents and manufacturers would recommend that the old be replaced with a new machine, this approach is not likely to be in the user's best interest,'' Mizesko points out. ''We offer an alternative that has the client's best interest in mind. Retrofit solutions and service options are available - at a fraction of the cost of a new chiller - that will have an old chiller back to new capacity and efficiency, and all the work is guaranteed for two years including all parts and labour. This type of guarantee is in fact stronger than that offered by manufacturer at the time of purchase.''

Coil Tech/US Chiller is pleased with the initial response it has received to its efforts.

''We have been successful in providing our services in Bahrain to the Ministry of Health. The project involved a motor and bearing retrofitrepair on one of the ministry's 770-ton Carrier centrifugal chillers. In addition, we have provided the ministry with non-destructive testing services on nine other Carrier centrifugal chillers.

''We have provided inspection and maintenance services to Cluttons on 10 Carrier chillers - centrifugal and reciprocating - as well as having conducted non-destructive testing on two Carrier centrifugal chillers for the property management company.

''We have also been awarded the retrofit and repair of six Trane centrifugal chillers for the Amiri Court. This will include the complete teardown and reassembly of the centrifugal compressors, including all new bearings and seals, as well as calibration of all operating and safety controls, and complete recommissioning of the chillers.''

In its bid to increase awareness, Coil Tech/US Chiller - in collaboration with the University of Bahrain - recently held a three-day seminar on air-conditioning systems and operation. US Chiller conducted a training session on centrifugal chiller fundamentals as part of this seminar. The training was attended by many chief engineers and maintenance directors who are responsible for chilled water plant facilities in Bahrain.

''The seminar was very well received, so much so that Coil Tech/US Chiller plans to hold more training seminars throughout the Gulf on the operation, maintenance, repair and proper troubleshooting skills required to maintain all types of chillers including centrifugal, screw, absorption, and reciprocating,'' he says.

''Our philosophy is that if users are more informed and up to date on the latest technologies and maintenance procedures available in the industry today, the more likely they will be to look to us for solutions to their chilled water plant needs,'' Mizesko adds.

The company has also made available to the Gulf two energy-saving products: a chiller optimisation microprocessor panel as well as the ATB system which will eliminate tube fouling as well as save on energy usage.

Coil Tech/US Chiller just recently opened its second Gulf office in Kuwait. The company offers its services throughout the region round-the-clock, seven days a week, from its Bahrain base.