At EuroShop 2026, Sergei Mukminov, Editor-in-Chief of Refindustry.com, spoke with Jörg Wittmann, Key Accounts & Market Sector Supermarket Sales EMEA BITZER, at the BITZER booth about two practical themes for food retail refrigeration: what’s next in CO2 condensing units, and how to improve part-load performance in existing compressor installations after store retrofits such as adding glass doors.
Sergei Mukminov: What is your main highlight for EuroShop 2026?
Jörg Wittmann: Our highlight at EuroShop is the first model of our new ECOLITE CO₂ family – the start of a series of condensing units specifically optimised for the natural refrigerant CO₂. It offers a preview of the innovative CO₂ solutions we are bringing to the market step by step.
Sergei Mukminov: What is the core idea behind the unit?
Jörg Wittmann: The core idea of the new unit is to continue the proven plug‑and‑play concept of the ECOLITE family, now with CO₂. The ECOLITE CO₂ models offer a future‑proof alternative to HFC refrigerants and enable an easy and reliable entry into CO₂ technology. They can be used flexibly for low‑ or medium‑temperature applications, and all components are perfectly matched. This allows quick installation and commissioning, while the familiar BITZER tools make handling straightforward.
PERFORMANCE KITS: upgrading existing systems
Sergei Mukminov: You also showed retrofit solutions for reciprocating compressors. What is the background?
Jörg Wittmann: Our ECOLINE reciprocating compressors are supplied with the IQ MODULE CM-RC-02 as standard. This gives the customer, for example, the possibility to monitor and analyse the operation in a data log. Further compressor operation and protection functions are also included.
We have a very wide installed base of reciprocating compressors that are maybe 10, 12 or 15 years old – and these compressors do not have the module. For these installations, we can now use PERFORMANCE KITS. They are available for reciprocating compressors of the ECOLINE series for HFC/HFO refrigerants and the ECOLINE PRO series for hydrocarbons (orders from 11 November 2024).
Sergei Mukminov: What is the typical use case?
Jörg Wittmann: A common case in food retail is a rack designed for open cabinets. When operators later add glass doors to improve energy efficiency, the cooling demand decreases significantly. The compressors then operate outside their intended load range. Without adjustments, the system tends to short‑cycle during winter, which will negatively impact efficiency and equipment lifetime.
Sergei Mukminov: So what is the main goal behind these retrofit solutions?
Jörg Wittmann: The goal is to increase system availability and reliability and to rise installation efficiency at part load–especially when operating conditions change. With these kits, customers can access operating data, reduce cycling, and run the system more smoothly and efficiently at low load.
Sergei Mukminov: How popular is this solution so far?
Jörg Wittmann: This solution is still very new, as it was launched at the end of last year. Early feedback however has been very promising, especially regarding the ease of integration of these kits and really impressive benefits for efficient operation with stable suction pressure at low part load conditions, without adding the complexity and cost of a frequency inverter retrofit.
Thank you for your insights!