TEKO Americas supplies ROXSTAsmart to Colombian Hypermarket Chain Alkosto

Originalartikel von https://naturalrefrigerants.com (published on October 01, 2025)

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The CO₂ refrigeration system ‒ manufactured by TEKO Américas ‒ provides 162kW (46.1TR) of medium-temperature and 24kW (6.8TR) of low-temperature cooling capacity, Weston told NaturalRefrigerants.com. In addition to the CO₂ system, the company installed 30 propane (R290) self-contained islands in the Alkosto store.

“This marks a major step for the retail chain in its environmental commitment to implement an ecological refrigeration system,” said David Osma, Project Engineer at Weston. “[We] provided comprehensive support by leading the design, manufacturing, installation and commissioning of the entire refrigeration system.”

Additional details

The new 31,600m² (388,600ft²) hypermarket features a sales floor, a mezzanine for commercial concessions, offices, loading docks, a stockroom, an automotive service center, a warehouse and extensive cold storage areas.

• The CO₂ cold rooms contain front and dual evaporators, according to Weston.
• The R290 self-contained display cases installed provide refrigeration for beverages, meats, dairy, produce and frozen items.

European connection

Weston and TEKO began collaborating in 2019 and strengthened their partnership in 2022 by forming the joint venture TEKO Américas.

• From Weston’s production site in Bogotá, the joint venture makes CO₂ refrigeration systems available to retail chains across South America.
• TEKO, with more than 7,500 CO₂ systems installed globally since 2006, sees the region’s growth potential for implementing natural refrigerant solutions, according to Managing Director Andreas Meier.
• “There is a lot of knowledge in the South American market and amongst engineers in the field, much more than in Europe or in the U.S. in my opinion, and the adoption of natural refrigerants is picking up very fast,” Meier said.

Colombian motivation

To encourage the adoption of natural refrigerant solutions, the country offers purchase incentives for equipment with a GWP of less than 100 and energy-efficiency benefits, according to Edwin Dickson, Specialized Technical Professional of the Ozone Technical Unit at the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.

• The purchase incentives include tariff exemptions for imported products, exclusion of the 19% value-added tax, a 50% income tax deduction based on the equipment’s value and an accelerated depreciation rate, Dickson said.
• End users can also apply for tax benefits related to the equipment’s energy efficiency.

“The use of natural refrigerants such as CO₂ and R290 enables operation with lower environmental impact and tax exemptions,” Osma said. “The installation of high-efficiency doors and electronic valves in display cases and self-service units ensures a significant reduction in energy consumption.”