News
For over a quarter of a century – since 1995 – we have enjoyed a close partnership with the Portuguese heat exchanger manufacturer Centauro. What started with a tailor-made customer solution quickly developed into our own brand WHITELINE. Since then we have been working in a close, friendly relationship and developing products jointly for our customers for the future.
In 1992 Centauro opened its factory at its current location in Castelo Branco. Even back then, António Granjeia (Technical Director Centauro) and Kurt Kohr (former Managing Director TEKO) already knew each other and first discussed a possible collaboration. The official starting shot was fired in 1995 when Centauro manufactured a series of evaporators for us according to customer specifications. We have been purchasing Centauro heat exchangers under our TEKO label WHITELINE since 2002.
Dirk Niedenthal (Product Manager Heat Exchanger) says, “The partnership between Centauro and TEKO is based on a friendly relationship. We develop products together. Centauro responds immediately to our requests and implements them – both in terms of the construction and by using the materials we want.
Centauro attaches great importance to longevity and sustainability. They therefore manufacture with the appropriate and stable materials, without exception. Likewise, they have never ceased to come up with innovative ideas. The finished series are continuously being optimised so that they can offer real-time improvements to their customers regarding installation, commissioning, maintenance and cleaning.”
To date, Centauro has been our manufacturer of heat exchangers for F-gas refrigerants. Due to the F-gas regulation and the increasing use of CO2 units, it was in 2013 that we effectively started with a joint development of a CO2 evaporator series.
“Before we started to build a CO2 evaporator series, we created a solid knowledge base through internal and external training (including by Bitzer), which was strengthened by open networking with our customers and suppliers,” explains António Granjeia. “The switch to CO2 presented some challenges, of course. We had to rethink and adapt both our construction and the materials used. On account of the new operating pressures of 130 bar and the restriction to K65 pipes, it was essential that we upgraded our machine park. We therefore invested in new fin presses, bending tools and expanding machines, in addition to various test facilities for strength and leakage tests.”
About Centauro
- Founded in 1978
- Head office in Castelo Branco, Portugal
- 186 employees
- Manufacturer of heat exchangers
- Production in two plants totalling 36,000 m2
Sarah Schröter