About RACES
Our Story
RACES was born out of a shared frustration: The founders of the society recognised that existing industry bodies didn’t truly represent refrigeration and air-conditioning engineers or the needs of the commercial sector of our industry. After speaking to engineers and associated businesses they decided to form RACES to amplify the voices of the skilled professionals who are the foundation of this trade and to provide support for refrigeration and air-conditioning businesses.
Who We Represent
We support refrigeration and air conditioning engineers, no matter what the level of expertise, covering all sectors – from domestic installations to large-scale commercial and industrial systems. Our members include technicians, apprentices, service managers, educators, wholesalers, designers and such like.
What Makes Us Unique
Unlike trade bodies focused on manufacturers or suppliers, RACES is driven by and for the engineers on the ground. We offer a hands-on, community-based, and grassroots approach to support, with high standards and high values.
Our voluntary board and working groups
Michael Smart (Managing Director) and Graeme Fox CEng (Technical Director) thought it critical for launching the society to set up a voluntary advisory board with members drawn from across all of our industry, including small to medium refrigeration business owners, large wholesale representatives, independent wholesale owners, design engineers and service engineers. We knew how critical it was that decisions we take were beneficial to all, especially our members. That’s why we’ve forged the founding Advisory Board, to get opinions, feedback and fresh ideas from people passionate about our industry.
Please see a small introduction to those members here
Organisation structure
RACES has set up working groups to drive forward the strategic goals of the society – each with a department head.
Both of these working groups have a broad range of expertise from across the various specialisms within the industry.
Technical Team – headed up by Dean Wheldale
Populating and controlling the content in the technical resource library, peer reviewing new publications and reviewing existing ones to ensure they remain up-to-date and relevant for our members.
Training & Student Support – headed up by Mark Denford
Coordinating training sessions across the UK and providing mentoring and support for trainees and new entrants to the sector.
To manage the society on a day-to-day basis RACES has engaged the services of 2 project managers to coordinate the work between boards and working groups – Lilly Richardson and Oliver Craner.
The project managers act as the bridge between the boards and working groups and ensure the work of the society drives forward for the betterment of our industry.
The whole ethos of our society is a collegiate network of people passionate about improving our sector and driving the industry forward in a sustainable way – ensuring our workforce is ready for the transition to lower GWP refrigerants and the challenges that is bringing.
If you would like to volunteer on one of these working groups or boards please reach out to us at info@races.org.uk