SYCLEF ACCELERATES ITS INVESTMENT IN TRAINING FOR REFRIGERATION AND HVAC PROFESSIONS
Meyreuil (France), October 12, 2026. SYCLEF is taking another significant step forward in its skills development strategy with the opening of its Centre of Excellence dedicated to refrigeration and HVAC professions on October 19, 2026. Located at the Group’s headquarters in Meyreuil (Bouches-du-Rhône, France), this new 750 m² facility combines theoretical instruction with hands-on practical training to enhance employees’ skills and address the sector’s evolving technological and regulatory requirements.
Through this investment, SYCLEF reaffirms its ambition: to make training a strategic driver for strengthening its teams’ expertise, supporting the industry’s transitions, and ensuring the highest standards of technical expertise and service quality for its customers.
Developing skills to support the transformation of the industry
Advances in technology, changes in refrigerants, and evolving regulatory requirements are profoundly transforming the refrigeration and HVAC professions. These developments require continuous skills development and adaptation, from equipment design and installation to maintenance operations.
To address these challenges, the SYCLEF Centre of Excellence aims to strengthen technical expertise and support the diversification of skills, particularly in HVAC, air handling and hydraulic systems, to meet evolving customer needs and increasingly demanding energy efficiency and environmental performance requirements.
A practical training approach tailored to industry needs
The Centre of Excellence offers short training modules lasting two to four days, as well as tailored learning pathways adapted to each participant’s needs.
Combining theory and practice, the training programmes emphasise hands-on experience with equipment and real-world scenarios, enabling participants to develop practical skills that can be directly applied in the field.
Training sessions are limited to six participants to ensure personalised support and maximise opportunities for hands-on learning.
A training centre designed by and for SYCLEF teams
The training content and equipment have been developed by in-house experts, in collaboration with the Group’s companies and SYCLEF trainers, based on operational needs identified in the field. This collaborative approach places knowledge and skills sharing at the heart of the training programme, while showcasing the expertise developed across the Group’s various companies.
750 m² dedicated to learning and technical skills development
The Centre of Excellence features two complementary training areas designed to support technicians at every stage of their development, from mastering the fundamentals to advancing their technical expertise.
The “Fundamentals” Technical Training : Area features a brazing workshop, eight individual refrigeration training units and control system simulators. Virtual reality tools also allow participants to practise handling refrigerants. These facilities provide an ideal environment for developing essential technical skills and gaining a thorough understanding of how refrigeration systems operate.
The “Advanced Training” Technical Area : features a transcritical CO₂ refrigeration system, a dual-flow air handling unit, an HFC refrigeration system, a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning system, and dedicated training units for hydraulic and airflow systems.
This wide range of equipment enables technicians to deepen their technical expertise and gain hands-on experience with different types of systems.
Designed to be modular and adaptable, these training areas accommodate both ready-to-use training programmes and tailored learning pathways to meet the specific needs of each team.
A new cornerstone of SYCLEF Academy
The opening of the Centre marks a new milestone in SYCLEF’s training strategy, which began with the launch of its first campus in 2019, followed by the creation of SYCLEF Academy in 2021.
This ongoing commitment supports recruitment, career transitions and continuous skills development, helping to meet the current and future needs of the refrigeration and HVAC industries.
SYCLEF Academy is now structured around three complementary pillars:
•Training Campuses, designed for individuals wishing to pursue a career in refrigeration, whether through initial vocational training or career retraining. These diploma and qualification programmes are delivered in partnership with specialised training organisations, including CCI, GRETA and AFPA, through courses such as TIFCC and TIFI.
• Continuing Professional Development, offering advanced training modules delivered within the Group’s companies by expert trainers, notably using dedicated training equipment;
• The Centre of Excellence, dedicated to mastering the fundamentals, advancing technical expertise and developing multidisciplinary skills through tailored training programmes designed to meet the needs of the teams.
With the opening of this Centre of Excellence, SYCLEF continues to expand its training initiatives and reaffirms its long-term commitment to investing in its employees’ skills, driving technical excellence and enhancing performance for its customers.
Centre of Excellence Inauguration – October 8, 2026
Hervé LOHEA, President of SYCLEF | Nicolas PONDICQ-CASSOU, Managing Director of SYCLEF | Maurice GAVA, First Deputy Mayor of Meyreuil | Gaétan JOUBERT, Municipal Councillor, City of Meyreuil | Nathalie CHASSAGNE, Head of SYCLEF Academy | Martin SMETEK, Technical Director
About SYCLEF
SYCLEF is an international network of companies specialising in commercial refrigeration, industrial refrigeration and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). Operating in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Poland, Africa, Romania and the Indian Ocean region, SYCLEF designs, installs and maintains tailor-made, sustainable and high-performance technical solutions for a wide range of demanding industries.
Through its strong local presence, complementary expertise and hands-on support, SYCLEF combines the responsiveness and close customer relationships of a network of SMEs with the strength and resources of a major group.
SYCLEF brings together 73 companies, operates across 143 locations and employs 4,150 people.
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