Dawlance converts it refrigerator, freezer production to cyclopentane tech

KARACHI: Dawlance has converted its refrigerator and freezer production to cyclopentane-based insulation technology with financial and technical assistance from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the National Ozone Unit (NOU) of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC), marking a significant step towards adopting more environmentally friendly cooling technologies.

Federal Secretary MoCC Awais Manzur Sumra visited Dawlance’s DPL1 manufacturing facility in Karachi, to review the company’s transition to climate-friendly refrigerant and insulation technologies, a key part of Pakistan’s efforts to protect the ozone layer and reduce climate-warming emissions.

The Secretary was accompanied by Dr Zaigham Abbas Deputy Director (Labs/ NEQs) Pak-EPA; Syed Azmat Hussain Shah Interim National Project Manager National Ozone Unit (NOU) MoCC; and Muhammad Zia Ul Mustafa Deputy Director (Admin) Pak-EPA, Islamabad.

At the center of the visit was Dawlance’s conversion to cyclopentane technology, undertaken with the financial and technical assistance of the UNIDO and NOU at MoCC. Cyclopentane, used in the insulation foam of refrigerators and freezers, has zero ozone-depleting potential and a negligible global warming potential compared with the chemicals it replaces.

The delegation took keen interest in the project, which demonstrates how collaboration between government, international development partners and the private sector can deliver environmental gains at industrial scale.

Commenting on the visit, Umar Ahsan Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Dawlance, said that sustainability is not a choice for manufacturers; it is a responsibility we owe to our consumers and to future generations. “Our transition to cyclopentane shows what Pakistani industry can achieve when government, international partners and the private sector work towards a shared goal,” he added.

During a detailed briefing, the delegation was taken through the environmental and climate implications of refrigerant use and the measures Dawlance has built into its manufacturing operations to support the national phase-down of ozone-depleting and high-global-warming-potential substances.

The presentation also covered the company’s wider sustainability agenda across its manufacturing plants, including emissions reduction, energy efficiency and resource conservation.

Dawlance reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Pakistan’s climate and environmental objectives through responsible refrigerant transition and sustainable manufacturing practices.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026