What Torad Engineering does

TORAD Inc., operating as Torad Engineering, is a privately held climate technology company that designs and manufactures rotary spool compressors for commercial air conditioning applications. The company's core technology is a patented spool compressor architecture using an eccentric cam-constrained sliding vane and a rotating spool assembly, designed from the ground up for next-generation zero Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants such as Solstice ze (R-1234ze). Current development targets commercial air conditioning capacities from 7.5 tonR (22 kW) to 100 tonR (350 kW) for use in air-cooled chillers, water-cooled chillers, rooftop units, and data center cooling. The architecture achieves 72.5% peak overall isentropic efficiency at standard ARI conditions (45°F/130°F flange, 1800 RPM), 4-9% better than legacy compressors in this size range, while using simpler planar geometry that lowers manufacturing cost.

The company operates from a 13,000-sqft R&D and prototype manufacturing facility in Cumming, Georgia, employing 1-10 people. Its business model is direct B2B sales of spool compressor hardware and prototypes to commercial HVAC OEMs and air conditioning system makers, with no software, service, or licensing revenue disclosed and no public pricing. The company is led by Founder and CEO Greg Kemp, who invented the technology; Executive Chairman Gary Parsons, with four decades of communications-media-technology company-building experience; President and COO Joe Orosz, with 24 years in HVAC/R and compressors; and Director of Advanced Manufacturing John Montgomery, with 25+ years in precision compressor manufacturing. Advisory input comes from compressor researchers at Purdue University and the University of Illinois.

TORAD has accumulated multiple utility patents in the US and strategic international markets protecting the spool architecture, has published technical research at the International Compressor Engineering Conference at Purdue since 2012, and is currently testing a 20 TonR unit on Solstice ze. No institutional venture funding rounds, named OEM customers, or disclosed revenue have been identified in the input data; the company is backed by Paparelli Ventures, an Atlanta-based early-stage investment firm.

Name

Torad Engineering

Legal name

TORAD Inc.

Website

https://toradengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Torad Engineering is a privately held climate technology company that designs and manufactures patented rotary spool compressors for commercial HVAC OEMs, optimized for zero global warming potential refrigerants such as Solstice ze (R-1234ze) in the 7.5-100 ton capacity range.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial HVAC Compressors

NAICS

Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing (333912), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Compressors, Refrigeration Components & Condensing Units (IMADANAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Air & Gas Compressors (General Purpose) (IMAHANAE)

Keywords

• Refrigerant compressors
• Spool compressor technology
• Commercial HVAC equipment
• Zero GWP refrigerants
• HVAC compressor manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Cumming

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Spool Compressor Hardware Sales: TORAD develops and manufactures spool compressor technology for commercial air conditioning applications, selling compressors and prototype hardware to HVAC manufacturers and OEMs. The company produces machines ranging from fractional horsepower to 60 horsepower capacities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Torad Engineering designs and manufactures a patented rotary spool compressor technology for commercial air conditioning applications, optimized for next-generation zero Global Warming Potential refrigerants such as Solstice ze (R-1234ze). The compressors are produced in capacities from 7.5 to 100 tonR in open drive, semi-hermetic, or fully hermetic configurations and are sold to commercial HVAC manufacturers and OEMs for integration into chillers, rooftop units, and data center cooling systems.

Product overview

Torad Engineering is a privately held Climate Tech company offering a single core product: the Spool Compressor. This rotary spool compressor technology is specifically designed to enable cost-effective adoption of zero global warming air conditioning across commercial applications. The Spool Compressor is a hardware-only offering focused on the compressor component for HVAC/R systems, with current development targeting commercial air conditioning between 7.5 tonR (22 kW) and 100 tonR (350 kW). The technology is available in open drive, semi-hermetic, or fully hermetic configurations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spool Compressor Patented rotary spool compressor designed for commercial air conditioning applications and optimized for next-generation zero GWP refrigerants such as Solstice ze (R-1234ze). Achieves 72.5% peak overall isentropic efficiency and operates in capacities from 7.5 to 100 tonR. Offered in open drive, semi-hermetic, or fully hermetic configurations for integration into commercial air-cooled chillers, water-cooled chillers, rooftop units, and data center cooling systems. Sold to commercial HVAC manufacturers and OEMs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72.5% peak overall isentropic efficiency with Solstice ze refrigerant at ARI 45F/130F conditions, 1800 RPM, 4-9% better than any compressor in this size range
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bitzer SE: Bitzer is one of the largest independent manufacturers of reciprocating, screw, and scroll compressors for commercial refrigeration and air conditioning. Direct competitor serving the same OEM customer base for low-GWP refrigerant transitions.
• Copeland (Emerson Climate Technologies): Copeland is the dominant global manufacturer of scroll and semi-hermetic compressors for commercial HVAC and refrigeration. It is the incumbent that TORAD's spool compressor aims to displace in zero-GWP applications, and serves the same OEM customer base.
• GEA Refrigeration Technologies: GEA produces screw and reciprocating compressors under its refrigeration technologies portfolio, including the Carlyle Compressor brand, for commercial and industrial refrigeration. Comparable in scale and customer base to TORAD's commercial HVAC target market.
• Trane Technologies (Thermo King / Trane): Trane Technologies is a major chiller and commercial HVAC OEM that integrates third-party and proprietary compressors into its water-cooled and air-cooled chiller platforms. A potential customer and competitor, sourcing compressor technology similar to what TORAD offers.
• Mitsubishi Electric (Compressor Division): Mitsubishi Electric produces scroll and centrifugal compressors for its own CITY MULTI and commercial chiller product lines. A vertically integrated incumbent competing for the same zero-GWP commercial AC opportunity.

Direct peers

• Frascold: Frascold manufactures semi-hermetic and screw compressors for commercial refrigeration and air conditioning. A direct competitor in the commercial compressor market, with similar OEM sales motion to TORAD.
• Danfoss (Climate Solutions / Turbocor): Danfoss produces Turbocor oil-free centrifugal compressors and Danfoss Scroll compressors for commercial chillers and air conditioning. Joe Orosz and John Montgomery both worked at Danfoss (Scroll/Turbocor). Direct competitor in zero-GWP-ready compressor technology.
• RefComp (Refrigerating Engineering): RefComp manufactures screw compressors specifically designed for natural and low-GWP refrigerants including CO2 and HFOs. A direct competitor in the next-generation refrigerant compressor segment.
• Dorin compressors: Dorin is an Italian manufacturer of semi-hermetic reciprocating compressors for commercial refrigeration and air conditioning, competing directly with TORAD in the commercial OEM space.

Regional players

• Mayekawa (MYCOM): Mayekawa is a Japanese compressor manufacturer with strong presence in industrial refrigeration and natural refrigerant (NH3, CO2) screw compressors. Comparable in addressing low-GWP refrigerant transitions, with a regional focus on Asia-Pacific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Torad Engineering