APINA
APINA is a Spanish industrial refrigeration company that designs, builds, and services turnkey ammonia-based cooling systems, including ultra-low temperature freezing (-70°C) for tuna vessels, turbine inlet air cooling for power plants, and absorption modules, serving naval, food processing, industrial, and energy sector customers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersRentería, Spain
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What APINA does
APINA S.A. (Aplicaciones Industriales de la Absorción) is a Spanish industrial refrigeration company founded in 1995 and headquartered in Errenteria, Gipuzkoa. The firm designs, engineers, fabricates, installs, and services turnkey cooling systems centered on proprietary ammonia (NH3) absorption and compression technologies. Its portfolio includes APIUltraLow (ultra-low temperature freezing to -70°C for sashimi-grade tuna), APIHigreen (low-charge ammonia refrigeration under 1.3 kg/kW per IIR/IIF standards), TESTIAC (thermal energy storage combined with turbine inlet air cooling for gas power plants), and transportable absorption modules (250kW–2,500kW). Sub-product lines airCub and airMotion target -20°C to -40°C fresh and premium-fresh market applications on fishing vessels.
The company serves four primary verticals: naval fishing fleets (notably freezer tuna vessels, with 40+ equipped worldwide), food processing and cold chain operators, industrial process cooling customers, and the energy sector (including power generation, cogeneration, and district cooling). It holds marine Type Approvals from Bureau Veritas, DNV, Lloyd's Register, and ABS, as well as ISO 9001 certification and pressure vessel manufacturer homologations. Major named customers include Saudi Electricity Company (TESTIAC projects including the 458,000 kW PP9 plant), DEWA (Jebel Ali L1, 78,000 kW), and tuna vessel operators Alakrana, Izaro, Jai Alai, Euskadi Alai, Gran Roque, and INPESCA.
APINA monetizes primarily through custom-engineered project sales (hardware) supplemented by recurring maintenance, retrofit, recertification, and refrigerant conversion services. Distribution is direct enterprise sales globally, complemented by channel partners CINNAVAL and IRBIS Control in Manta, Ecuador for the Latin American tuna fleet. The company has no disclosed parent, no subsidiaries, no institutional investors, and no funding rounds, operating as a privately held Sociedad Anónima across approximately five continents.
APINA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- APINA
- Legal name
- APINA S.A. - Aplicaciones Industriales de la Absorción
- Website
- https://apina.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- APINA is a Spanish industrial refrigeration company that designs, builds, and services turnkey ammonia-based cooling systems, including ultra-low temperature freezing (-70°C) for tuna vessels, turbine inlet air cooling for power plants, and absorption modules, serving naval, food processing, industrial, and energy sector customers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
APINA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Refrigeration Equipment
- NAICS
- Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)
- SIC
- Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Systems (IMAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE), Compressors, Refrigeration Components & Condensing Units (IMADANAG), Refrigeration Installation & Replacement (Commercial) (HSAOAJAD), Compressor, Condenser & Evaporator Service (HSAOAJAG)
Keywords
Where APINA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rentería
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
APINA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Turnkey Industrial Refrigeration Systems: Design, fabrication, installation, and commissioning of complete industrial refrigeration plants for naval vessels, food processing, industrial processes, and energy sectors. Revenue derived from custom-engineered projects with significant scope from engineering through installation.
- Maintenance and Technical Services: Preventive and predictive maintenance services, remote telegestion, repairs, reforms, pressure vessel fabrication, recertification, refrigerant conversion (HFC to NH3/CO2), and component supply. Services include engineering projects, certifications, and legalizations.
- TESTIAC Technology Projects: Large-scale turbine inlet air cooling installations for power plants, including thermal energy storage systems. Projects like PP9 in Saudi Arabia (458,000 kW) and DEWA Jebel Ali L1 (78,000 kW) represent major revenue contracts.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
APINA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
APINA designs, fabricates, installs, and maintains turnkey industrial refrigeration plants using proprietary ammonia absorption and compression technologies. Core offerings include ultra-low temperature freezing systems (-60°C to -70°C) for tuna vessels, turbine inlet air cooling (TESTIAC) for power plants, and F-Gas compliant refrigeration units for marine and food processing applications. The company provides end-to-end project delivery from engineering and pressure vessel manufacturing through commissioning, plus ongoing maintenance and remote telegestion services.
Product overview
APINA is a European industrial refrigeration company specializing in design, construction, and installation of turnkey cooling systems since 1995. The product portfolio centers on proprietary ammonia absorption technology (Absorption Technology, APIHigreen) combined with ultra-low temperature freezing systems (APIUltraLow/U.B.T.) for the tuna fishing industry and premium food preservation. Key product lines include TESTIAC® for power plant turbine inlet air cooling with thermal energy storage, airCub and airMotion for vessel refrigeration at -20°C to -40°C, and comprehensive E&C (Electrical, Control and Regulation) services. The company offers complete project services including maintenance, retrofits, pressure vessel manufacturing, and refrigerant conversion from HFC to natural refrigerants (NH3/CO2). With over 40 vessels equipped and operations on five continents, APINA serves the naval, food processing, industrial process, and energy sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TESTIAC: Thermal Energy Storage for Turbine Inlet Air Cooling technology for power plant cooling applications. Developed since 2000, awarded for innovation at DEWA L Station in UAE.
- ATESTIAC
- apiUltraLow
- APIHigreen
- Absorption Modules
- airCub
- airMotion
Products and services
- TESTIAC® (Thermal Energy Storage for Turbine Inlet Air Cooling) Proprietary turbine inlet air cooling system for gas power plants that increases power generation capacity by up to one-third and improves efficiency during peak demand hours. Can be implemented with compression or absorption systems. Awarded at DEWA Jebel Ali L1 Station (78,000 kW).
- Absorption Modules (NH3-H2O) Ammonia-water absorption refrigeration modules that replace mechanical compressors, utilizing waste heat from industrial processes to generate cooling with minimal electrical consumption (approximately 5% of comparable compression systems). Capacities from 250 kW to 2,500 kW, capable of operating at temperatures down to -60°C.
- APIHigreen Low ammonia charge refrigeration technology using natural refrigerant ammonia (GWP 0, ODP 0) optimized to IIR/IIF standards (<1.3 kg/kW). Includes marine flooded chillers, DX chillers, and condensing units designed for food processing, energy, and naval sectors.
- APIUltraLow (ULT) Ultra-low temperature freezing technology for temperatures from -40°C to -70°C, specifically designed for tuna sashimi quality preservation. Four generations developed since 1988, featuring fast-freezing tunnels and conservation tanks. Preserves protein structure and prevents cellular damage below -45°C.
- Ultra Baja Temperatura (U.B.T./U.L.T.) Systems Complete independent systems capable of freezing at -70°C and conserving at -60°C. Features -60°C spine freezing capability, designed for tuna longliners and freezer vessels. Among the few systems in the world guaranteeing -60°C in-spine freezing.
- airCub Freon-based refrigeration unit operating at -20°C to -40°C for premium fresh market applications. F-Gas compliant, compatible with low GWP refrigerants. Available in flooded or direct expansion versions with PLC automation and SCADA integration. Type Approved by Bureau Veritas for marine use.
- airMotion Premium fresh refrigeration at -20°C optimized for European sashimi tuna market. Compact unit compatible with ammonia (NH3) systems and existing installations for retrofit without major structural modifications. Combines freezing and premium fresh production from a single refrigeration plant.
- District Cooling and Heating Centralized cooling and heating systems using ammonia heat pumps or F-Gas compliant systems with thermal energy storage to reduce peak electricity consumption. Includes projects like Al-Abdali in Jordan with 21,000 TR capacity across two phases.
- Freezer Tuna Vessel Refrigeration Systems Complete refrigeration systems for tuna freezer vessels with capacities up to 2,000 TN, freezing capabilities at -20°C in spine, featuring APIHigreen technology. Over 40 vessels equipped worldwide. Designed for newbuilds and retrofits.
- E&C (Electricidad, Control y Regulacion) Custom electrical control systems and switchgear for refrigeration applications, including temperature registrars homologated by Bureau Veritas, remote monitoring, satellite management, and PID control systems for energy optimization.
- Maintenance and Technical Services Comprehensive after-sales services including preventive and predictive maintenance with remote management (satellite telegestion), repairs and installation upgrades, custom pressure vessel manufacturing, re-stamping, legalizations/homologations, HFC to NH3/CO2 refrigerant conversions, and spare parts supply.
- Refrigeration Complexes (Complejos Frigorificos) Automated negative refrigeration plants for industrial applications, designed for fish processing, storage, and cold chain facilities. Includes turnkey complex installations for terrestrial projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- Freezing cycles reduced to 10 hours per 2T cycle in 3rd generation ULT tunnels
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use APINA
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
APINA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
APINA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- IRBIS ControlcoreManta-based Ecuadorian engineering company specializing in energy efficiency, automation of water/fuels/energy with telemetry and IoT. Technology ally for APINA projects on the Ecuadorian coast. Offers PLC+HMI fuel monitoring solutions for tuna fleets with up to 10% fuel savings per fishing trip, plus absorption systems for electricity and chilled water production.
- CINNAVALcoreEcuadorian company collaborating with APINA on naval projects and tuna fleet modernization. Co-exhibited at EXPOPESCA Manta 2024 addressing shipowners on fleet technical evolution.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
APINA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Frigicoll: Spanish industrial and commercial refrigeration distributor and solutions provider with strong Iberian and Latin American presence. Regional peer in industrial and marine refrigeration with overlapping channel partner dynamics in Latin America.
Broad incumbents
- GEA Group: Large German industrial equipment group with a substantial refrigeration and freezing portfolio serving food processing, dairy, brewing, and marine. Competes in industrial refrigeration but at much larger scale and with broader end-market exposure than APINA.
- Carrier Global Corporation: Global HVAC and refrigeration leader with marine, transport, and industrial refrigeration offerings. Overlaps with APINA in commercial/industrial refrigeration, transport refrigeration, and turnkey plant projects, though APINA is more specialized in ammonia and ULT.
- Johnson Controls International: Global HVAC and industrial refrigeration conglomerate with broad portfolio including ammonia and CO2 systems for food processing, cold storage, and marine. Overlaps with APINA across industrial chillers, food refrigeration, and district cooling though not specialized in ultra-low temperature fishing.
Emerging players
- ICS Cool Energy: UK-based industrial cooling specialist providing turnkey chillers and process cooling including ammonia-free options. Adjacent peer in industrial cooling projects and turnkey delivery.
- Güntner Group: German manufacturer of heat exchangers, condensers, and evaporator coils widely used in industrial and commercial refrigeration. Adjacent supplier to APINA's industrial refrigeration installations and a peer in refrigeration plant components.
Others
- Danfoss A/S: Danish manufacturer of refrigeration controls, compressors, and components. Ecosystem participant - supplies controls, valves, and automation used in APINA's installations, and overlapping customer base in industrial refrigeration.
Direct peers
- Star Refrigeration: UK-based industrial refrigeration specialist focused on ammonia systems, district cooling, and industrial process cooling. Direct comparable in proprietary industrial refrigeration engineering and turnkey plant delivery.
- BITZER Group: German compressor and refrigeration component manufacturer serving industrial and commercial refrigeration. Complements rather than directly competes; relevant as a tier-1 supplier/peer ecosystem participant in ammonia and freon-based systems.
- Mayekawa (MYCOM): Japanese industrial refrigeration specialist with deep expertise in ammonia systems, food processing, and marine applications. The most direct global peer to APINA in industrial ammonia and ULT systems, particularly in the seafood and fishing industries.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
APINA social profiles
Digital presenceAPINA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
APINA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
APINA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
APINA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
APINA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about APINA
What does APINA do?
APINA designs, fabricates, installs, and maintains turnkey industrial refrigeration plants using proprietary ammonia absorption and compression technologies. Core offerings include ultra-low temperature freezing systems (-60°C to -70°C) for tuna vessels, turbine inlet air cooling (TESTIAC) for power plants, and F-Gas compliant refrigeration units for marine and food processing applications. The company provides end-to-end project delivery from engineering and pressure vessel manufacturing through commissioning, plus ongoing maintenance and remote telegestion services.
Is APINA a public or private company?
APINA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was APINA founded?
APINA was founded in 1995. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is APINA based?
APINA is headquartered in Rentería, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does APINA make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Turnkey Industrial Refrigeration Systems are the primary driver. The others are maintenance and Technical Services and TESTIAC Technology Projects.
Who are APINA's main competitors?
Frigicoll is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are GEA Group, Carrier Global Corporation and Johnson Controls International. Emerging players are ICS Cool Energy and Güntner Group. Danfoss A/S is listed as an others. Direct peers are Star Refrigeration, BITZER Group and Mayekawa (MYCOM).
Does APINA have an API?
No public API is recorded for APINA.
What industry is APINA in?
APINA's product category is Industrial Refrigeration Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAKAA, Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Systems, with a secondary code of IMAHAKAE, Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment. Its NAICS code is 333415 and its SIC code is 3585.