Sabroe Refrigeration

What Sabroe Refrigeration does

Sabroe Refrigeration is a Denmark-based manufacturer of industrial refrigeration and heating equipment, operating as a brand within Johnson Controls' Industrial Refrigeration division. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Højbjerg (Holme), the company designs and produces reciprocating and screw compressors, packaged ammonia chillers, and industrial heat pumps for utilities, food and beverage processors, pharmaceutical and healthcare facilities, chemical and petrochemical operators, high-tech facilities, and leisure venues. Its technology base centers on heavy-duty compressor platforms, natural refrigerants (ammonia R717 and CO2), zero and low GWP formulations, and proprietary compact heat exchanger architectures, with output temperatures up to 120°C and heat output up to 7 MW per unit.

The product portfolio includes the ChillPAC compact chiller (60–1,400 kW, 50% smaller refrigerant charge than conventional designs), the HeatPAC, HyePAC, and HicaHP heat pump families, UniSAB controllers, vessels and heat exchangers, electrical panels with variable-speed drive, and the OpenBlue Connected IR platform for data-driven monitoring and optimization. The company sells customized, quote-based industrial equipment directly to enterprise customers through Johnson Controls' global sales organization, with documented project wins including New Aalborg University Hospital, Vattenfall Berlin, Energie Baden-Württemberg, and Aalborg Forsyning.

Revenue is generated through three streams: industrial equipment sales, aftermarket parts and overhaul services, and connected subscription services on the OpenBlue platform. Manufacturing is concentrated at the Højbjerg factory and a recently expanded Holme facility that doubles production capacity, adds a customer experience and test centre, runs on 100% renewable energy, and is compliant with European Heat Pump Association testing standards. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, PED H and H1, and DNV-GL welded pressure vessel certifications.

Name

Sabroe Refrigeration

Legal name

Johnson Controls Denmark ApS

Website

https://sabroe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Sabroe Refrigeration is a Denmark-based manufacturer of industrial compressors, chillers, and high-capacity heat pumps serving utilities, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and district heating customers globally, operating as a brand within Johnson Controls.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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 (3334), Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414)

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

Refrigeration Components & Controls (Compressors, Valves, Sensors) (IMAHAKAH), Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE), Compressors, Refrigeration Components & Condensing Units (IMADANAG), Heat Exchangers, Coils & Hydronic HVAC Components (IMADANAF)

Keywords

• Industrial refrigeration
• Industrial heat pumps
• Ammonia compressors
• Process chillers
• District heating equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Højbjerg

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Sales: Sale of compressors, chillers, heat pumps, and complete thermal management systems to industrial and commercial customers
2. Aftermarket Parts and Services: Spare parts, exchange compressors, remanufacturing, overhaul services, and technical support for existing installations
3. Connected Services (OpenBlue): Data-driven monitoring and optimization services for connected industrial refrigeration equipment

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sabroe manufactures industrial refrigeration and heating equipment, including reciprocating and screw compressor units, packaged chillers (ChillPAC and screw chillers), and a high-capacity industrial heat-pump family (HeatPAC, HyePAC, HicaHP) rated up to 95°C delivery. The portfolio is sold as engineered capital equipment for process cooling, refrigeration, and large-scale heat-recovery applications, with supporting offerings in vessels, heat exchangers, electrical panels, UniSAB controllers, and the OpenBlue connected-platform layer for Industrial Refrigeration.

Product overview

Sabroe is a manufacturer of industrial refrigeration and heating equipment with over 125 years of history (founded 1897), now operating as part of Johnson Controls. The product portfolio centers on compressors (reciprocating and screw), packaged chillers (ChillPAC, screw chillers), and industrial heat pumps (HeatPAC, HyePAC, HicaHP). These core thermal transfer products are supported by complementary control systems (UniSAB controllers), vessel/heat exchanger components, electrical panels, and the OpenBlue connected refrigeration platform for data-driven optimization. Products use natural refrigerants like ammonia (R717) and are designed for district heating, food & beverage, utilities, pharma, and industrial applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SABROE Reciprocating Compressor Units

Quantifiable outcome

• 8x more efficient than conventional cooling solutions
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• European Heat Pump Association (EHPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Johnson Controls/Sabroe facility in Holme, Denmark is compliant with European Heat Pump Association testing standards, enabling certification and market access for high-capacity industrial heat pumps in the European market
• EU Commissioner for Energy and HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen participated in inauguration ceremony for expanded Holme facility, signaling government support for industrial heat pump decarbonization initiatives
• Aalborg Municipality (via Aalborg Forsyning)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict cooling partnership where Aalborg Forsyning (municipally-owned utility) operates the chalk lake-based cooling system using Sabroe ChillPACs and HeatPACs, delivering 8x efficiency improvement

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dorin: Dorin (Italy) manufactures industrial refrigeration compressors and condensing units, with strength in CO2 transcritical and natural-refrigerant systems. Direct competitor in European industrial refrigeration and emerging CO2 segments overlapping Sabroe.
• GEA Refrigeration Technologies: GEA is one of the largest industrial refrigeration equipment suppliers globally, offering ammonia and CO2 compressors, chillers, and heat pumps for food processing, cold storage, dairy, and beverage customers. Directly comparable product portfolio and vertical mix to Sabroe.
• Mayekawa: Mayekawa (Japan) manufactures industrial reciprocating and screw compressors, chillers, and heat pumps under the Mycom brand for food, chemical, and marine customers globally. Direct competitor in industrial ammonia refrigeration and natural-refrigerant technology.
• Emerson Copeland: Emerson's Copeland brand manufactures refrigeration compressors (scroll, semi-hermetic, screw) and controls for industrial and commercial refrigeration customers. Competes with Sabroe in compressor categories and increasingly in industrial heat pump compressors.
• Bitzer: Bitzer is one of the world's largest manufacturers of refrigeration compressors (reciprocating, screw, scroll) used in industrial and commercial refrigeration. Direct competitor in Sabroe's core reciprocating and screw compressor categories.
• Frick Industrial Refrigeration: Frick is Sabroe's sibling brand under Johnson Controls' Industrial Refrigeration division, manufacturing industrial ammonia and CO2 refrigeration systems, screw compressors, and chillers for food/beverage, cold storage, and process industries. Most direct comparable in product portfolio and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Danfoss: Danfoss manufactures refrigeration and air-conditioning components, including compressors, controls, valves, and increasingly industrial heat pump solutions. Adjacent as a major component supplier and emerging systems competitor to Sabroe in industrial heat pumps.
• Viessmann: Viessmann is a major European manufacturer of heating, industrial, and refrigeration systems with a strong industrial heat pump portfolio. Comparable in industrial heat pump technology and European district heating exposure, though broader in residential heating.
• Carrier Commercial Refrigeration: Carrier (NYSE: CARR) manufactures commercial and industrial refrigeration systems under brands including Carrier Refrigeration and Profroid. Competes with Sabroe in industrial refrigeration and heat recovery, particularly in food retail and process cooling.

Emerging players

• Stiebel Eltron: Stiebel Eltron (Germany) is expanding from residential heat pumps into large-scale and industrial heat pump solutions, directly competing with Sabroe in European district heating and process heat applications with natural refrigerants.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/johnson-controls-denmark-aps

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sabroe Refrigeration