Colombia. ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, released a preview of the ATMOsphere (ATMO) LATAM 2026 program, an event that will bring together some of the main end users and key players in the adoption of natural refrigerants in Latin America. Among the confirmed speakers are Cencosud, Nestlé and OXXO Colombia.
The meeting will take place from March 9 to 10, 2026 in Bogotá, and will open with a keynote speech by the Sustainability Manager of Cencosud, one of the largest retailers in South America. During his presentation, the executive will share the company's strategy on sustainability and the progress made in the transition to natural refrigerants. Cencosud operates more than 1,000 supermarkets in the region and has prioritized the conversion of refrigerant gases as part of its environmental roadmap. According to its 2024 sustainability report, the company already has 15 stores using transcritical CO₂ refrigeration systems (R744).
Nestlé, in conjunction with contractor Sistemas de Refrigeracion Totales, will introduce a critical load ammonia chiller (R717) equipped with adiabatic condensers. OXXO Colombia, the largest convenience store chain in Latin America, will participate in the same panel, which will present its experience in the use of natural refrigerants within its operations.
The program will also provide space for end-users in the agricultural sector. The Colombian company Avo Pak, dedicated to avocado processing, will share its experience with CO₂ refrigeration systems. This presentation will be made together with the contractor SUTRAK and the manufacturer Advansor, addressing solutions applied in industrial environments.
Contractors and installers will have a specific panel in which they will present their experiences in projects with natural refrigerants and their vision of the evolution of the market. Among the confirmed participants are Chilean contractors Sofrisur and Coldmaster, Costa Rica's Dicoma Refrigeration and Ecuador's Mafrico.
Policy and training
The agenda of the second day will include a panel on public policies, focused on rules and regulations that impact the use of natural refrigerants in Latin America. Edwin M. Dickson, environmental consultant of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, and Omarly Acevedo, international consultant of the Montreal Protocol and UNIDO in the region, will participate. ATMOsphere will also address the role of HFOs, as well as the growing concern about PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and TFA (trifluoroacetic acid).
Technical training will be another of the central axes of the event. ACAIRE, the Colombian Association of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, will lead the training panel, which will analyze the current status, opportunities and challenges of professional training in natural refrigerants in Latin America. Other participants will be announced soon.
The ATMO LATAM 2026 program continues in the process of closing and will include sessions dedicated to global and regional market trends. Tickets for the event are available now.
