About ACR

The Beginning

ACR Project Consultants was established in July 1971 in Pune by our CMD and chief consultant, Mr. Arvind Surange. Our CEO, Mr. Harshal Surange joined ACR in 2005 after working for 10 years in the Cold chain and HVAC industry.

The Progress

Having made a modest beginning, ACR Project Consultants has more than 500 projects of various types to its credit, including cold chains, multipurpose cold stores, precooling and frozen food plants, ripening chambers, ice and ice cream plants and dairies, breweries etc. and comfort/process air-conditioning, air cooling and industrial ventilation systems. Having been in this field for such a long time we have almost set a trend in this field. Being a consultancy group with vast and long experience, we provide latest and updated technology to our projects with emphasis on energy efficiency and economy in the project costs.

We have a team of 6 engineers with an average experience of 28 years between them to serve the industry. Mr. Arvind Surange is part of the technical experts committee of National Horticulture Board (NHB) for formulating their standards. We are also a part of NHB’s Technical Scrutiny team for vetting of the projects for adherence to their standard and the inspection team for verification of the project implementation as per their approved standards.

ACR's Contribution to the Refrigeration Industry

ACR Project Consultants introduced the concept of 'Total Project Consultancy' to achieve an integrated approach and economy in project designs in association with architects, structural designers, electrical and other system consultants. Meaning, apart from the consultancy services in the field of Refrigeration and allied systems, ACR can also provide architectural and structural designing and services in Electrical, Fire Fighting and Plumbing Systems through their regular associates, in order to achieve the benefits of integrated project designing under one roof.

ACR Project Consultants also was pioneer in introducing the latest trends like the prefab insulated panel system for cold stores in India. Sensing the need for energy efficiency at that time itself, ACR promoted the concept of waste heat reclaim system on Air Conditioning and Refrigeration plants for generating hot water process utilization and encouraged the use of energy saving strip curtains for cold stores as well as use of electronic controls on Air Conditioning and Refrigeration systems.

Contributions of ACR to the Refrigeration and Cold Chain industry can be summed as under:

1. Introduction of Innovative Concepts to the Cold Chain Industry
   • Integrated Project Designing Services under one roof
   • Insulation Panel Systems to Cold Storage designs in 1982
   • Electronic Controls and Automation
   • Refrigerant Pumping Systems
   • Green Concepts and presentations of the same in India, Germany, South America and now USA
2. Participation in
   • ISHRAE's Handbook of Refrigeration
   • Formulation of Standards for Cold Chain projects for NHB
   • ASHRAE’s International Refrigeration Committee
   • GCCA’s Energy Savings Committee
3. Functioning as Trainers for NHB, NCCD and GCCA training programs
4. Presentations in various forums, seminars and conferences on Cold Chain

Associations and Recognitions

We are in close association with ISHRAE, the National Society & ASHRAE, the International Society for Cold Chain and HVAC&R and have access to the latest design information and techniques in this field. We have been registered on the panel of the State Bank of India, Consultancy Development Centre (CDC), National Fisheries Development Board, NIFTEM under MOFPI and other institutions.

Mr. Arvind Surange is a recipient of 'ASHRAE FELLOW' award, which is an international recognition of professional excellence. He has also been a member on the NHB’s technical standards committee & 'Refrigeration Committee' by ASHRAE, USA and also is a member of NCCD, GCCA, CDC, IIAR which is the international society in the field of Air conditioning & Refrigeration. Besides he is also the Chairman of REF Committee of RAL (of ASHRAE). Recently he was honoured with the Lifetime Service Award by ISHRAE and also the Udyog Ratna award by Brahman Vyavasaik Ptrika. We have been promoting ‘Green Cold Chain’ on a global level with Mr. Arvind Surange delivering lectures on 'Green Cold Chain' around the globe.

Our CEO, Harshal Surange was a part of a national team to USA for Cold Chain study tour, sponsored by Govt of USA, in 2008. He is also nominated as a member of the REF & Energy Commission of GCCA. He regularly authors many articles in various technical publications including ISHRAE journal and ICE and is an official trainer for NHB and NCCD government training programs.

We are the recipients of the Bry-Air award for "Excellence in HVAC&R System Design" in the year 2006 (their inaugural year) and again in 2009 for the same and Award for "Distinguished Service in the field of HVAC&R" presented by ISHRAE Mumbai Chapter. We received the Emerson Cup 2010 for our design of vaults for storage of colour films for National Film Archives, Pune. All our awards and recognitions are listed on 'Awards' page

Memberships & Affiliations

1. ISHRAE- Indian Society for Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engrs (We had handled the positions of President of Pune chapter, National President, Chairman Refrigeration Handbook Committee, Editor of the same committee etc)
2. ASHRAE – American Society for Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engrs (held position of the President of the chapter, Chairman of REF Committee of RAL, Member of REF Committee etc.)
3. NCCD - National Cold Chain Development
4. GCCA –Global Cold Chain Alliance
5. IIAR- International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
6. CDC –Consultancy Development Centre
7. Indo German Chamber of Commerce