With the “Training on RAC Best Practices, F-Gases and Flammables,” held in Ouagadougou from February 16 to 18, 2026, the new training center of New Cold System SARL in Burkina Faso was officially inaugurated, conducted by the Centro Studi Galileo. The training marks the operational launch of the new academy, dedicated to technical training in refrigeration and cold chain in West Africa.
The training course was conducted by Max Vanderhenst, CSG teacher, at the facility led by Dr. Madi Sakandé, also a CSG teacher, owner of New Cold System SARL and President of U-3ARC. The program addressed best RAC practices, F-Gas management according to European standards, and the safe use of flammable refrigerants, with a strongly practical approach focused on field application.
The new structure is established as a permanent technical training center, equipped with five teaching refrigeration cells designed to replicate real installation, startup, and maintenance conditions. The stations are outfitted with components and instrumentation provided by leading Italian companies in the HVAC/R supply chain, including Dorin (compressors), LU-VE (condensers and evaporators), Frigor Box International (modular mini-cells), PEGO (control panels and systems), Castel (valves and components), WIGAM (instrumentation and service equipment), along with contributions from other industrial partners that have supplied materials, technical support, and financial backing. The initiative has been developed under the auspices of the Galileo Study Center, with the support of ATF – Association of Refrigeration Technicians.
Max Vanderhenst stated:
It was a great honor to participate in the official launch of the new CSG – New Cold System Academy in Burkina Faso. I found high-level participants, with a strong motivation to grow in our industry. The F-Gas course, structured according to the European standard of the Galileo Study Center, represented a concrete first step towards the transfer of advanced technical skills. The hope is to contribute to the construction of a structured training and certification system in the F-Gas field on a pan-African scale. I hope to be able to return soon to continue this journey.
Dr. Madi Sakandé emphasized the inaugural value of the event:
“This first official course marks the beginning of a strategic collaboration between Italy and Africa in the refrigeration sector. We thank U-3ARC, Centro Studi Galileo, ATF, and all partner companies for believing in this initiative. The new academy will enable the training of qualified technicians, strengthen the cold chain, and support local economic development, generating concrete benefits for both the African and Italian markets.”
The inauguration of the Ouagadougou office thus represents a structural step in the process of internationalizing CSG’s training activities, with the aim of promoting high-level technical skills, updated safety standards, and sustainable management of refrigerants in a strategic area for the development of an efficient and timely cold chain, even on the African continent.
