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The history of refrigeration in Brazil and the legacy of
Mario Lantery and José Tosi
The history of Lantery is linked to Coldex S/A. Pioneer and leader in the production of components for air conditioning and refrigeration in Brazil, Coldex was founded in 1954 by Mrs. Mario Lantery and José Daniel Tosi, and became part of the Trane Company with its sale in 1972. Decades later, in 1999, Lantery is founded by Mario and Paulo Lantery after identifying a new opportunity in the refrigeration market.
Lantery started its activities with only one bending machine and one manifold drilling machine in a single 13.000 sqft building and over the course of two decades conquered and broaden market share, proving its competence and differentials.
In 2010 we expanded and doubled our manufacturing facilities and our production area, diversifying with a new focus on finned coils, evaporators and condensers.
In 2022 we announced new investments in factory and machinery, increasing the production area to 48.000 sqft.
Our current structure guarantees quality, precision, agility, flexibility and competitive price in the production and delivery of return bends, manifolds, distributors, piping, evaporators and condensers.
Get to know a little about our history and some curiosities, it all started back in 1945, when our founder joined Carrier as an employee in São Paulo.
Our Timeline
Comments and curiosities – 70 years of refrigeration
“In 1952 I traveled to the United States on Solar Ltda. And I visited Melchior Armstrong in New Jersey to check out their condensing unit assembly. This visit resulted in the first assembly line for these units from ¼ hp to 3 hp, air-cooled. We started manufacturing the various components (base, liquid tank, condenser, copper tube connections, various valves, etc.) assembling them on a conveyor line and submerging the assembly in a glass-enclosed tank for pressure testing at 300 lbs, with nitrogen. All assemblies (with or without compressor) were supplied with positive pressure.
After the founding of Coldex in 1954, we started manufacturing dryers for commercial refrigeration with imported silica gel. With unusual support from our friend Paulo Vellinho from Springer in Porto Alegre, we were able to start manufacturing brass evaporators and spun filter driers for Admiral domestic refrigerators.
Around 1957, Coldex was invited to supply evaporators and condensers with aluminum fins for Philco's new line of window air conditioners (factory in Tatuapé). To obtain the necessary know-how, I went, with our partner and toolmaker Antonio Ortega, to spend 15 days at the Philco factory in Connersville (Indiana). After a few months and with the help of Philco's drawings, we were producing coils for both Philco and Springer Admiral in Porto Alegre.
Also, at Coldex, we produced 3,000 ice drawers (in aluminum with a cube breaker) a day, before the appearance of the plastic drawers that still dominate the market today. Curious detail – at that time, Frigidaire (GM) manufactured refrigerators, and invited us to visit the GM factory in Dayton (Ohio) to improve the bath in our drawers. I spent two days at the factory in Dayton to discover that the “fantastic” bath was carnauba wax from Brazil.”
Mario Lantery, August/2016
