History

Our background in ammonia refrigeration began with C.P. Wood, Sr. who entered the industry at the age of fourteen in 1896 at the Triumph Ice Machine Company located in Cincinnati, Ohio.  His first job was developing blueprints from the engineering department, accomplishing by exposing them to the sun.

The drawing on the right is the first record we have of his involvement in the ammonia refrigeration industry. It is a cover page he drew for a system installed for the Cincinnati Fish and Oyster Company in 1899. His initials are found at the bottom center of the artwork.

With the experience he gained in the still relatively new field of mechanical ammonia refrigeration, he became an accomplished draftsman and advanced in the company to become a salesman, then sales manager and design engineer.

In 1922 C.P. Wood resigned to form his own company, starting an unbroken series of ammonia refrigeration installations that continued until his death in 1958.  As C.P Wood, Sr.’s two sons David and C.P. Jr. came of age they also joined their father in the ammonia refrigeration business and continued to provide installations, equipment, and service within the industry.

The third generation of involvement in the industrial refrigeration occurred when C.P. Wood, III joined the family business in 1983 and in 1986 partnered with Det Ohst to form a new company.  Det Ohst and C.P. Wood, III formed Advanced Ammonia Refrigeration Design Corporation (AARDCO) ensuring an uninterrupted involvement in the field of ammonia refrigeration for well over a century.  C.P. Wood, Jr. remained active at AARDCO into his 90’s and upon his retirement held numerous industry patents.

Our record over the last century indicates our devotion to ammonia as the perfect universal refrigerant. Ammonia installations require a special ability that has been ours for years – experience, but rather than rest on our past achievements, we look to future challenges and our valued associations with our customers.

We are affiliated with ASHRAE, IIAR, RETA and C. P. Wood, III also serves on the Hamilton County, Ohio Local Emergency Planning Committee.