By Eamonn Ryan
John Ackermann, a seasoned entrepreneur and owner of Jack Agencies, is well-acquainted with the highs and lows of running a business, as well as the travails common in the publishing industry with The Cold Link and Cold Chain newspapers.
Ackermann’s business, which has been operational for 38 years, focuses on importing and distributing Parker RS controls and valves for ammonia refrigeration and since 2006, Herl across southern Africa to contractors, with a further component of the business being Apex strip curtains for the Cape. Despite the longevity of the business, he acknowledged that persistent challenges with supply chains continue to impact operations.
Ackermann has been at the helm of Jack Agencies since 1986. “I started Jack Agencies back then, and it’s been quite the journey,” he remarks. After leaving a previous job with Airco, Ackermann ventured into refrigerated distribution consulting from his home and shortly thereafter got into journalism.
Recently, Ackermann has been transitioning away from another segment of his business. For 15 years, he operated a division that provided storage, distribution services and spares for Thermo King Containers. However, this arm of the business was closed on July 1 last year, the premises cleared out and recently sold, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter.
That new chapter includes retirement, but that step is not imminent as Ackermann considers the future of his primary business. “A prospective sale of the business to a supplier is under current discussion, and any deal will include me staying involved for at least two years to ensure a smooth transition for any new owners.”
Ackermann was involved in many other aspects of the industry apart from the day-to-day running of his business. These included an active involvement in various industry associations, and indeed their very formation, as well as being a pioneer in the publishing side of HVAC&R, the legacy of which remains in this publication, Cold Link Africa, and conferencing.
The beginnings of Cold Link
His entry into publishing was driven by a vision to create a dedicated newspaper for the refrigeration sector, not just a journal. “I collaborated with a friend who had a publication called Illustrated Industrial Digest. I realised the industry needed a newspaper focused on refrigeration, and we started Cold Chain together, because at that time I knew nothing of the publishing side.”
Working on Cold Chain involved extensive travel to Johannesburg, securing advertisers and writing articles – a time-consuming activity which Ackermann initially did for no compensation or even refunding of travel expenses. After two years, Ackermann sought compensation for his efforts. “I asked my partner about getting paid, and on being rebuffed suggested he pay me what he thought I was owed and I go my way,” Ackermann explains. This led to Ackermann founding The Cold Link, while his partner continued with Cold Chain.
“I’ll crucify you,” his former partner warned, as Ackermann started The Cold Link from scratch while continuing his commercial business.
Creating industry platforms
Ackermann’s publishing endeavours eventually led to the creation of SARDA (Southern African Refrigerated Distribution Association) focused on food safety regulations in 1990, born from the readership and industry contacts established through The Cold Link. Recognising a need for a more structured approach to refrigeration discussions and developments, Ackermann organised meetings that catalysed the formation of SARDA the first association in the cold chain.
Ackermann’s contributions weren’t limited to publications. He also played a pivotal role in organising industry events. “There used to be an industrial show, SA Industry and Technology Fair held in Johannesburg. The last was held at the World Trade Centre next to (the then called) Jan Smuts Airport, which had one of four sections focused on HERVAC,” he says. Believing in the potential of a dedicated refrigeration exhibition, Ackermann initiated the Cooling Expo ‘92 in Cape Town, providing a dedicated and focused platform for the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors.
He reminisces about the early days of organising refrigeration conferences. “In 1990, the inaugural Cooling Expo ‘92 and the Frigair Conference took place at the Goodwood Showgrounds. Up until then, Frigair was a focused conference held at the CSIR in Pretoria organised by SAIRAC,” he explains. This conference was highly structured, with published papers and a formal setup, marking a significant event for the industry.
“People told me it was impossible to have a show purely for refrigeration and air conditioning,” he says. Nevertheless, Ackermann paid the deposit for the show grounds and began planning the event. “I knew the refrigeration industry and its people, but not the specifics of organising exhibitions,” he admits. “A key moment came when Eva Marcus from an exhibition company suggested hiring her firm to manage the event. This collaboration was key to the exhibition’s success.”
Ackermann convinced SAIRAC and SARDA to hold a Frigair conference alongside the exhibition. “We formed a committee with members from the two bodies, organised the programme, and secured speakers, including international experts. This event attracted 2 900 visitors and was financially successful – a milestone for the industry.”
“When we did that first exhibition, Cooling Expo ‘92, there was a lot of unrest in the country,” Ackermann recalls, referencing the volatile political climate of the time and bookings declined after the rioting. “But we continued, and the show proved a success”.
Encouraged by the success, Ackermann planned subsequent exhibitions in Cape Town in 1998 (RAC Africa) and in 2004 (Cooling Africa) “SARDA and SAIRAC members organised these events with the help of dedicated committee members and sponsors,” he says. Each event continued to build on the previous ones, solidifying the exhibition’s reputation and importance. The process would start nine months earlier with an organising meeting, with follow up meetings every six weeks to map out the speakers, programme, social event programme, and this would become weekly meetings as the event approached.”
Over time, Frigair morphed from a conference to an exhibition with the format of presenting technical papers with in-depth discussion gradually disappearing and the name changing from the Frigair conference to the Frigair exhibition, he adds.
Ackermann’s leadership extended still further beyond organising events. He was the founding chairman of SARDA and twice the national president of SAIRAC: 1996-1997 and 1997-1998, and then again from 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. “I did two years in each term and continued to run my business, Jack Agencies, while managing The Cold Link,” Ackermann says.
Running The Cold Link
“The Cold Link was entirely managed by myself. I took photographs, wrote articles, and handled the layout. I did all the advertising, invoicing, and everything else required to keep the publication running,” he explains. He even manually folded and mailed out the publication until securing a mailing house to assist with distribution. Despite subcontracting layout work, Ackermann remained hands-on, doing proofreading and managing the entire process.
While this continued, Interact Media Defined (IMD, the publisher of this newspaper) took over the Cold Chain, as part of a competitive bidding process “I should have bought the Cold Chain when the old owner passed away,” he reflects. However, he missed the opportunity, leading to a situation whereby two publications coexisted in the HVAC&R industry.
Ackermann’s commitment to his readers is evident. “I used to do the overseas mailing myself, ensuring the newspapers reached various parts of the world, including places like the UK, Norway, and Estonia. These travels helped build a robust international readership,” Ackermann explains.
As he built up a substantial overseas readership he wondered if any of them actually read it. Reassurance came from meeting readers at international exhibitions who recognised him as the “newspaperman” from Cape Town. “One memorable encounter was in Nuremberg, where I was introduced to a reader from Estonia who expressed his appreciation on receiving The Cold Link. Many used to send me a letter thanking me for sending their copy.”
Ackermann fondly remembers receiving a book and kind letter from the same Estonian reader. He used it as the cover of the pamphlet promoting the 2009 Dreosti Memorial Lecture, honouring the influential first president of the SAIRAC.”These personal touches and recognition of industry leaders were important aspects of my work.
“I was a one-man operation, competing with a larger family-run business,” Ackermann recalls. This rivalry brought challenges, but Ackermann remained dedicated to his publication.
The sale of the Cold Chain introduced new dynamics. “The new owners approached me through a broker in 2014, interested in buying The Cold Link to consolidate the market,” Ackermann says. “We spoke about it for quite some time, while being unaware of who the interested party was – but eventually, I was introduced to IMD.” As Ackermann was president of SAIRAC, Cold Chain had to photograph and profile him, knowing full well he was editor of their rival newspaper, giving him a chuckle.
A crucial part of the deal was the merger of The Cold Link and Cold Chain. “They wanted to consolidate into one publication. I insisted The Cold Link name be retained, and to differentiate it the publication was rebranded as Cold Link Africa. I stayed on as the editor for a period to ensure a smooth transition and enjoyed being part of the IMD team and family.”
Ackermann reflects on his experience with the publishing and editorial responsibilities. “Publishing was extremely hard work. I enjoyed writing about the industry, but it was challenging balancing it with other activities,” he admits.
Ackermann observes the significant changes in the organisation of industry conferences. “We used to have a committee of six people meeting regularly to organise everything, from speakers to social events,” he recounts. This meticulous planning ensured comprehensive conferences featuring international speakers and a variety of programmes.
His role with The Cold Link involved extensive travel, allowing him to attend various international exhibitions. “I used to go to the IIAR Expo in America nearly every second show, and to IKK in Germany which later became Chillventa,” he says. These events were crucial for expanding the network of readers for The Cold Link.
He also attended events like the Cold Chain conference in Singapore, the South African then-Department of Trade sent him to a show in Bangkok, Thailand, and he also attended the RAC Exhibition in the UK.
Ackermann concludes: “As an industry activist, I have always been a strong supporter of the SA Skills competition and canvassed support from around the country and sponsorships to meet the cost of the competitions.
“In 2007 I was honoured to be a technical observer in the South African team that competed in the World Skills competition held in Japan. It was an amazing experience and an eye opener to what was achieved during the competition. It also gave me an opportunity to visit industrial refrigeration plants in Japan, including a -31°C plant.”
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