Danfoss Climate Solutions has named Dennis Appel as Divisional President of its newly established Controls and Thermal Management division. This new division unites the expertise of heat exchangers with refrigeration, cooling, and air conditioning technologies to accelerate innovation and enhance efficiency. Since 2020, Dennis Appel has played a key role in expanding Danfoss’ heat exchangers business.
“Dennis has successfully led our heat exchangers business, and his leadership will be a tremendous asset to our refrigeration and components business. With 20 years of leadership experience in international heat transfer and thermal management companies, he brings deep industry expertise to this role,” said Kristian Strand, President of Danfoss Climate Solutions.
Dennis Appel, Divisional President of the newly formed Controls and Thermal Management division, commented:
“I am excited to build upon our strong foundation and history of exceptional products, solutions, and customer relationships, while bringing together two talented teams with a proven track record of success. Most importantly, I look forward to driving impactful results for our customers.”
By combining heat exchangers and refrigeration technologies, Danfoss Climate Solutions is strengthening its ability to respond swiftly to evolving customer needs, technological advancements, and regulatory requirements.
President Danfoss Climate Solutions Kristian Strand added: “The HVACR industry is advancing rapidly, with an increasing focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and compliance. Our new setup will allow us to align more effectively with these trends and seamlessly adapt to market changes.”
Bio: Dennis Appel
Dennis holds an MBA from Purdue University and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University.
Before joining Danfoss, Dennis held key executive positions in leading companies. From 2016 to 2019, he served as Vice President of Commercial and Industrial Solutions at Modine Manufacturing, overseeing thermal management operations across North America, Europe, and China. Prior to that, he spent a decade at Luvata (later acquired by Modine) in senior leadership roles, most recently as President of the Heat Transfer Solutions Division, a global provider with 18 manufacturing sites worldwide. His extensive international background reflects his expertise in global operations and market strategy. As of 2025, he serves as a Board Member of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).
About Danfoss:
Danfoss engineers solutions that increase machine productivity, lower energy consumption, enable electrification, and reduce emissions.
Our solutions are used in areas such as refrigeration, air conditioning, heating, power conversion, motor control, industrial machinery, automotive, marine, and on- and off-highway equipment. We also provide solutions for renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, Power-to-X, heat recovery, as well as contribute to district-energy solutions for cities.
Our innovative engineering dates back to 1933. Danfoss is family-owned and employs over 39,000 people. We create long-term value for our customers in more than 100 countries with a global footprint of around 100 factories. www.danfoss.us.
Feature Image Courtesy of: Danfoss
