GENERAL Australia names 2026 partner awards winners

GENERAL Australia has named the winners of its 2026 Partner Awards, the company's first annual partner recognition program since rebranding from Fujitsu General Australia.

The awards recognise authorised partners and dealers across metropolitan and regional Australia, along with national winners in the residential, commercial and wholesale channels. The program focused on sales performance, customer experience and the strength of the company's channel network.

Ambience Air Airconditioning was the most decorated business in this year's awards. It won Dealer of the Year for Western Australia and nationally, GENERAL Authorised Partner of the Year for Western Australia and nationally, Outstanding Sales Award for Metro/Major Centre Western Australia, and the Oceania GENERAL Partner of the Year award.

Airconditioning Direct also collected several national and state honours, winning Outstanding Sales for Metro/Major Centre Queensland and nationally, National Wholesale Partner of the Year, and GENERAL Authorised Partner of the Year for Queensland.

Marty Nelson Refrigeration & Air Conditioning won Outstanding Sales for Regional New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as the national regional category. Energy Air was named National Commercial Partner of the Year, while Bourke Air won the National GENERAL Authorised Partner - Newcomer of the Year award.

The awards follow the company's name change to GENERAL Australia at the start of the year. That change came after Fujitsu General Limited integrated into Paloma Rheem Holdings and amid a broader shift to the GENERAL brand.

Dave Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing, GENERAL Australia and New Zealand, said the awards reflected the company's partner relationships during the rebrand.

"GENERAL Australia's partners have always been central to our success in Australia, and that remains as important as ever as the business moves into its next chapter. The transition to GENERAL Australia represents an evolution of the business; however, the strong relationships, local support, and shared commitment to customers that have been built over many years remain unchanged. We're proud to recognise partners that consistently deliver strong service, technical expertise, and quality experiences for customers across Australia," Smith said.

He said the awards also recognised the broader network of dealers and authorised partners.

"These awards are also an opportunity to thank our broader partner network for its ongoing commitment. Our partners' knowledge, dedication, and connection with customers play an important role in delivering the comfort, reliability, and support Australians expect. We look forward to continuing to invest in these relationships and growing together in the years ahead," Smith said.

Sales winners

In the Outstanding Sales Awards, Blue Star Air Conditioning won Metro/Major Centre New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, while Marty Nelson Refrigeration & Air Conditioning won the regional category for the same states and territory.

HVAC Consolidated won Metro/Major Centre Victoria and Tasmania, and National Heating & Cooling won Regional Victoria and Tasmania. In Queensland, Airconditioning Direct won the metro/major centre category, while Keppel Koolit Aircon Install & Sales won the regional award.

Mannix Air Conditioning won Metro/Major Centre South Australia and the Northern Territory, while HD Refrigeration & Airconditioning took the regional category. In Western Australia, Ambience Air Airconditioning won Metro/Major Centre, and Kalaire Climate Control won the regional award.

Nationally, Airconditioning Direct won Metro/Major Centre Outstanding Sales and Marty Nelson Refrigeration & Air Conditioning won Regional Outstanding Sales.

Dealer awards

Dealer of the Year in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory went to Innovate Energy. Stredders Plumbing & Refrigeration won in Victoria and Tasmania, Atkinsons Air Conditioning won in Queensland, Mannix Air Conditioning won in South Australia and the Northern Territory, and Ambience Air Airconditioning won in Western Australia.

Ambience Air Airconditioning also won the national Dealer of the Year title, adding to its run of state, national and Oceania awards.

Partner awards

In the GENERAL Authorised Partner of the Year categories, DPK Air Conditioning won New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. DP Heating & Cooling won Victoria and Tasmania, Airconditioning Direct won Queensland, Mannix Air Conditioning won South Australia and the Northern Territory, and Ambience Air Airconditioning won Western Australia.

The national GENERAL Authorised Partner of the Year award also went to Ambience Air Airconditioning, reinforcing its position as the leading winner in the 2026 program.

Alongside the state and regional honours, the company also recognised specialist channel partners at the national level. Energy Air won Commercial Partner of the Year and Airconditioning Direct won Wholesale Partner of the Year, highlighting the role of non-retail channels in the company's Australian distribution network.

Bourke Air's newcomer award highlighted a newer entrant to the authorised partner network. The spread of winners across states and market segments reflected the company's reliance on a broad base of dealers, installers and distributors across Australia.

The Oceania GENERAL Partner of the Year title, awarded to Ambience Air Airconditioning, was the highest-profile recognition in the program beyond the Australian national categories.