A condenser for use in an automotive air conditioning system including inlet and outlet union elements is disclosed. The condenser comprises a plurality of flat pipes for conducting refrigerant and a plurality of corrugated fins fixedly sandwiched between the flat pipes. First and second header pipes are fixedly and hermetically connected to the flat pipes, thereby communicatingly connecting the flat pipes to the interior of the header pipes. Inlet and outlet union elements for connecting the condenser to the other elements of the air conditioning system are formed in one body and connected to one of the first and second header pipes, thereby reducing the fraction of union element/header pipe junctions which are defective by reducing the number of union element/header pipe junctions.