An innovative Welsh company has supplied 30,000 life-saving fridges to over 75 countries.
SureChill, based in Cardiff, has pioneered cooling technology for areas where traditional power supplies are limited, or non-existent, in remote areas and in war and disaster zones.
Their fridges are used to store essential materials, such as vaccines, antibiotics, insulin and other medicines at safe temperatures, and the firm estimates that worldwide, some 10 million children who might otherwise have been at risk have been safeguarded by their innovative technology.
The firm recently expanded into larger premises at UKSE’s Cardiff Bay Business Centre, unifying its research and development section with the rest of the business.
Ceri Jones, SureChill Chief Commercial Officer, said the move would bring efficiencies as the business continued to grow. “We now have offices in Kenya and Nigeria and are looking to recruit in those countries. We have also developed new products alongside our medical range aimed at the domestic and small business markets. These are proving to be very popular across Sub Saharan Africa where access to power is problematic.”
SureChill works with the World Health Organisation and other NGOs in remote and undeveloped areas and often in disaster and emergency zones. “We recently passed the milestone of having 30,000 vaccine fridges in over 75 countries and we are very proud of this achievement.
SureChill’s patented technology was pioneered by Ian Tansley, a well-known figure in the field of cooling, solar energy, and environmental science. His approach exploits the natural properties of water and ice as a coolant, rather than the standard method using gas compressors. A water ‘blanket’ in the fridge is cooled to the optimum temperature using the power available and this can maintain the temperature of the fridge for days on end, depending on conditions.
“This means that places where there is no electric grid in a remote area, solar power can give the initial cooling and maintain a steady temperature. If there is a limited, or intermittent grid, then solar power is used to complement it. Importantly, there is no need for batteries which can be expensive, require replacing regularly and difficult to dispose of safely,” added Ms Jones.
As well as in emergency zones, SureChill’s fridges serve day-to-day needs. The new range aimed at domestic and small businesses has been launched and the firm is experiencing a strong demand for these fridges in Sub Saharan Africa and since their launch of this product 2 years ago is selling in over 10 countries including Kenya and Nigeria. “In Africa there are a great many small, road-side businesses selling food and drinks, and the main challenge is access to and the overhead cost for energy to keep their goods cold. Our Home and Business range is aimed at these customers and we are working hard to promote in weak or off grid regions across Africa,” she added.
They are also designed for the small business perhaps serving snacks or selling fresh produce like milk, dairy or fish. “It means that the business can, for example, buy fish and store what is unsold for several days, rather than throwing it away and this obviously makes a huge difference to its profitability. Likewise at home, food can be purchased for the longer term and stored safely, even in very hot climates.”
Cardiff Bay Business Centre, owned and run by Tata Steel subsidiary UKSE is home to a range of businesses and offers high quality accommodation in office and workshops. “We are delighted that SureChill, who are long-standing tenants, have decided to expand within CBBC bringing all their UK operations together,” said Jake Walters of UKSE.
“They perform a superb service around the world bringing essential services to people in remote parts through their technological excellence and we are very pleased to work with them and have them as part of our community of businesses at CBBC.
“We wish them every success with their growth plans and with the launch of their most recent products,” he added.
