Solar fridges - selling like hot cakes

Major new orders for solar fridges across Africa have just given a new boost to award-winning UK renewable company Dulas of mid Wales.

Major new orders for solar fridges across Africa have just given a new boost to award-winning UK renewable company Dulas of mid Wales.

The contracts, to supply more than GBP1 million worth of solar medical systems to Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Malawi, come hot on the heels of a big framework contract for site finding and Environmental Impact Assessment for a large utility company.

And the two new projects tie in with further expansion at the Machynlleth based company, which has been going from strength to strength since it moved into its energy efficient headquarters on the town's Eco Park seven years ago.

Dulas has invested in a second building on the park, to make room for its growing teams of hydro, wood fuel and wind energy teams of experts.

"Our overseas rural electrification and medical refrigeration markets continue to grow," said Dulas marketing director Ian Draisey.

"Our products, solar power in this case, enable the safe transfer of vital vaccines to help immunise populations in the developing world".

"Not only are they good business, but they also underpin the company's mission to improve peoples lives through renewable energy and environmental technology," he said.

"The latest order comes because of the 'bomb proof' nature of the Machynlleth-designed fridge - which has already helped the company win a trio of export awards".

"One example of this customer care came during delivery of the first order to Nigeria three years ago".

"The fridges were pushed off the back of pick-up trucks when they were 'delivered' to remote hospitals".

"The wheels popped up into the fridge, sometimes damaging the mechanism, and making it much harder to move around," said Ian.

"The Dulas engineer on the spot was able to contact Machynlleth and the framework of the fridge was re-designed and strengthened".

"New heavier duty packaging was also introduced and no problems have been experienced with the 'Toyota drop' since.

"The Dulas designed and developed VC65 fridge has fewer moving parts and is more efficient than most rivals, it's also very, very tough," said Ian".

"The company has already targeted new markets, and its research and development teams - which have moved into the new building - are looking to expand overseas operations into water purification and management".

"New workshops in the energy efficient building, bought with the help of a GBP100,000 grant from the RSA, also provide facilities to house the company's key hydropower engineering services.

"This new building is a vital part of the companies plan to expand at the same rate as the renewable energy sector in the UK and overseas," said Ian.

"We have received significant support from the WDA and NAfW which will dramatically speed up our expansion."".

"Over the last three years Dulas has seen a 300 per cent increase in demand for its tough, highly efficient, refrigeration systems from organisations such as UNICEF, which operate immunisation programmes in remote communities".

"Hundreds of remote hospitals and clinics in Africa, Asia and Latin America have been supplied with systems which power laboratory equipment, medical centrifuges and operating theatre lights as well as the vaccine and blood bank refrigerators.

"We believe renewables have a valuable role to play both in helping areas where there is no electricity, and in replacing old technologies which are adding to greenhouse gases and global warming".

""And we believe it is this commitment to the philosophy of renewables, coupled with sound commercial management, which is making Dulas one of the leading companies in the world," Ian added.

Dulas works with Trade Partners UK and the Wales Trade International in developing its international trading strategy.

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