Frigel: Efficient production with adiabatic cooling systems

AS CONSERVATION of resources is crucial in any industry, the trend toward sustainable production compels manufacturers to evaluate their processes and to choose newer equipment that would allow them to minimise their use of water, energy, chemicals, and other materials.

In the food and beverage sector where process cooling requirements are increasing, adiabatic cooling systems have emerged as an attractive option to companies that need to manage their cooling processes more efficiently.  Assisting many of them in this area is Frigel Firenze S.p.A., a leading manufacturer of intelligent cooling systems with adiabatic technology. These systems are widely utilised by major manufacturers in the beverage, bakery, confectionery, and fruit and vegetable processing sectors, as well as in other industries worldwide.

Designed for processes that require water at environmental temperature, Frigel's EcoDry cooling system uses an adiabatic chamber where air is dehumidified at certain seasons of the year and hours of the day in hot and humid climates to make it a little bit colder.  

Frigel’s adiabatic cooling system is designed to reduce water usage by up to 95%, making it a much better alternative to traditional cooling towers that although effective, simply use up much water. This patented technology is among eco-friendly solutions that has cemented Frigel’s place in the global cooling equipment market.

The Italian company has gained significant headway in the global market for its top-of-the-line Ecodry process synchronised solution. Its cooling systems are received “extremely well in Southeast Asia”, according to Roberto Sommi, sales director for Food, Beverage & PETat Frigel. This market remains auspicious and will take up again this year. “We expect a growth in volumes, although those for Q1 and Q2 will likely be in line with the second half of 2020,” said Sommi.

Roberto Sommi, sales director for Food, Beverage & PET at Frigel

During the COVID-19 crisis – and even at the height of the pandemic last year – it was easy for Frigel to be there for its customers because of its international presence: Asia, the Americas, and Europe. “This was a historical period where many companies had to adapt their production plant several times – holding, re-starting and sometimes re-configuring their infrastructures,” revealed Sommi. “In all this, they needed their partners/suppliers more than ever, but restrictions to travel made a difference. Therefore, having local engineering, service and even manufacturing in several countries was a competitive advantage. Sometimes, purchase decisions were made literally [at the] last minute, and being near to our customer was crucial.”

Sommi also added that pandemic became an occasion for manufacturers to realise how cooling integrated systems can actually contribute to their overall efficiency.

“In a moment where many businesses saw their sales volumes and margins shrinking, industry became more focused on production cost efficiency. Integrated cooling systems are a very good answer to this need because they are synchronised with the processing lines. This means their consumption follows the real demand: i.e. one production line is off, then it’s cooling system goes off too, saving energy and money, while the rest of the factory continues When demand drops and production needs to slow down, synchronised cooling uses less energy accordingly,” he explained.

Late last year, Frigel also announced it provided integrated cooling solutions for Krones packaging equipment installed at the Krones Academy Asia facility in Bangkok, Thailand.

Sommi hopes to see similar projects in the future. “We have also an established cooperation with Husky for a long time, and these two [Krones being the other] are true leaders in the bottling industry,” he said. “More than integrators, we have consolidated collaborations with end users, especially in the industry of soft drinks. All major multinational brands are nowadays using Frigel cooling systems in their process.”

Frigel’s manufacturing facility in Bangkok, Thailand which was opened in 2015, serves as its regional branch providing not only sales but also aftersales services. The plant is capable of producing more or less 70% of the Italian company’s product portfolio, offering substantial savings in terms of shipment costs and delivery time. These combined have helped Frigel boost its presence in the Asia-Pacific even more.

Read more: Frigel delivers advanced cooling, digital supervision technologies