Global refrigeration specialist EPTA Group

GLOBAL REFRIGERATION SPECIALIST

The EPTA Group is a renowned global leader in the commercial refrigeration market. Despite the challenging economic climate it has been growing continuously in the past few years. Industry Europe looks at the company’s recent global expansion and dedication to innovation.

EPTA Group is the European market leader in commercial refrigeration and a widely respected global partner for food retailers, with its five main product areas of cold rooms, refrigerated packs, special cold cases, mainstream cases and their installation and maintenance. Offering five wellestablished commercial refrigeration brands, EPTA appreciates its position as the partner of choice for retailers looking for turnkey solutions. Its brand portfolio, including Costan, Bonnet Névé, BKT, George Barker and Euro’Cryor, has allowed it to continue to grow throughout the global recession.

Active worldwide, EPTA is currently strongest in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Its extended portfolio still has potential for growth in both emerging markets and traditional markets where commercial refrigeration for the food sector has either room to grow or would welcome increased competition. Acquisitions and partnerships

During these challenging economic times the company has focused on gaining market share domestically, throughout Europe and even farther afield. Its strategy is to acquire companies within the commercial refrigeration sector to support its long-term aims. For example this year (2013) the company expanded in South America after announcing the acquisition of Portanuova SA’s commercial refrigeration division – a distributor of leading-brand products in Chile, Peru and Ecuador, with a turnover of around €11 million in 2012. This transaction has led to the establishment of Epta Pacifico Sur SA.

In addition to acquisitions, Epta has continued to focus on gaining market share in its traditional European market. One means through which it has been able to achieve this is the establishment of strategic partnerships. For example, in February 2013 it announced a strategic union with IARP – an Italian leader in the production and marketing of plug-in units. With this move, the Epta and IARP groups have created one single group whose size and production capacity, at international level, can meet any market challenges. The new group is expected to have annual revenues of around €650 million, with 12 plants in Europe, Asia and South America.

Another reason for Epta’s consistently strong performance in a difficult economy is the fact that it serves the entire food industry. This means that whether people are buying luxury goods or buying cheaper goods in bulk, retailers will always need commercial refrigeration units to stock the food.

Improving product offering

Epta has always been dedicated to the commercial refrigeration sector and to proving itself a reliable partner for its clients’ long-term needs. To maintain its reputation

DDL Stampaggio was established in 2010. The founder’s partners all operate in the areas of planning and equipment manufacture. This is in order to coordinate and create group synergies to better meet the needs of clients.

It operates in the sector of die construction and cold plate stamping, using an office for planning, toolmakers for the construction of dies and different departments for stamping.

The society’s structure is adequately covered in all of its main functions: • management • sales • financial • planning • buyers • quality insurance

The company’s quality system is certified to the VISION 2000 standard according to the criteria required by the automotive sector. Besides this, the production processes of all its departments are certified according to the ISO 9001-2000 standard for quality.

D.D.L. Stampaggio S.r.l. Via Casnedi, 78–23868–Valmadrera (LC) E-mail: acquisti@ddlstampaggio.it www.ddlstampaggio.it

www.placisa.es

Founded in 1984, the Placisa SA specialises in precision and high-performance injection moulds. We produce small-sized technical parts injected in thermoplastic materials, from 0.5 gr to 600 gr.

Producing over 80 moulds per year, our target industries include: • Electronic Components • Elevators & Access Control • Medical Devices • The Automotive Industry

Also within the Placisa Group, Plasmold Engineering offers product design and development, CAE Studies and Prototyping, Quick Turnkey Projects, Dedicated Special Projects Management, Outsourcing Follow-up Team services and CMM Dimensional Reports.

in the global markets that it serves it is dedicated to improving all aspects of its offer. In addition to its product range, this means improved customer services and increased flexibility. Sustainability is always a very important focus for the company as well – something which is fundamental to each new product and technological innovation.

For example, in August this year the company introduced its revolutionary new remote monitoring service. Thanks to the constant monitoring of parameters, this allows clients to guarantee cold chain consistency in stores and ensure reduced energy consumption. This service utilises the expertise of a team that is capable of decoding alarms and troubleshooting problems in real time, so that systems can be serviced quickly and effectively. This service can reduce energy consumption by an impressive 20 per cent.

Alongside environmental concerns, Epta’s R&D team also concerns itself with the allimportant issue of food safety. To this end, in July last year it began offering its new antibacterial treatment for traditional units using silver ions. With this solution, the materials inside the unit are treated during the extrusion and coating processes, while internal parts are coated with a special paint that exploits the properties of silver ions. The active principle of silver is one of the oldest antiseptics in use as it is able to block bacteria development. Developments in nanotechnology have allowed companies such as Epta to apply this principle far more effectively. Poised for further growth

One of the biggest events to affect the retail industry in recent years has been the French government’s announcement that all food retailers will have to display cold food such as meat and cheese behind glass doors by 2020, rather than the open chilled cabinets that are currently used. With EPTA able to supply these units, it is keen to highlight its capabilities in meeting this new regulation.

EPTA expects to continue to grow in the coming years, owing to its dedication to meeting customers’ needs, acquiring new companies that will boost its presence in the commercial refrigeration sector while enabling it to gain new market share in countries outside its traditional European heartland. n