Optimal food preservation Embraco

OPTIMAL FOOD PRESERVATION

As well as being at the cutting-edge in energy efficient products, the Embraco range of hermetic compressors and cooling solutions offers optimal food preservation, as Anita Costamagna, EMEA Marketing Manager at Embraco, explains to Barbara Rossi.

Embraco Europe Srl is part of Embraco, a leader in hermetic compressors for household and commercial refrigeration at a global level. Embraco was established in Brazil (Joinville) in 1971 and, over the years, has extended its activity to all the other continents. Today the company supplies its products in over 80 countries, thanks to its production facilities based in Brazil, Italy, China, Slovakia and Mexico. It also has a commercial and logistics site in the US (equipped with a warehouse) and one in Russia.

Embraco has an output of 37 million compressors a year, a 9600-strong workforce and a team of 500 engineers and technicians (in addition to which it collaborates with another 200 engineers belonging to various universities, especially the Federal University of Santa Caterina in Brazil). There is a particularly close working relationship with the Polo department of this university, which is specialised in refrigeration and collaborates with Embraco on several product development projects, such as for new materials and noise reduction.

The activities at Embraco are organised into four divisions, respectively dealing with household refrigeration, commercial cooling solutions, distribution and after-market, and new business. Ms Costamagna says, “For both household and commercial refrigeration our core products are compressors and condensing units, but we are also able to supply complete refrigeration solutions. Our distribution and after market division serves distributors and small OEMs. At European level in particular, these three business units have reached a comparable turnover generation, making our business stable in profit sources. The New Business is the youngest division and is

dedicated to investigating business which is not directly linked to compressors, and how these can be put to a different use. Through this unit we manage ideas and develop opportunities for new customers with new applications.”

The company employs a vertical production model and its products are sourced from its various plants around the world. The choice of which plant supplies a certain product often depends on where production is more competitive or where we can have free production capacity. This has proven to be a real strength, because it has allowed Embraco to maintain competitiveness in different markets. “As Embraco Europe Srl we supply Europe, Africa (especially North Africa) and the Middle East, however our products might be sourced from any of our plants, keeping the same quality levels required for top markets.”

Fullmotion and Wisemotion

“In China we also have a separate business unit, EECON, which develops and markets electronic control systems. These are employed in several of our products. In fact, as well as offering On/ Off technology compressors, we offer their variable speed counterparts: Fullmotion technology compressors. The advantages offered by Fullmotion compressors are increased efficiency, extremely low noise levels (we actually offer the quietest compressor on the market) and more stable temperatures inside the refrigerator system (translating into better food preservation). Our latest development is Wisemotion technology compressors, where these advantages are even further optimised (thanks to the fact that the compressor speed can be almost zero). Furthermore, Wisemotion compressors do not require the use of oil as a lubricant and therefore can be positioned anywhere (and not necessarily at the bottom of the fridge). It is the first and only oil free linear compressor in the world.”

Recent investments have been channelled into commencing production of On-Off and Wisemotion technology compressors in Mexico, as well as implementing the manufacturing of Fullmotion technology compressors in Italy. Every year significant investments are made into R&D, which works on two levels: optimisation of current core products and researching new technologies. The latter activity bears its fruits in the long-term, as it has the potential to lead to the creation of new products. “It is thanks to this type of work that we have been able to develop our Wisemotion technology compressors. Over the years we have obtained more than 1200 patents.”

Sustainable goals

There is a real commitment to environmental friendliness at Embraco, accompanied by an equal level of care for workplace health and safety and socially minded initiatives. The company complies with the World Class Manufacturing system, aiming for zero workplace accidents and wastage. All employees are actively encouraged to report any unsafe practices, should these occur. In fact, a BBS (BehaviourBased Safety) policy is implemented. With regard to the environment, Embraco is engaged in reducing CO2 emissions and water wastage at all of its plants. The company has won the Best Company to Work For award in Brazil in 2014 and in Slovakia in 2015.

“Innovation, quality and sustainability are central to our activity. We do not intend to compete at the bottom end of the market. While from 2008 to 2013 we increased our production capacity by about 7 per cent a year, since then we have been focusing on rationalisating our production to increase productivity and offer products of an ever greater added value.”

Future growth prospects

“Geographically we are present all over the world. Embraco is by far the market leader in North and South America. We are focused on increasing our market penetration in Asia-Pacific, Europe itself and

Lazzero Tecnologie

Environmental laws, supported by the technical improvements, reduce more and more the limits of refrigerant emissions into the atmosphere.

Lazzero Tecnologie, since over 25 years, develops smart solutions for the Industrial Leak-Testing of HVAC&R components and for all types of refrigeration compressors, supplying the most important international players, including Embraco and Dorin.

The consolidated expertise in the tracing gas technology with Helium and Mass Spectrometry proves LT to be a strategical partner in Leak-Testing. Joining high sensitivity and test speed, automation and objectivity of the results, LT equipment assures a safe, reliable and environmentally friendly test, greatly improving the quality level of the products.

Each project respects the user’s needs, bringing to a unique custom-tailored equipment.

The last realization successfully concluded for Embraco Europe is characterized by an innovative solution that allows the testing of different compressor models in the same testing chamber, with quick setup.

Moreover, thanks to the competence in the hermetic and semi-hermetic refrigeration compressors field, LT can provide powerful testing benches for safety controls and performance checks, including the oil filling option, too.

Finally, a very important aspect in leak-testing regards the need for certified micro-flow elements. LT’s metrological laboratory is able both to realize and to offer the regular calibration service in accordance with the ISO standards, of reference leaks with the required flow value.

the Middle East. For the European division another important market is North Africa, extending to South Africa for household refrigeration. Turkey and Russia are also strong in terms of demand from the household refrigeration segment, while in Italy there is a strong demand for commercial refrigeration and the after-market. For these segments France and Germany also play an important role.”

Embraco is a company in a state of continuous improvement and evolution, and all potential levers of cooperation could be considered if they fit in with the Embraco strategy of high quality and cutting-edge technology. “We have recently started a partnership with Dorin, one of the most important manufacturers of semi-hermetic compressors for refrigeration in the world. Thanks to this collaboration, in 2016 Embraco will start distributing the Dorin compressors in Brazil, in order to fulfil demand in the industrial and commercial refrigeration sector. Embraco will guarantee technical assistance and supply services, spare parts and components to customers all over the country.

“The European market in general is not growing at a very high pace. In Europe the household refrigeration market is a bit stagnant, so I think the best way to develop business in a sustainable way is to always understand what customers want. Of course, the same user experience approach can be extended to the commercial and after-market segments. I think it is important to make customers perceive not just the advantages of our compressors in terms of energy efficiency, but also with regard to better food preservation and the monetary savings this implies for any European family, who waste hundred of euros a year in spoilt food.

“In terms of commercial applications, we are trying to talk with end-users. Equally, we try to communicate with installers in the after-market segment. This strategy requires a significant effort, but it pays off in the long-term. We really have a lot to offer. In fact, in October we took part in a conference at the Milan Expo, talking about what Embraco does to preserve food quality.” n