Innovative eco-friendly refrigeration EPTA Group

INNOVATIVE ECO-FRIENDLY REFRIGERATION

The EPTA Group is a global leader in the development and manufacture of commercial refrigeration cabinets and systems. Philip Yorke reports on the latest developments at the company and its innovative approach to achieve more eco-friendly and sustainable custom-made products.

The EPTA Group’s core business is the production of complete turnkey systems for commercial refrigeration. Through its integration of specific product lines offered by its brands, EPTA ensures that its infinite variety of solutions for the preservation and display of fresh and frozen food products, is designed specifically for retailers who prefer to rely on a single competent partner for the development of structured, turnkey systems on a global scale.

Technological innovation is the hallmark of the company’s manufacturing processes, which are focused on ensuring energy conservation and significant environmental impact reduction through the use of F-Gas compliant natural refrigerants. In addition, the group offers the highest degree of customisation, so that each product stands out, wherever it is installed, in terms of style, modernity and functionality, whilst adapting each unit to suit the individual needs of each store.

The company offers refrigeration units that range from traditional refrigerating cabinets, positive temperature vertical and semi-vertical counters, plug-in cases and medium and high-capacity systems and cold rooms. Recently EPTA presented a new innovative concept called, ‘Eptology’, which sums up its corporate calling for the promotion of sustainable development and leverages its four main business platforms: Experience, Efficiency, Excellence and Evolution.

Based in Milan, Italy, the EPTA Group employs more than 4000 people worldwide who are supported by a highly qualified network of sales agents and dedicated distributors. In 2015 the company posted sales of over €700 million. Clear vision

The EPTA Group’s on-going commitment to investing in new technology and cost-effective production methods has resulted in another strategic goal being reached in Italy recently, with the opening of a new glass manufacturing facility. Costan is a wholly owned subsidiary of the EPTA Group which was founded in 1946 for the production of ice boxes and refrigerated cabinets in Turin. In keeping with EPTA’s policies, the company combines product excellence with low environmental impact growth.

The most recent group investment has involved the creation of a glass production facility, which was started in 2014 and fully commissioned in October 2016 on the same day that the company celebrated the 70th anniversary of Costan. This strategic plan worth approximately €10 million has enabled the group to acquire the necessary technology and skills to produce up to 250,000 monolithic glass and insulated glass units every year and has created over 60 new jobs in the process. The glass production facility occupies an area of more than 4800 square metres bringing the total production area of the original site to over 70,000 square metres.

Prestigious award

Innovation is at the heart of everything that the EPTA Group undertakes. It comes as no surprise therefore that the company continues to win prestigious awards for its innovative technology.

At the country’s Innovation Day held in September 2016 EPTA was awarded the coveted ‘Imprese X Innovazioni – Andrea Pininfarina’.

This most prestigious award is bestowed upon the 21 best Italian businesses that have demonstrated the ability to maintain and increase their competitive lead by investing in innovation across the board.

The IXI Award is organised in conjunction with the Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and the technical support of International Quality Assurance Associations and has the distinction of being the first in Europe to have adopted the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) innovation parameters.

Marco Nocivelli, chairman and managing director of EPTA SpA said, “We are proud to have won this important award. The award views innovation as a vital competitive lever, and is, in fact a key factor in the Group’s assets and one which should be preserved and enhanced. It is an acknowledgement of the dedication and successes of our whole team, whose passion, creativity and team spirit have allowed us to pursue on-going evolution, and to offer the market new products and services and optimise our internal processes, with an end to constantly improving the company as a whole.” Focus on hygiene

In addition to its commitment to the environment, the company’s R&D department is also focused on the all-important issue of food safety and hygiene. In order to enhance its manufacturing processes, EPTA also offers anti-bacterial treatment for the traditional refrigeration units that use silver ions. With this solution, the materials inside the unit are treated during the extrusion and coating process, whilst internal parts are coated with a special paint that exploits the properties of silver ions.

In another move towards improved efficiency, the company has introduced a remote monitoring service, which allows its customers to guarantee ‘cold-chain efficiency’ in stores, which in turn ensures significantly reduced energy consumption. n

For further details of the EPTA Group’s innovative products and services visit: www.eptarefrigeration.com