News: FireChill investment set to create manufacturing jobs in Rotherham

Cooling technology company, FireChill, has secured funding for the next stage of its development which will enable it to commence production of energy-efficient chilling and refrigeration units and drive growth in a worldwide market.

And with the units to be manufacturing at Newburgh Engineering in Templeborough, the investment is set to create 100 new jobs directly and many more in the supply chain.

FireChill has secured just under £1m from a group of private investors to add to the £4m invested to date in research and development. The new money will fund accelerated infrastructure development, product field-testing and manufacturing mobilisation.

FireChill Manufacturing, a joint venture with Rotherham-based specialist engineering firm Newburgh Engineering, will be responsible for the production of units, while FireChill Trading will focus on global distributor recruitment and marketing.

Managing director of Newburgh, Vince Middleton, will join the executive team.

As a result of this deal, FireChill now holds the exclusive, worldwide manufacturing
and distribution rights for a proven, patented, heat-activated cooling technology which significantly decreases the energy required to deliver cooling and refrigeration.

The technology reduces operating costs by up to 20% in traditional air conditioning applications and by up to 80% when integrated into a combined heat and power (CHP) system.

The unit's low cost, low carbon technology provides a competitive advantage, particularly in areas which are hot, crowded, have plenty of gas and/or where the electricity supply is unreliable or expensive.

A wide range of potential commercial applications includes; reducing supermarket energy costs through pre-cooling; removing supply chain food waste in India; high-volume production of water from air in South Africa and Australia and even cooling for one-day old chicks.

Simon Clothier, FireChill's CEO, said: "This is an exciting next step for FireChill. We can now take this innovative technology to a global market whilst creating new jobs for the UK economy.

"Being a UK manufacturer and exporter of environmentally-friendly, green technology aligns us firmly with the new government's agenda for the economy's rehabilitation.

"We are also very grateful to our private investors who have backed the proposition, the team and a pre-revenue business in a challenging fund-raising climate. We are absolutely delighted we can now get on and build the business."

FireChill was advised by Stuart Hillston of Constellation Capital, Ian Gilbert and
Rebecca McCall of Walker Morris, Tim Parr of Baker Tilly and Dick Wolff of US firm Spengler Nathanson.

Firechill website
Newburgh Engineering website

Images: firechill.com