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ACE Refrigeration has just installed new state of the art energy efficient equipment, the first of its kind in the UK, as part of a major refrigeration contract with one of Scotland’s best known seafood companies.

The Glasgow family firm secured the six-figure deal with Associated Seafoods who sell salmon and shellfish to customers around the globe.

As part of the refurbishment and upgrade of their existing fish processing factory in Buckie, the ACE team have installed a pack of four compressors with the lead compressor, a semi-hermetic reciprocating compressor, using digital control logic.

This pack reduces running costs drastically as it allows for a large variance between peak and minimum load demand. Previously refrigeration engineers may have used a standard compressor or controlled the lead compressor via an inverter drive. But a standard lead compressor would have led to crude capacity control and on occasion there can be compressor damage when using inverter drives and operating them at low speed for an extended period.

Digital modulation is the most simple and precise method of capacity control and helps to contain costs associated with modulation. The compressor always runs at constant speed which resolves the challenges related to oil return, mechanical and electrical stress on the system.

The new Copeland Stream compressor pack installed by ACE at Associated Seafoods also controls three air handling units, managing the air conditioning for the entire factory.

ACE Refrigeration has worked with Associated Seafoods to help create a new BRC (British Retail Consortium) compliant processing plant and this digitally controlled compressor pack helps the refrigeration plant to be energy efficient, sustainable, quiet and more environmentally responsible.

Established more than 60 years’ ago, the refrigeration and cold room specialists at ACE designed and installed a number of chill areas at the Buckie site including pre-smoke and post-smoke chills, a curing chill, a crab chill and a blast chill as well as a goods in chill, despatch chill and refrigerated goods out holding area.

ACE’s indemnified design also incorporated their RACE Energy Saving System allowing for the effective energy management of the entire system, whilst helping to increase the control and reporting capabilities for the end user in an easy to use way, giving staff increased control.

ACE Refrigeration is manufacturer independent and able to offer customers solutions which best meet their needs; and with energy costs on the rise, this is the ideal time to take action.

As well as complying with the legal requirements of ever-changing legislation, replacing tired and inefficient equipment can have a major benefit on your bottom line – some of our recent installations have had a payback period of less than 2 years based on the energy savings received; some customers have saved up to 25% off their energy bills.

Alongside the design, supply and installation of a variety of ice generators to many clients in the seafood and fishing industry, ACE Refrigeration has also carried out major design and installation projects for cold rooms and freezer rooms, chilled production facilities and blast chillers and freezers.

Shane McKenzie, Sales Director of ACE Refrigeration, said: “The fishing and seafood market is a crucial industry in Scotland and we are pleased to be working with Associated Seafoods.”

“With energy costs on the increase, energy efficiency equipment is now a must for many companies and we have global sourcing capabilities to ensure they always get the best solution to meet their needs.” 

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ACE Refrigeration has completed a large project with SAFC, the custom manufacturing and services business unit of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, building a suite of seven cold rooms as part of an expansion to their Centre of Excellence biologics manufacturing campus in Irvine, Ayrshire.

SAFC is recognised as a top 10 global specialty chemicals and biologics supplier to the life science and high technology industries and is investing in the development of a new dry powder manufacturing facility at the site.

Family firm ACE, which has been serving customers since 1951, built a freezer room, a raw materials room and a large temperature controlled warm room as part of SAFC’s Phase I expansion. Phase II of the expansion followed with ACE Refrigeration installing a chill room, a freezer room and another large chill room, with temperatures ranging from -22°C to 25°C.

One of only a few UK companies with the specialist knowledge, experience and ability to design and install these rooms, ACE Refrigeration was recently responsible for a state-of-the-art, blood plasma room at the new South Glasgow Hospital for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, capable of maintaining lows of minus 40°.

The team previously worked on a similar facility for the West of Scotland Blood Transfusion Centre at Gartnavel Hospital, and have now successfully maintained the blood bank equipment for more than 10 years.

The new SAFC expansion in Irvine is the Company’s second dry powder manufacturing facility, and was initiated to support and strengthen SAFC’s risk management program, ensuring customers a secondary supply of materials is in place.

Shane McKenzie, Sales Director at ACE Refrigeration, said: “Our previous experience put us in a great position and our success with the new South Glasgow Hospital and the West of Scotland Blood Transfusion Service facility ultimately helped to secure us the contract.”

“We worked alongside the existing teams involved in the expansion to fulfil the bespoke requirements of the facility and create a durable, energy efficient and fully functioning suite of temperature controlled rooms.

He added: “This is yet another great example of our diversity having already enjoyed success in the food production industry this year, in particular the fish and seafood sector and the meat industry.”

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The team at ACE Refrigeration has just completed further R22 Replacement with seafood producer Marine Harvest at Fort William. Turnover has soared at Marine Harvest thanks to the growing popularity of Scottish Salmon around the world.

Already ACE is responsible for safeguarding Marine Harvest’s vital production facilities in the West Coast of Scotland as they service and maintain their crucial refrigeration, air conditioning and Geneglace ice plant.

Earlier this year ACE replaced R22 in the gutting hall at the Fort William site and now the ice plant condensing units, which also ran on R22, have been replaced.

With a very strong fishing and seafood market in Scotland, ACE Refrigeration has become a key partner to many customers within this industry, understanding the delicate nature of fish and the speed to market that such refrigeration equipment has to support.

The use of virgin R22 gas is already prohibited and the use of recycled and/or reclaimed gas will be prohibited after 31^st Dec 2014. A number of options are available to customers requiring R22 replacement dependent on the age and state of their equipment.

Shane McKenzie, sales director of ACE Refrigeration, said: “If you don’t have a plan for your R22 Gas replacement then you’re risking your business with a little more than a year to go to the final deadline.

“However there are a variety of options available for customers, large and small.

“As well as complying with the legal requirements of the legislation, replacing tired and inefficient equipment can have a major benefit on your bottom line – some of our recent installations have had a payback period of less than 2 years based on the energy savings received with some customers saving up to 25% off their energy bills. With energy costs on the rise, this is the ideal time to take action.”

ACE Refrigeration, the only manufacturer trained Geneglace engineers in the UK, has carried out projects ranging from the design and installation of a Frozen Seafood production factory for Braehead SFO at Uddingston to the design, supply and installation of refrigeration plant to the Norfolkline site, the largest fish distribution warehouse in Scotland.

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ACE Refrigeration is pleased to announce that they will be among the sponsors of this year’s Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards.

This popular annual event, celebrating excellence and achievement in the food and drink industry throughout the Highlands and Islands, will take place at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness on Friday 25th October.

Now in their 9^th year, the awards encourage food and drink businesses to be innovative, forward thinking and collaborative.

The food and drink industry in the Highlands and Islands generates in excess of £1 billion per annum and supports around 30,000 full time jobs across the region. There is a wide range of diverse products and an equally diverse profile of businesses, from world-renowned businesses to small innovative producers.

This year there are eleven varied award categories as well as special awards for Excellence, Ambassador of the Year and H&I Food & Drink Entrepreneur 2013.

ACE Refrigeration is proud to sponsor the Award for Independent Food & Drink Retailer of the Year.

We are among the judges for both our sponsored award and also for Best Eatery – we have rated all the entrants for both categories and the final round of judging has now taken place with the shortlist just recently announced.

Some of our friends and customers from the fish and seafood as well as the meat industries in Scotland will be joining us for what is sure to be a great evening, a celebration of the best food and drink the Highlands & Islands has to offer. Good luck to all those nominated for an award.

You can see the full list of who has been nominated here