Novum takes Leap forward – Cooling Post

IRELAND: Supermarket freezer specialist Novum has doubled its manufacturing capacity at its plant in Clonshaugh, Dublin, to meet growing demand across Europe and North America.

In addition, the company’s Panama Green unit has become the first transparent door freezer targeted exclusively to supermarkets to be accorded US Energy Star accreditation.

The extension of the Clonshaugh facility to 100,000ft² enables Novum to increase production of propane freezers using its patented energy-saving, forced air Leap technology.

The technology solves issues around defrost thaw cycles and the cost incurred of having to de-merchandise freezers often on a monthly basis. By locating the evaporator externally and ducting and distributing air to the food chamber, the Leap technology ensures that there is very little variation in product temperature during the automatic defrost cycle.

Energy Star

“A fantastic honour,” is how Novum CEO described the achievement of Energy Star accreditation for its 2-door and 3-door Panama Green upright transparent door freezer.

Energy Star is a programme run by the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy to promote energy efficiency. It provides information on the energy consumption of products and devices using different standardised methods.

Panama Green is said to have been independently verified to be 56% more energy efficient per litre than the next best-in-class competitor.

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program applauds Novum’s introduction of the Panama Green series that brings both superior energy efficiency and use of environmentally friendly R-290 refrigerant to the European grocery market,” said Tanja Crk, Energy Star commercial food service product manager.