Hubbard Eutectics Deliver the Total Food Service
Hubbard Products the UK’s leading manufacturer of Transport Refrigeration Solutions is leading the way in the application of Eutectic beams. The company has supplied two of a new brand of Eutectic systems from Dutch manufacturer BOTEMP to Total Food Service; the north of England based wholesale catering supplier.
Total Food Service operates from two locations, Huddersfield and Clitheroe, supplying the North of England. With over 4000 food and ancillary product lines, the company has a reputation for reliability and value, priding itself on a level of personal service that it believes is unmatched by other catering supply companies.
Dave Fox, TFS’ Distribution Manager explains why he chose eutectic solutions from Hubbard, “ We run a fleet of 35 vehicles of 10 to 3.5 tonnes, making daily runs with between 20 to 35 drops each. The two new DAF vehicles have dual temperature box bodies with a frozen compartment at the rear, operating at minus 25°C and a chilled front compartment at plus 3°C. We use Hubbard’s units on a third of our fleet, and these brand new eutectic systems are ideal for our type of operation. They are reliable, quiet and energy efficient, using off-peak electricity for recharging.”
The systems consist of 16 off roof mounted, two-metre, minus 33°C beams in the frozen compartment, and 12 off, one point five-metre, minus 11°C beams mounted in a plenum chamber for the chilled compartment. The beams are connected to a 5hp under-mounted condensing unit. The chilled and fresh compartment temperature is controlled by a thermostatic fan passing air over the beams in bodies built by Solomon Temperature Controlled Vehicles.
Eutectic refrigeration systems offer a ‘green’ solution to multi-drop, chilled delivery requirements. The beams are filled with a non-toxic gel rather than traditional refrigerant that will not crystallise, even after many years of operation. The separate compressor unit charges corrosion-free stainless steel beams inside the gel using R404A refrigerant as standard. The beams keep the load space at the required temperature during the delivery cycle. For frozen compartments, unassisted natural cold radiation is used.
For the chilled or fresh compartment, cooled air is circulated using a thermostatically controlled fan. The unit is recharged overnight or when on stand-down.
Jed Sherwood, Hubbard Products, Transport Regional Sales Manager adds, “ Eutectics offer an elegantly simple and uncluttered solution to multi-drop delivery refrigeration, and Hubbard’s practical knowledge of the application and operation of such systems coupled with our well known ‘green’ credentials assure customers of the most ‘fit for purpose’ answer to their needs. The BoTemp systems are just the latest in a long line of Eutectic solutions offered by Hubbard.”