hulsteins MD Graham

Swedish hydraulic refrigeration firm Hultsteins has appointed Graham Usher as MD for the UK and Ireland, to spearhead growth in the market.

With more than 30 years’ experience in the CV industry, Usher has been working with Hultsteins over the last 18 months to prepare for the wide-scale introduction of its hydraulic refrigeration systems and hybrid generators.

“Hultsteins systems are widely used throughout Northern Europe and have been for the last five decades,” said Graham. “Thousands of trucks and drawbar trailers in the Nordic countries are using Hultsteins’ cost-saving TRUs as an alternative to conventional diesel refrigeration and so it makes perfect sense to make the technology available for operators in the UK and Ireland too.”

The diesel-free refrigeration system uses an engine PTO-driven hydraulic pump to harness the energy from the truck engine and use it to drive the compressor of the fridge directly.

“It’s the most efficient method of using the energy because, unlike other systems, there is no need to convert it to electricity in order to drive the compressor,” said Graham.

This, he added, delivers the power to ensure 100% cooling capacity – even at idle speed – and applies to single or multi-temperature configurations to suit rigid trucks or drawbar trailers.

“Not only do these systems reduce carbon by around 90%, with DPM & NOx emissions being slashed by over 95%, but also they use around 90% less fuel compared to a conventional TRU – key attributes which are driving strong demand for the system,” said Graham.

Hultsteins also manufactures the Ecogen system – an electric-hydraulic drive system which works in tandem with an existing diesel fridge and uses an engine PTO to generate a constant 400v at idle speed.

Ecogen runs any marque of diesel fridge and fits to any rigid or tractor unit, providing a PTO is present on the truck engine.

To support Hultsteins’ equipment in the UK and Ireland, the company has appointed Longhurst Refrigeration as its main back-up for parts and service. In Scotland, Transcool will provide a similar service while Fleet Maintenance and Mulvey Refrigeration will look after customers in Northern Ireland and Ireland respectively.

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