Collaborative Manufacturing Bringing Refrigeration to the Developing World
Possibly the most important project Craven & Co have ever been involved with….
Craven & Co has worked directly with West-Sussex based specialist refrigeration manufacturer Polestar Cooling for over 15 years. Dulas has worked with Polestar for over twenty years to deliver refrigeration to primary healthcare facilities to over 80 countries worldwide.
Below is some information about Dulas, Polestar, the refrigerators, how they work, Craven baskets and the difference they make in developing countries, from Dulas’ International Marketing Co-ordinator Corrie Jones.
Dulas was founded in 1982 and has provided solar powered solutions to remote and off-grid locations for over four decades. Among many of the pioneering products developed in the early days was the innovative solar powered vaccine refrigerator, a product Dulas continue to improve and export to thousands of locations worldwide.
Part and parcel of any primary care facility is somewhere to keep vaccines within their limited low temperature range – otherwise vaccines lose their effectiveness. This is often a major challenge for areas with an unreliable electricity supply. The Dulas range of Solar Direct Drive (SDD) refrigerators ensure that vaccines remain at the precise temperature required to remain viable and are used for both routine immunization programmes and to support humanitarian aid projects globally. With no reliance on electricity supply whatsoever the Dulas SDD refrigerators can be installed in the most remote locations and make a huge impact to the communities living in those areas.
The Dulas range of refrigerators exceed the stringent World Health Organisation PQS standards which means that customers can rely on their performance, quality and safety. They are also hot zone rated which means they will operate at a stable +2 °C to +8 °C in an extended ambient operating range of +5°C to +43°C.
The refrigerators have a number of features and benefits and are designed specifically to meet the needs of our customers. The baskets have been designed by Craven & Co for the safe storage of vaccines, using a steel wire, coated by low density white polyethylene with precise spacing and dimensions to enable the air to circulate. The refrigerators are supplied with up to 6 baskets which enables maximum vaccine storage and ease of stock management.
According to UNICEF, more than 1.5m people die annually from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, many of them children. Just one Dulas refrigerator has the capacity to store enough vaccines to vaccinate 10,000 + children, so over the years these refrigerators have contributed to the health and wellbeing of millions of children.
It has and continues to be a great project to work on for all of us at Craven & Co. With particular thanks to Peter Lendrum at Polestar cooling and Corrie Jones from Dulas for helping us compile this information and shine some light on such a rewarding programme.