26 Aug Supplier Spotlight: BlueSeal by Brightec
Who are Brightec?
We are a small family company in the Netherlands, made of physicists and energy-efficiency engineers, who create breakthrough technologies for temperature-controlled transport. Our focus is on keeping the cold-chain intact through energy saving solutions. Based in Amsterdam, with manufacturing facilities in Holland, we have been designing and producing air curtains for vehicles for nearly 8 years with our product BlueSeal.
What products and services do you offer to customers?
Our flagship product is the BlueSeal air curtain which was developed to allow trucks with a new cold-storage system to stay on the road for longer with multiple stops. We identified that most of the energy lost was through door openings and came up with a preferred alternative to PVC strip curtains, which are easily damaged and obstructive to the driver. BlueSeal creates an effective, invisible airstream above door openings that maintains the climate inside a vehicle while significantly reducing the fuel consumption of refrigeration equipment. We design and manufacture these from our base in Holland and export to 22 countries worldwide.
How long have Brightec had a relationship with Gray & Adams?
Our relationship with Gray & Adams dates back to 2012 in the early days of Brightec, when Deli-XL (now Bidfood NL) were impressed with the concept and wanted Gray & Adams to install air curtains in their vehicles. Bidfood NL are still a great customer of ours in Holland that use BlueSeal in their vehicles to this day. Gray & Adams were consequently the first bodybuilder to trial BlueSeal in the UK and have been a very welcome ambassador for the product.
What shared projects or customers have you worked on recently?
One of the most exciting projects for us recently was the Blakemore Logistics hybrid refrigeration trailer. It was inspiring to see Gray & Adams championing new technologies for a sustainable transport industry and a superb example of the direction modern refrigerated vehicles are going. As a company rooted in sustainability and energy-efficiency, we look forward to seeing more end-users embrace this technology as they look to upgrade their fleets to this latest generation of vehicle.
What are the key opportunities and challenges in the industry in 2019 from Brightec’s perspective?
For us the challenge will always be getting operators to welcome new technology such as air curtains, and take the step towards a more sustainable transport model. Fortunately for us, the market increasingly demands vehicles that go the extra mile on limited amounts of energy (e.g. electric, cryogenic, eutectic etc.). BlueSeal helps to meet this demand by reducing the energy consumption required for refrigeration equipment by up to 30%. We’re proud to have a product that works in unity with the latest innovations in refrigeration technology to achieve this.
What’s on the horizon for Brightec in the coming months?
We have recently introduced a companion module to the range – BlueControl, which displays the amount of time that has passed when the cargo door is open, motivating drivers to keep this time as short as possible. In the food and pharmaceutical industries in particular, this can be critical to ensure that product integrity is not compromised and we’ve found this a welcome addition from operators. BlueControl also significantly reduces installation time for bodybuilders with an integrated sensor that detects door openings, making air curtains a plug-and-play device. At our heart, we are still a team of physics and energy scientists, so we are always looking for new ways to innovate and find the latest solutions in a fast-evolving industry. Our research never stops!
Finally, your thoughts about the overall experience of working with the Gray & Adams team?
Gray & Adams have been a true pleasure to work with since day one. Their faith and support in the product has been overwhelming and we’ve enjoyed working closely with teams in Dunfermline, Doncaster, and Fraserburgh over the years. We look forward to continuing our relationship and seeing what exciting developments Gray & Adams have in store for the industry next.