Prompted by a journal article describing Seymour Manufacturing’s new Cold Stop Tempro insulated curtains, Greggs North East Chief Engineer made contact with SMI.  The ensuing discussions centred on the worst door situations and as a result it was decided that SMI should supply and fit Cold Stop curtains to 5 freezer and chill rooms.  Top priority was the freezer running at minus 28ºC where floor ice had been accumulating in the doorway.  Since a Cold Stop curtain has been fitted the ice hazard has been eliminated. Such has been the success of the curtains and the acceptance by the operational staff, that plastic strip curtains in all 21 freezers and chill rooms are being replaced by Cold Stop.   

Tempro Cold Stop®, a new development from Seymour Manufacturing International is an insulated door curtain for cold rooms which, due to its thermal efficiency reduces cold room energy consumption by allowing optimum settings on evaporator equipment to achieve the internal working temperature.  Cold Stop® curtains, patented by SMI provide a revolutionary alternative to old plastic strip curtains used in many cold rooms.  The curtain is based on Tempro® which provides insulation properties far greater than standard types, and resultant energy reductions.  Floor ice, resulting from condensation and its associated slip hazard is eliminated. 

It is the energy reducing features of SMI’s Cold Stop® that qualifies it for 100% tax relief under the Government’s Enhanced Capital Allowances Scheme.  Delivery and installation costs are included in the scheme.  ECAs enable businesses to claim 100% tax relief in the first year of purchase of designated energy saving plant and machinery in the year in which the expenditure is incurred.  ECAs bring forward relief, so that it can be set against profits of a period earlier than may otherwise be the case.   SMI’s Tempro Cold Stop® is a designated product. 

Curtain panels are available in standard 475mm widths and bespoke heights.  Panels have a deep, frost-clear window, are light, easily cleaned, hygienic and flexible. They fit well and do not split, thus avoiding the expense of frequent costly replacement. Field trials indicate curtain lives 5 to 6 times longer than PVC strip designs, providing substantial capital savings.  With SMI’s unique ‘cold lock’ system, the curtains fit neatly and effectively to the door head and floor, saving costly energy.  They are soft and user friendly and use an SMI patented header arrangement that is a design and efficiency breakthrough.

Commenting on the installations so far, Gregg’s North East Chief Engineer, Eddie Cartledge said that he anticipated energy savings in the future as there was already a noticeable reduction in refrigeration plant running times in the rooms where the plastic strips had been replaced.  “We have disconnected the air curtains in those rooms too, which will cut energy consumption, and if our maintenance downtime is reduced, the curtains will pay for themselves in a short time”, he added.