How it started.
From Drainage Contractor to Industry Innovator: Solving the Hidden Challenges of HVACR Systems
For many years, I worked as a drainage contractor for the food retail industry. During this time, a recurring issue became clear: the majority of drainage problems in supermarkets weren’t occurring below ground but rather in the above-ground condensate drains. The frequency of reactive callouts to fix refrigeration condensate drains was strikingly high, costing retailers significant amounts in maintenance and lost efficiency.
Unlike traditional drainage systems, above-ground condensate drains in supermarkets are located in hard-to-reach areas and present unique challenges. Refrigeration cabinet condensate drains, in particular, faced ongoing issues. For example, the limited space beneath the cabinets made it difficult to install drainage pipes with the necessary slope to allow proper water flow. This caused drain blockages, leading to water puddles on the sales floor.
At the time, no one in the drainage or refrigeration industries was addressing this problem. It was a small, niche issue, but one that caused big headaches for supermarket operators. Even more surprising, there were no products on the market—physical or chemical—that could solve this problem effectively. The lack of available solutions motivated me to take matters into my own hands.
I began by focusing on biofilm, the primary culprit behind blocked condensate drains. My research led me to an intriguing discovery: a company with a patented solution for biofilms used in nuclear bunker drinking water tanks. Partnering with a development specialist, we adapted this technology into a tablet form, specifically designed for HVACR systems.
When we first launched the biofilm removal tablet in 2012, it was a tough sell. HVACR wholesalers showed little interest, and we didn’t even have a dedicated sales team. However, we were confident in the effectiveness of our product, so we adopted a straightforward approach: offering free trials on a basic website. To our surprise, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Customers saw an average reduction of 70% in drainage callouts across their estates, proving that the product worked.
The success of the tablet quickly gained attention, and by 2016, our innovation was recognised with the prestigious RAC Cooling Award for Maintenance Product of the Year. This was a major milestone, validating our efforts and solidifying our place in the market.
But we didn’t stop there. We continued to identify gaps in the industry and developed new solutions to address them. One such innovation was the condensate drain support, which we manufactured in the UK. This adjustable support allowed for the retrofit of slope to drainage pipes beneath refrigeration cabinets, creating the minimal slope required by both legislative standards and building regulations. The product was simple yet highly effective, and it earned us the ACR Refrigeration Maintenance Product of the Year award in 2020.
One of the next challenges we tackled was the development of a much-needed header drain connector for condensate pumps. In food retail refrigeration, condensate pumps are widely used, but there was a critical issue with how their discharge hoses connected to the above-ceiling drains. At the time, there were no proper connectors available on the market, and contractors were forced to rely on makeshift solutions. These inadequate connections often led to the discharge hoses kinking, which in turn caused pump failures. Even worse, the commonly used connection methods violated industry standards and building regulations, creating compliance issues and increasing the risk of costly system breakdowns.
Recognising this gap, we developed a custom connector designed specifically to ensure a reliable and regulation-compliant connection between the condensate pump discharge hose and the ceiling drains. This simple yet essential innovation not only prevented kinks and pump failures but also improved the overall reliability and longevity of refrigeration systems in the food retail sector.
Following the development of the condensate pump connector, we shifted our focus to another weak link in the drainage chain: the pump discharge hose. Contractors were using cheap braided hoses, which kinked easily and were completely unsuitable for their purpose. We needed a hose that wouldn’t kink, but nothing on the market met this requirement. So, we partnered with a manufacturer to create one specifically for our needs. Today, we are the only supplier of kink-proof condensate hoses for condensate pumps in the world, providing a reliable solution for an area that had long been problematic.
In 2022, we began selling condensate pumps and saw massive growth in sales, driven by the market-leading performance of the UCP700 refrigeration cabinet condensate pump. This pump has been a standout product for its reliability and efficiency, and we continue to see strong demand for it across the industry.
We haven’t stopped innovating. This October, we are excited to launch two new products: our corrosion-resistant condensate evaporator for integral units, and the second generation of our UCP110 convenience retail condensate pump, which features enhanced performance and usability. Looking ahead, we have some exciting new-to-market developments planned for 2025 and are eager to continue driving growth through innovation.
Our mission is clear: to provide evidence-based efficiency solutions that help our customers achieve broader cost savings while reducing operational risks. We are proud to be at the forefront of HVACR drainage technology, delivering groundbreaking solutions from the connoisseurs of condensate.