Managing director Shaun Nugent founded Emissis in a bid to tackle climate change by drawing upon his electrical mechanical and cooling engineering background to develop energy-saving devices that would cut energy usage and promote sustainability.

 

But what was Shaun’s inspiration for Emissis? This article will explore Shaun’s passions for nature, innovation and sustainability and look at what the future holds for the Stokesley-based company.

 

The Beginning

 

‘Emissis’ is a blend of Greek and Latin, with central themes like emissions, energy, and reduction, a fitting name for Shaun’s vision.

 

The British Bluebell is a symbol of the fragility of nature in the face of climate change. Source: The Guardian

 

The visual representation of the Emissis brand took its inspiration from the natural environment. While hiking, Shaun was drawn to the British Bluebell and was immediately impressed with the richly coloured flower. To Shaun, the flower was more than just a part of the landscape; it symbolised an urgency in addressing climate challenges.

 

British Bluebells are sensitive to temperature increases and may face extinction due to global warming. Source: Science Daily.

 

By linking its identity to the colour of this emblematic flower, the Emissis brand was positioned to reflect its mission for fostering a sustainable future.

 

The Journey Towards Net Zero

Emissis began its journey towards reducing carbon emissions, with the development of several innovative energy-saving devices that would significantly reduce energy use and help its clients combat climate change.

 

Since its inception in 2020, Emissis has helped many private and public sectors, save energy costs and unlock the benefits of reducing carbon emissions across their operations.

 

The Emissis client base stretches across many sectors including: BAE, BP, Hays Sodexo, Network Rail and Virgin Media.

 

Expansion in Europe

In 2024, Emissis opened a second office in Switzerland to help European organisations benefit from its range of innovative energy-saving devices.

 

By extending its reach into Switzerland, Emissis aims to leverage the country’s strong commitment to sustainable practices and robust environmental regulations. This initiative promises to bring proven, effective energy solutions to Swiss companies, empowering them to reduce their carbon footprint while optimising energy use significantly.

 

What the Future Holds

 

Fuelling their vision is the strategic partnership with Univers. This collaboration is much more than an alliance; it is a powerhouse combining decades of expertise and forward-thinking solutions.

 

Together, they have launched enPact, an energy-saving solution to revolutionise energy efficiency. The new groundbreaking solution combines the world’s most comprehensive decarbonisation system with the unique energy carbon saving technology from Emissis and promises to reduce energy consumption by up to 20%, steering companies closer to zero-carbon operations.

 

Organisations adopting Emissis solutions will not just be participating in reducing carbon emissions; they will be part of a broader movement towards a sustainable future that will benefit present and future generations.

 

Emissis is a leading energy and cleantech company helping private and public sector businesses to unlock the benefits of reducing carbon emissions and energy use. Helping organisations to understand how to use proven modern technology, and support services, to transition to net zero carbon operations.

 

www.emissis.co.uk

Brakes, the UK’s leading foodservice wholesaler, has won the prestigious Foodservice Operator of the Year at the Quality Food Awards (Q Awards).

 

The company also picked up ten product awards including two for its Birchstead range of meats, six for Sysco own label products and a Gold award for its Shredded Mushroom Meat, which was also Highly Commended in the Foodservice Product of the Year category.

 

Paul Nieduszynski, CEO at Sysco GB, said: “Once again, our investment in product development has paid dividends. We won awards in eight different categories, showcasing the breadth of our NPD. What’s particularly pleasing is that we won two awards for our newly expanded Birchstead range.

 

“As a business, we’ve made it clear that we will continue to innovate to lead our sector in delivering the products that customers want, and that help them create menus that stand out from the competition.”

 

The complete list of award-winning products:

 

• Cakes and Desserts – Sysco Premium Burnt Basque Cheesecake
• Meat – Birchstead Reserve 28 Day Dry Aged Beef Ribeye Steak
• Meat – Birchstead 28 Day Aged Beef T-Bone Steak
• Meat – Sysco Classic Cooked Chicken Teriyaki
• Vegan Products and Alternatives – Sysco Premium Fishless Fishcake
• Beverages – Sysco Premium Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice with Bits
• Condiments and Dressings – Sysco Tomato Ketchup
• Cooking Sauces, Dry Goods and Pre-Prepped Ingredients – Sysco Classic Spiced Garlic & Herb Seasoning
• Pizza, Pies and Pastries – La Boulangerie Doughball with Sourdough
• Fresh Produce – Gold Award and Highly Commended Foodservice Product of the Year – Shredded Mushroom Meat

 

Sunswap, a UK clean-tech startup decarbonising cold chain logistics, has today announced that leading transportation services business, DFDS, has ordered the first 10 of its zero-emission ‘Endurance’ transport refrigeration units (TRUs).  DFDS recognised the enormous potential of Sunswap’s technology and committed to ordering the first 10 of the firm’s Endurance units to be manufactured in Surrey, UK.  The order marks the official commercial launch of Sunswap’s technology into the global cold-chain market.

 

Sunswap Endurance combines battery and solar panels mounted on refrigerated trailers to keep temperature controlled goods cold during transport. This zero-emission system replaces traditional diesel-powered transport refrigeration units, offering a sustainable solution for cold chain, while ensuring a range of consumer products – from foodstuffs to pharmaceuticals – stay within critical temperature bands.

 

The order follows a highly successful trial process DFDS undertook with Sunswap in 2022, which demonstrated that with 10 Endurance solar and battery TRUs on fleet, DFDS could remove 895 tonnes of CO2 and save around 500,000 litres of diesel fuel over a ten-year unit lifetime, compared with a traditional TRU.  The trials also indicated that on one of DFDS’s longer routes, 22 hours of cooling could be provided from one full charge – typically taking 80 minutes – of the TRU battery unit.

 

Based on findings from the earlier trials, DFDS established that switching to Sunswap Endurance would save 71% of the operating costs compared to running a diesel refrigeration unit. This amounts to a 13% saving in total cost of ownership – making solar and battery electric power a more sustainable and commercially viable option.

 

The partnership between Sunswap and DFDS comes at a crucial time, as the transport sector faces increasing regulatory pressure and growing consumer demand for more sustainable logistics.   By investing in low carbon technology DFDS is positioning itself at the forefront of more sustainable cold chain logistics, setting a new standard for the industry and paving the way for a cleaner, more environmentally responsible future in refrigerated transport.

 

Depending on conditions, the trailer-top mounted solar panels can typically provide 65 to 100% of the charge needed to operate the refrigeration unit, significantly reducing reliance on grid charging.

 

Matt O’Dell, Managing Director of Cold Chain, UK & Ireland at DFDS, said: “The Sunswap trailers provide a huge opportunity for us to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations and further strengthen our offering to customers. Our team has worked closely with Sunswap on this project and I’m very proud of all the hard work that has gone in to seeing the trailers arrive at our Peterborough depot ready for service.

 

“DFDS has ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We aim to achieve a 75% reduction in CO2 emissions intensity by 2030 and to be net zero by 2050, and so introducing the Sunswap trailers to our UK fleet is an exciting part of that. I believe it will be a shift away from legacy diesel technology for cold storage transport.”

Michael Lowe, CEO of Sunswap commented: “This is a defining moment for Sunswap and sustainable transport refrigeration. After five years of engineering innovation and extensive trials, seeing the first Sunswap units enter full-time service with DFDS marks the beginning of diesel-free cold chain operations at scale. DFDS has shown true industry leadership by being first to adopt this technology.”

“As we begin to fulfil subsequent orders from our production line in Leatherhead, we look forward to supporting major European retailers and logistics operators in decarbonising their cold-chain operations.”

 

Seymour Manufacturing International (SMI) – the thermal protection perfection specialists – have been saving energy and money for some of the world’s biggest and best-known businesses since the 1980s. It’s all thanks to Tempro®, SMI’s remarkable lightweight thermal insulation material which has been scientifically proven to cut energy loss by at least 25% in chillers, and an amazing 33% in freezers, and with an impressive ROI of less than 6 months. The Telford company’s client list is a who’s who of big-name brands, including leading supermarkets, the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, and more.

 

SMI are currently running a promotion where any orders of Cold-Stop Curtains placed before the end of 2024 will benefit from a 5% discount on the curtains, improving your ROI further still, and helping you save even more money.

 

For all orders or quote requests, please email enquiries@seymour-mi.com and one of the SMI team will handle your requirements.

 

This is a great opportunity for all British Frozen Food Federation members, so why not contact SMI for further information, or visit their website www.seymour-mi.com