MWL becomes leading supplier of FRIGOBLOCK

MWL and FRIGOBLOCK 30-year partnership going from strength to strength

The 30-year partnership between Michael Ward Limited (MWL) and FRIGOBLOCK electric fleet refrigeration systems is going from strength to strength with demand for sales and servicing booming.

Since we took on a direct sales and service status, we have seen orders flourish, and we are actively recruiting refrigerated transport engineers such is the demand for fitting, servicing and maintenance.

The latest orders to land include a deal to supply and fit 71 FRIGOBLOCK units to delivery vehicles operating on behalf of a well-known UK pub chain, hot on the heels of an order to supply and fit up to 25 units for a Lancashire-based food distribution company.

A message from our MD

Managing Director Graham Galloway says: “The biggest difference is we now actually import FRIGOBLOCK systems, and all its associated products, and sell them directly to the customer. FRIGOBLOCK is part of the Thermo King portfolio, and its model is to go to market through dealers, of which we are now one of the largest in the UK.”

As our many and varied customers know, FRIGOBLOCK is at the vanguard of the shift from traditional diesel-powered refrigeration units to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly electric alternative. Its technology is constantly evolving to address ever more stringent measures within the refrigerated transport industry.

Graham adds: “Our capabilities with FRIGOBLOCK go back more than 30 years, we have a lot of experience and I want to emphasise the product has developed because we do get feedback occasionally that it’s been around a long time and is old technology.

“However, the technology has been developed significantly, particularly with the arrival of FRIGOBLOCK inverter technology which makes it an extremely efficient system. It can be powered by a full battery electric vehicle; it can be powered through an alternator that takes its power off the vehicle engine.

“These are all important things to stress, as well as FRIGOBLOCK being relatively light compared to other systems and the fact we offer a three-year warranty, which is unrivalled in the industry. Our overarching target is to convert those running diesel powered fridges to electric fridges.”

New FRIGOBLOCK developments

And to prove Graham’s observation that FRIGOBLOCK never stands still, three new developments have just been unveiled at the influential IAA Transportation 2022 trade fair in Hannover. They are:

• An all-new, all-electric refrigeration unit FK2, which is suitable for rigid trucks and is aimed at multi-stop, inner-city delivery routes thanks to its low noise and low emissions. It is the first FRIGOBLOCK unit that comes equipped with Thermo King’s ‘BlueBox’ hardware, granting operators access to data-driven insights and two-way communication on the road.
• A newly designed EK series, a split refrigeration unit for low-height truck bodies. The underfloor-mounted units are for fleets that require temperature control in large-volume truck or trailer combinations. The compact unit allows the truck’s capacity to be utilised without compromising on cooling capability.
• The FK25i, an all-electric, non-intrusive refrigeration unit for rigid trucks, which boasts remarkable fuel-saving capabilities, making multi-stop journeys more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Leading our FRIGOBLOCK sales operation is Steve Maile

Steve’s vast experience in the industry includes a five-year stint at FRIGOBLOCK’s base in Germany. You can read more about Steve here.

He says: “With the world now waking up to the damage that the emissions from diesel have created, it is time for us all to do our bit to reduce emissions and ensure we leave a planet better placed for the future than it is today.”

FRIGOBLOCK technology can be fitted to any vehicle, with three variations:

• The FK – which fits above the driver’s cab on heavy trucks.
• The HK – for drawbar systems and semi-trailers.
• The EK/DK – undermount systems for split refrigeration machines
• These systems can be combined with remote evaporators the RE – which provides different levels of cooling for multi compartment trucks.

They can run with a traditional diesel fuelled vehicle, with hybrids and all-electric vehicles.

For more information about our FRIGOBLOCK offer and capabilities, please visit the FRIGOBLOCK pages on our website.