British cooling specialist IsoCool wins major contract in Saudi
Process cooling specialist IsoCool has secured a major contract with Neproplast, part of the largest construction group in the Middle East, IKK. The project will involve a complete upgrade of Neproplast’s existing extrusion process cooling system, using equipment manufactured in the UK and Italy. Local Saudi engineers will work alongside IsoCool throughout the installation. The contract represents a significant milestone in IsoCool’s expansion, and solidifies the British company’s presence in the region.
Neproplast is a market leader in the manufacturer of PVC plastic pipes and fittings for pressure and non-pressure applications in the Gulf region. Established in 1968, the company has experienced exceptional growth, thanks to increasing demand from local and international markets and continued investment in its manufacturing processes. As a result, Neproplast’s Jeddah plant now boasts a large extrusion facility with a material mixing and pipe production output in 2012 of more than 70,000 tonnes with future projected output in excess of 100,000 tonnes per year, in addition to the recently expanded injection moulding department, with an installed capacity of 8,000 tonnes per year for the production of pipe fittings.
The plant’s cooling system is integral to the successful running of the manufacturing processes, so when requirements for further expansion and solutions to improve the existing plant performance were required, Nigel Hallett, Managing Director of IsoCool, was able to offer his company’s expertise in providing a fully designed and engineered proposal.
IsoCool conducted an extensive survey of the site, and provided a comprehensive solution which takes into account the unique requirements and challenges posed by the project. For example, to counteract the corrosive effects of the coastal location and maintain performance in the high ambient temperatures, initially two Eurochiller NAX V-A-920 air cooled water chillers will be built with fin coil protection, and will be tropicalised for ambient temperatures of up to 50oC. These will be in addition to the existing chiller plant and will combine to provide a future capacity of 5MW of cooling capacity. A bespoke water recirculation and filtration system will be manufactured by IsoCool in Essex.
According to Nigel, it is this distinctly high level of service and expertise, and proven quality of product, which inspired confidence in their Saudi client: “The plastics industry is growing at an exceptional rate in the Middle East, and established companies like Neproplast have a fantastic opportunity to capitalise on the emerging market by fulfilling market demand. But to do this, they must have suppliers with the expertise to deliver quality, high-performance systems. This is where our years of experience in designing complex process cooling systems for the plastics industry are invaluable”.
A truly international collaboration, the project will use Italian-built chillers, while system design and manufacture of the ancillary equipment – such as pump skids, heat exchanger and controls – will be completed by IsoCool at their factory in Essex. To ensure long-term sustainability of the project, IsoCool will collaborate with Neproplast and local contractors to install the system also enabling them to have the first-hand knowledge required to operate and maintain it effectively in the future. IsoCool will personally carry out full inspections of the cooling system on a regular basis.
IsoCool is delighted to win the contract with Neproplast, and is confident that British manufacturing specialists have much to offer the growing Middle Eastern plastics industry: “We’ve built a very strong reputation in the UK by providing exceptional equipment and creative solutions which meet our clients’ short and long term goals. This reputation is now growing internationally, which is really exciting. It shows that British companies of all sizes can expand into overseas markets and create opportunities at home as well as abroad,” he explained.
