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South Australia-based refrigeration specialist Cold Logic and UK naval refrigeration supplier Ernest West & Beynon have signed an exclusive memorandum of understanding to support the $35 billion SEA 5000 program.
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This new partnership will bring Ernest West & Beynon’s design for the Hunter Class frigate provision refrigeration to Australia with a local supplier that is able to support the full life cycle of the equipment.
Ernest West & Beynon is currently supplying the provision cooling systems for BAE Systems UK Type 26 Class, which is the base line design for Australia’s Hunter Class.
Cold Logic managing director and founder Jeff Cannan welcomed the agreement, saying, "Similar to us, Ernest West & Beynon has a long and proud history of supplying into their local market and into the Royal Navy.
"Through our agreement, we feel that we can ensure the design and manufacture of this project will not only have maximum Australian content and are compliant with additional in-country directives by the ADF but will also provide BAE Systems Australia along with the Commonwealth of Australia confidence that the integration process will be as smooth as is possible."
EWB’s operations director, David Vos, said, "We are a family company and were able to see a lot of parallels with Cold Logic. It is important to us that we have an in-country partner that understands us and our equipment design strategies. Knowledge transfer is one of the critical items of bringing the Type 26 design to Australia and ensuring that the build-up of sovereign capability and Australianisation of the design is linked to a minimisation of additional costs."
Dr Michael Riese, head of Cold Logic's defence division, said, "Our systems span a wide range of sizes from the very small on the ASC class submarines to the very large in winery installations and breweries. They all have major things in common: high degrees of complexity, high energy efficiency, maximum equipment up-time and easy maintainability by suitably trained staff.
"We understand that the supply and install of the new systems on the Hunter Class frigates are only the first step, but this will then be followed by decades of operation and maintenance and we want to ensure that this is cost effective as possible. We believe our partnership with Ernest West & Beynon will be the right step in that direction and we look forward to working with our partners and BAE Systems Australian on this project," Dr Riese said.
Cold Logic is also delivering state-of-the-art upgrades to cooling equipment for the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins Class submarines as part of the federal government’s ongoing sustainment and capability upgrade programs, carried out by prime contractor ASC.
Cold Logic currently employs 71 staff in South Australia and Victoria – including 13 apprentices and 21 skilled trades people – and is aiming for an annual turnover of $30 million by 2023.
