M&S to deploy aerofoil technology
17th January 2019
UK: Marks and Spencer is said to have chosen to roll out energy-saving Aerofoils on its open-fronted retail refrigeration units.
The Aerofoils, developed by Williams Advanced Engineering, the technology and engineering services business of the Williams Group, in collaboration with UK company Aerofoil Energy, attach to the shelf strips of multipack cabinets to reduce cold air spillage. Cold air is said to be guided down the fridge more efficiently, resulting in reductions in refrigeration energy costs.
After extensive laboratory and store trials, M&S is said to have seen proven energy savings from Aerofoils, with the added benefit of a more comfortable temperature for customers and colleagues.
Results from existing client adoption of Aerofoils is said to show that customers can save up to 30% on refrigeration energy costs through this retrofittable solution.
“This was a very interesting development project for us, because M&S has its own bespoke refrigeration cabinets,” commented Aerofoil Energy CEO Paul McAndrew. “The whole design process required close collaboration from the Aerofoil team with M&S to arrive at the most favourable and energy-efficient solution. As a result of this relationship, M&S will deploy three new technologies, taken from our Vortex project, that together have enhanced the performance and aesthetics of Aerofoils.”
Ian Moore, head of store development at Marks and Spencer, said: “We’re excited to be collaborating with Aerofoil Energy to reduce the energy consumption and environmental footprint of our stores. This technology will also help us offer a better shopping experience for customers by improving the temperature in our aisles.”
As part of its Vortex project, Aerofoil Energy created the micro-Aerofoil to accommodate M&S’ own ticketing specifications. This performs in the same way as the standard-sized Aerofoil, but with more pleasing aesthetics for retailers with smaller price label dimensions. M&S will also adopt the patented Aerosteer product, which can be installed in situ and improves the coherence of the fridge’s cold air curtain at its point of origin. This enables Aerofoils to be fitted even closer to the shelf-edge, further enhancing their visual impact for the consumer. Thirdly, Aerofoil Energy developed a robust, snap-fit Aerofoil kit that is installed securely in seconds, saving M&S significant logistics costs during the roll-out process.
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