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Sunswap expands UK manufacturing

A recent visitor, local MP Helen Maguire, with (left to right) Sunswap COO Andrew Sucis, CTO Nikolai Tauber and CEO Michael Lowe

UK: Sunswap, the UK pioneer in combined solar and battery technology for refrigerated trailers, has expanded its manufacturing capability with a new facility at its headquarters in Leatherhead, Surrey. 

The facility will produce Sunswap’s Endurance transport refrigeration units for UK and European customers.

The investment in UK manufacturing capabilities follows growing demand from major retailers and logistics companies, including recent agreements with global logistics providers and leasing firms such as DFDS and TIP, as well as British-based manufacturers Samworth Brothers, Staples Vegetables and Cranswick. 

Sunswap says that while it had initially partnered with third-party manufacturers, the rapid growth in orders and successful £17.3m Series B funding has enabled accelerated development of in-house production.

The company maintains that the Leatherhead facility gives it complete oversight of production quality and assembly processes, while the co-location with the engineering team enables rapid implementation of product improvements and swift response to customer feedback. 

The facility, which will create 75 manufacturing jobs, has been designed with capacity to scale up production as European expansion continues.

“Building our own manufacturing facility has always been core to Sunswap’s plans,” said Michael Lowe, CEO of Sunswap. “The recent fundraising success and growing customer interest in Endurance has accelerated our timeline.”

Local MP Helen Maguire recently visited Sunswap’s newly opened facility, joined by the leadership team from Sunswap’s investors at the Clean Growth Fund and Barclays organised by the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association.

Founded in 2020, Sunswap’s Endurance unit combines battery storage with roof-mounted solar panels that can provide up to 100% of the energy needed for refrigeration on certain chilled operations. 

Related stories:


Sunswap secures £17.3m investment26 August 2024
UK: Sunswap, the UK pioneer in combined solar and battery technology for refrigerated trailers, has secured £17.3m through a funding round led by investment company BGF. Read more…

Müller trials zero-emission transport refrigeration – 30 August 2023
UK: Müller Milk & Ingredients is trialling solar panels and kinetic energy for its refrigerated trailers, as an alternative to refrigeration powered by diesel engines. Read more…

GIST trials all-electric TRU – 22 April 2022
UK: Hampshire-based logistics specialist Gist is trialling Sunswap’s zero-emission, solar and battery powered transport refrigeration unit within its temperature controlled distribution fleet. Read more…

£3m boost for all-electric transport refrigeration – 28 March 2022
UK: Sunswap, the London-based company offering a fully electric, zero-emission alternative to diesel-powered transport refrigeration units, has received £3m investment from the UK’s Clean Growth Fund and Barclays. Read more…

DFDS to deploy zero-emission refrigerated trailer – 11 October 2021
UK: Global shipping and logistics company DFDS is the first client for the zero-emission transport refrigeration system developed by London-based start-up company Sunswap. Read more…

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