Sofrigam, the French company specialising in the cold chain for pharmaceutical products on an international scale, is pursuing its policy of further growth by acquiring Coldway, a French concern that manufactures stand-alone refrigeration solutions.
Coldway’s innovative technology makes it possible to produce cold and/or hot conditions on the basis of an elementary thermochemical reaction between ammonia and salts. Using a natural coolant that does not adversely affect the ozone layer, without consumables, but also, more importantly, without the continuous use of external energy sources, it is capable of creating cold conditions in a totally self-contained manner for up to 60 hours. With neither a motor nor a compressor, the system is silent, ecologically sound, low-maintenance and is not subject to wear.
Sofrigam became acquainted with this technology when the two companies collaborated in 2016 in order to develop a range of temperature-controlled shipping containers featuring the Coldway technology.
Coldway was placed into receivership at the end of June 2018. By virtue of this acquisition, Sofrigam is demonstrating its dynamism and its new ambitions. Coldway’s technology will provide technical prowess and innovation for use in Sofrigam’s range of packaging solutions, with the ecological dimension so favoured by Sofrigam.
The sixteen Coldway staff employed at Pia (66) are keeping their jobs with the company, located near Perpignan. They are joining the staff of the various entities of the Sofrigam Group, including fifteen employees in France, distributed between the head office at Rueil Malmaison (92) and the production plant, covering 16,000m2, at Monchy-le-Preux (62), near Arras.
Renowned for its considerable technical prowess and its incomparable levels of quality , the Group is demonstrating its ambitions in terms of both innovation and moving into new markets. The acquisition of Coldway and the development of packaging solutions employing its ground-breaking technology represent a tremendous opportunity for innovation with the prospect of new markets. The partnership between Coldway and Ligier Professional, a manufacturer of small commercial vehicles, with the aim of creating electric vehicles equipped with self-contained refrigerated compartments, is an example of the new prospects available to Sofrigam.
The new company formed from this alliance will be known as Coldway Technologies. Its activity will be concentrated on the development and deployment of Coldway technology among businesses involved with logistics and final mile delivery, healthcare and food processing.
