Founded in 1979, Staycold has become a leading producer of refrigeration units specifically |
Hills explains that refrigeration is often
perceived as just a " box that makes cold ",
but designing units for regions like South
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A unit designed for higher efficiency in hot climates can reduce electricity costs and provide better long-term value.” |
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tailored for the African market. Hills |
Africa— where temperatures can exceed |
As a local manufacturer, Staycold |
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emphasises that a key factor in its success |
30 ° C— requires more than just basic |
benefits from certain protections, such as |
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is the company’ s deep understanding |
functionality.“ Units designed for cooler |
tariffs on imports, which help make their |
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of local needs and challenges. This, he |
climates, like Europe, can quickly fail in |
products competitive despite being priced |
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believes, is essential to creating products |
South Africa’ s heat. Products built to operate |
higher. Hills noted that the cost of importing |
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that truly meet customer requirements. |
in environments around 25 ° C might struggle |
refrigeration units from places like China |
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Hills reflected on Staycold’ s history, |
when placed in environments where |
does not always result in a lower final price |
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noting that the company’ s roots in Parys, |
temperatures reach 40 ° C, causing significant |
when factors like shipping tariffs, and the |
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where it was founded to provide energy- |
performance issues.” |
need for specialised adaptation to local |
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efficient fridges to the farming community, |
The key to effective refrigeration in |
conditions are considered. |
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are a testament to its long-standing |
these conditions lies in selecting the right |
Staycold primarily serves the middle to |
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commitment to local manufacturing.“ We |
refrigerants and investing in high-quality |
premium segments of the beverage cooler |
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employ over 100 people here, making |
insulation and compressor technology, |
market, holding about 15-20 % of the market |
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a meaningful impact locally,” he says, |
which is something Staycold prioritises in |
share. While larger companies can afford to |
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underscoring the company’ s contribution to |
their designs. |
invest in quality products, smaller retailers |
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both the economy and the community. While many argue that manufacturing overseas, particularly in countries like China, |
THE COST OF QUALITY
Staycold’ s products are often priced at a
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and informal market businesses— such as spaza shops— often opt for cheaper alternatives.“ Spaza shop owners typically |
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offers cost efficiencies, Hills believes that |
premium compared to our competitors, but |
look for the lowest price, as many have |
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such an approach often compromises |
Hills believes this is justified.“ Investing in a |
limited capital for more durable, energy- |
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quality and control.“ You lose oversight, and |
quality refrigeration unit can save significant |
efficient equipment,” Hills explains. |
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ultimately, the products may not be suitable for the local market. By manufacturing locally, Staycold can closely monitor production, ensuring that our refrigeration units are built to withstand the unique demands of the South African climate.”
Regarding the technical complexities of refrigeration, especially in hot climates,
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money in the long run. While customers may
initially be deterred by the higher purchase
price, operational costs— the electricity
cost alone can be more than the cost of
the cooler many times over from a TCO
perspective- our normal ROI is after 18-24
months, with the savings over a seven year
period equating to the cost of a new unit.
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An often-overlooked benefit of local manufacturing is the easier access to technical support and spare parts.“ When you buy a local product, you have better access to after-sales service and support. This is particularly important for larger businesses that require consistent maintenance and monitoring of their |
Staycold’ s high pressure polyurethane foaming system. |
All images by © Cold Link Africa |