Cold Link Africa November December 2025 | Page 18

BUSINESS AND TRAINING

INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

Other recent milestones include the installation of the largest panel bender in Africa.

African-tough cabinets are engineered to withstand harsh environments and heavy use in the local retail space.

The factory supplies major supermarket chains, including Shoprite, Checkers, Boxer, Pick n Pay and Spar, with cabinets built to client-specific specifications. Exports are also growing, with units shipped to Botswana, Zimbabwe and other African markets, either as fully assembled or as part of hybrid installations handled by thirdparty contractors.

Local infrastructure and project delays remain a significant challenge.“ We build according to client timelines, but delays on construction sites often leave millions of rands ' worth of finished stock sitting in our yard,” Macfarlane said. This affects storage capacity, cash flow and ultimately the pace of operations.

Nevertheless, the company has shown impressive growth since moving into its current facility in 2018. Initially shared with three sister companies, Concord has since expanded to occupy the entire premises.

Product development is deeply tied to client feedback. Monthly meetings with the development teams from Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Spar and Boxer ensure that new designs meet current retail needs.“ We don’ t just manufacture. We innovate in close collaboration with our customers,” Macfarlane emphasised.

An in-house R & D team works on continuous improvements, including energy-saving features like‘ closed-case’ cabinet technology and passive door systems. The factory also houses a dedicated refrigeration team to support new self-contained product lines.

A GREEN FUTURE IN REFRIGERATION

One of the company’ s proudest achievements came in 2018, when it partnered with UNIDO to phase out harmful blowing agents in polyurethane foaming.“ We are now completely green on that side,” Macfarlane said.

Other recent milestones include the installation of the largest panel bender in Africa and the rollout of the company ' s new PEC doors, which have been specified by major retail chains for their efficiency and durability.

Concord Retail Solutions stands as a case study of the power and potential of South African manufacturing. With its blend of technical skill, local employment, sustainable innovation and client-driven design, the factory is producing world-class refrigeration solutions and helping shape the future of local industry.

“ We’ re building products that are designed and made for Africa. That’ s what makes the difference,” concluded Macfarlane. CLA

The factory’ s testing and quality protocols align with global benchmarks.

Multilayer Trading unveils high-efficiency R290 range and new branding at FRIGAIR 2025

By Eamonn Ryan

Multilayer Trading made a strong impression at FRIGAIR 2025, unveiling a bold rebrand and showcasing an expanded product line tailored for Africa’ s demanding climate.

© Cold Link Africa

At the heart of the display was the company’ s next-generation energy efficient refrigeration technology, featuring R290 refrigerant – a key step in Multilayer’ s commitment to efficiency and sustainability.

Speaking at the event, CEO Chris Visser highlighted the company’ s vision for the region.“ This year marked a complete rebrand for us. We’ ve brought in new products designed specifically for the African

The Multilayer stand at FRIGAIR 2025 before the crowds arrived.

market, with R290 at the core. It’ s simply the most practical and efficient solution for our climate right now.”

One of the innovations was the Paris Island freezer, consuming half the energy of its predecessor. Named after the French capital, the Paris forms part of a wider product family that includes models like Montreal, Manhattan, Miami and Kigali— all named after global cities.

Also launched were new upright freezer and chiller units, designed to align side-by-side for a seamless, modern retail display. These units feature variable speed compressors, enabling significant energy savings and optimised performance.

“ These aren’ t just incremental improvements. We’ re delivering meaningful design and efficiency upgrades that are changing how supermarkets think about refrigeration,” said Visser.

Multilayer’ s latest designs offer several unique, installer- and user-friendly features. A key innovation includes open bottom panels on upright cabinets, eliminating evaporator fans in the base and reducing potential drain blockages. Compressors come pre-fitted and pre-charged from the factory, drastically reducing installation time and error. Housed in insulated back compartments, these compressors operate in near silence, unlike the top-mounted, noisier alternatives often seen in the market.

“ Noise reduction is critical in-store. Our design eliminates vibration and sound, improving the customer shopping experience,” Visser explained.

Multilayer Trading operates as a fullservice provider for supermarkets, handling everything from product supply and installation to monitoring and post-sale service.“ Every part of the process— from engineering to after-sales— is managed by our team. Clients only deal with one point of contact throughout.”

POSITIVE RECEPTION AND R & D COMMITMENT

The newly rebranded Multilayer booth drew enthusiastic praise from visitors at FRIGAIR.“ The feedback has been incredible,” said Visser.“ People like the updated branding, the lighting, the cabinet design. In fact, lighting is arguably more important than cooling when it comes to product visibility— and we’ ve really dialed that in.”

Looking ahead, the company is doubling down on research and development, with a dedicated team refining products for local market conditions.“ We’ re constantly optimising our cases and technology. South Africa, alongside Switzerland, is our most rigorous testing ground. We benefit enormously from the feedback of installers, and we work closely with Swiss labs equipped with EUR2-million testing chambers to ensure everything is trialed to perfection before hitting the market,” said Visser. CLA

18 www. coldlinkafrica. co. za COLD LINK AFRICA • November / December 2025