Diesel-free refrigeration from Hultsteins
Now approaching its sixth anniversary in the UK, Hultsteins specialises in diesel-free refrigeration solutions for temperature-controlled logistics operations.
Hultsteins has been designing and producing refrigeration systems in Sweden for over 60 years and developed the first hydraulic refrigeration unit in 1962. The company also introduced the slim-built refrigeration unit in 1988 which was a completely new design for transport refrigeration. Hultsteins then entered the UK market in 2019.
Hultsteins says it has seen steady growth in the UK, as the health and environmental issues associated with diesel TRUs have become more prevalent. Its Ecogen and Ecofridge products are diesel-free refrigerated transport solutions, which eliminate the need for a secondary diesel TRU engine. This can help fleet operators to save on fuel costs, carbon emissions, diesel particulate matter (DPM) emissions and NOx emissions.
Ecogen is a hydraulic electric generator which is driven from the Euro 6 diesel, CNG or LNG engine designed to run a diesel TRU on its electric standby whilst on the road. Ecogen is available in a Slimline model or a Lowline model.
Ecogen is suitable for any new make or marque of tractor unit with a power take off (PTO) fitted. Existing Renault, Scania or Volvo tractor units can have Ecogen retrofitted, as they already have the timing gear in the back of the engine fitted to run Ecogen.
Fitting an Ecogen to a tractor unit allows operators to transform any existing diesel TRU refrigerated trailer that is it coupled with, into an electric fridge. There is no need to buy expensive new electric TRUs when existing diesel TRUs can be transformed into electric fridges using Ecogen, Hultsteins says.
Ecofridge is a hydraulic refrigeration unit powered by the Euro 6, LNG, CNG or electric truck engine. Ecofridge is available in various Slimline and Topline models and is suitable for new rigid trucks which are 16-26 tonne. The hydraulic refrigeration unit is said to reduce noise and operating costs as compared to a diesel TRU engine. One of the first Ecofridge units installed in 2025 has been delivered to oriental foods wholesaler Asco Foods.
Hultsteins UK managing director, Graham Usher, said: “We have had a series of successful trials which have resulted in long term customers who are placing repeat orders for Ecofridge and Ecogen units year on year.”
Hultsteins also offers a variety of partner/distributor products for sustainable diesel-free temperature control, including Addvolt Powerpacks, air curtains and Orbcomm temperature telematics sensors and printers.
More recently Hultsteins has partnered with Hotbox manufacturer Marvtech, with Hultsteins’ Ecogen 2 used to power the E-Hotbox. In this application, the hydraulic electric generator takes power from the engine to generate heat via heating elements, instead of using traditional LPG gas heating system, to keep tarmac heated to the correct temperature. Marvtech have advised that there are considerable savings to be made in both LPG costs and carbon emissions.
