Many low-income nations are still in the early stages of Covid-19 vaccination programmes, hence refrigeration equipment is in high demand. With the help of a £600,000 package from HSBC UK, Powys renewable energy startup Dulas Limited is scaling up development of its solar powered vaccine refrigeration equipment to satisfy increased demand from UN agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Only 20% of people in low-income countries had received at least one dose of the Covid vaccination as of July 2022, thus UN agencies are spearheading a large-scale push to improve this number over the next 12-24 months.
Covid-19 vaccination programmes
The investment will help with the bulk order of parts needed to build the units, which have been hampered in recent months by global supply chain issues and local lockdowns. The capacity to bulk order component parts guarantees that production of these critical units is not severely delayed, hence boosting the success of the vaccine programme in countries such as Yemen, Sudan, and Cameroon.
Founded in 1982 by Dulas Ltd. provides commercial services to renewable energy companies. Consulting, project management, product supply, renewable energy installation, and engineering services are all offered by the company. Dulas has business operations all across the United Kingdom.
Ruth Chapman, Managing Director of Dulas, said, “The continued rollout of vaccination programmes across the globe are critical to our emergence from the pandemic, and to save lives. Our cold storage units provide WHO-accredited refrigeration for these vital vaccines, and this funding will allow us to navigate potential supply chain challenges to ensure delivery without delay. “Dulas has built a strong relationship with HSBC UK over the last 11 years, and the bank has ensured this funding process could be finalised without a hitch.”
Warren Lewis, Head of Corporate Banking Wales for HSBC UK, added, “Dulas is a stalwart of the Welsh and UK renewables industry, doing important work to help deliver shared net zero ambitions, and we’re proud to have been their banking partner for over a decade. The uninterrupted supply of Covid-19 vaccination fridges is instrumental to the successful rollout of the programme in low to middle income economies, so it’s great to be able to support Dulas in its important work.”
On a hiring spree
The company, which now employs over 70 employees, is also hiring for a variety of technical positions, including thermal and refrigeration experts, to support and engage in R&D programmes.
HSBC UK provides personal and private banking customers with retail banking and wealth management services, as well as commercial banking for small to medium businesses and major corporations.
