30 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk February/March 2026 Energy & Environmental Management Focus on: HVAC With more than 30 years of experience at its Newton Abbot facility, Harrier operates as a major UK-based business-to-business photo print fulfilment centre, producing millions of print-on-demand products each year. Originally evolving from TRUPRINT, once the UK’s largest direct-toconsumer photo processing brand, the company now supports a wide range of retail and app-based photo services across the UK and Europe. As production volumes have increased and turnaround times tightened, maintaining consistent process conditions has become critical. To support high-volume output while improving energy efficiency, Harrier worked with ICS Cool Energy to introduce process-dedicated chillers and integrate free cooling technology. The upgrade was designed to enhance operational resilience while aligning with wider sustainability objectives. Challenge As Harrier’s operations scaled to print up to two million photos a day and thousands of customised gifts, often dispatched within hours of order, temperature regulation in production zones and IT environments became increasingly critical. The company’s advanced digital print and server equipment is highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and any instability puts both throughput and product quality at risk. Given Harrier’s sustainability-focused business approach, traditional chiller-only cooling could not deliver the combination of energy efficiency and environmental performance required. To maintain its industry-leading standards for efficiency and competitive pricing, Harrier needed a solution that would reliably support its demanding production schedule, minimise energy consumption, and align with its environmental objectives. “Efficiency and sustainability are integral to our customer promise. Conventional cooling methods simply weren’t enough, we needed a solution that could keep pace with our rapid turnaround while also meeting our energy and environmental goals,” explained Jeremy Rawley of Harrier. Rod Avery, ICS Cool Energy project engineer, added: “High-volume fulfilment relies on dependable, process-grade temperature control. Our goal was to help Harrier achieve both operational reliability and measurable sustainability gains, aligning technical proficiency with their business priorities.” ICS Cool Energy worked collaboratively with Harrier, analysing operational data and long-term cost models from the outset. Rather than defaulting to an all-chiller approach, ICS Cool Energy proposed a system design combining process-dedicated i-Chillers with additional free coolers. This flexible system automatically switches between mechanical and air-based cooling in response to changing outdoor conditions and production loads, optimising energy use throughout the year. “Rather than defaulting to standard cooling methods, we worked with Harrier to model future savings and environmental impact. We detailed the potential savings over three-, five-, and seven-year horizons, helping Harrier weigh the initial investment against projected operational benefits,” said Rod Avery. Throughout the process, Harrier received hands-on consultation, support with technical approval, and transparent insights for internal stakeholder review. The integration of process-dedicated chillers and free cooling delivered measurable improvements for Harrier. Energy consumption for cooling was significantly reduced, supporting the business’s cost savings and environmental responsibility goals. The process-dedicated cooling system keeps production areas and IT infrastructure stable, ensuring fast, errorfree fulfilment even at peak capacity. The reduced reliance on mechanical refrigeration also aligned with Harrier’s desire to lower its carbon footprint and enhance equipment longevity. Rawley concluded: “We’ve seen a real impact: the new cooling system has reduced our energy consumption and carbon footprint, while maintaining the reliability we need for fast turnarounds. It has set our facility up for long-term sustainable growth. The successful partnership with ICS Cool Energy highlights the value of proactive engineering and datadriven decision making for any business seeking targeted efficiency and sustainability improvements.” For further information please visit www.icscoolenergy.com As production volumes increase in high-throughput manufacturing environments, maintaining precise and energy-efficient temperature control becomes critical. This case study explores how a UK print fulfilment facility combined process-dedicated chillers with free cooling technology to enhance reliability, reduce energy consumption and support long-term sustainability goals. PWE reports. Optimising process cooling in high-volume production
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