Seifert green supplier of thermal management solutions

Seifert MTM Systems Malta – shortlisted for the Most Innovative SME Business Award (annual turnover less than €10m)

The list of Seifert’s international clients reads like a directory of the most powerful industries in technology. The latest deliverable by the company has been the research and development of an energy-saving, maintenance-free enclosure cooling air-conditioner for industrial application. The product not only confirmed Seifert’s place as a leader in this technology’s market, but also enhanced the company’s image as a green supplier.

Seifert is of German origin, with its head office and global marketing and support unit in Ħal Far, and offices and warehouses in Germany, Switzerland, and the US. It develops heat exchangers and air-conditioning systems for industry and is a solution provider for thermal management for housings and rack units.

“Conservative figures for our recent industrial cooling system estimate an energy saving of 30 per cent,” said general manager Ing. Ruben Cuschieri. “Such a percentage is considerably cost-effective for our clients’ bottom line and of particular relevance to their sustainable development responsibility, which is why it was received so favourably. Within less than a year of its introduction on the market, we would be breaking even with the high-risk investment made and starting to register profit from increasing sales.”

The idea sparked off in 2007 after a final-year project for one of Seifert’s R&D engineer’s Masters. It is Seifert’s human resources strategy to promote and sponsor employees to further their studies at all levels, from production to R&D engineers.

“Results from the initial research showed that such a thermal management solution would be feasible to sell in the highly-demanding market we supply, from a technical, cost and energy-utilisation point of view,” Ing. Cuschieri said.

“At this stage, we also identified the need to get a business partner on board, to actually develop a variable speed compressor usable for this type of application. Our choice fell on Mitsubishi Electric, with whom we have had a very close business relationship for more than 20 years.

“In parallel, through our sales company in the US, we identified a potential customer in the telecommunications industry, who is rolling out the latest 4G technology. This gave this project another spin-off which required additional technical adjustments to the original design and enhanced the product’s capabilities further. At the same time, a second company, this time in Germany, placed its orders for a different product using the same principles.”

Ing. Cuschieri said the main contributors to the project’s success were the company’s culture of involving employees’ ideas in selecting potential business pursuits, the highly qualified and specialised R&D team, and the strong experience in project management at international level.

“The reputation we built with our business partners over the years solidified our success; their trust in our technical and organisational skills supported our investment,” he added.

The three nominees for each of the four categories to participate in the final awards night on November 26 were selected by an independent judging panel made up of two senior officials from KPMG, Notary Clyde La Rosa and appointed officials from HSBC Bank Malta plc and Vodafone Malta plc.

HSBC-Vodafone Export and Innovation Awards

Earlier this year, HSBC and Vodafone Malta embarked on a joint initiative to reward Maltese businesses for their export and innovation talent. Three have been shortlisted in each of the four categories: Most Improved SME Exporter (annual turnover less than €10m); Most Improved Corporate Exporter (annual turnover more than €10m); Most Innovative SME Business (annual turnover less than €10m); and Most Innovative Corporate Business (annual turnover more than €10m). Winners in each category will be awarded at a gala ceremony on November 26. The Times Business is carrying highlights from each of the selected companies’ formula for success.