Coolsense NZ Ltd is a Hamilton based Refrigeration and Thermal Energy Storage Systems (TESS) manufacturing company. Formed in February 2013, Coolsense specialises in the on-farm and agri-tech markets, primarily supplying chilling equipment to the dairy farm market. It is a dedicated lean manufacturing company and has been built from the ground up using systems that fully support an Original Equipment Manufacturing operation. Its initial development of a variable capacity packaged chilled water system has built Coolsense a reputation as a manufacturer of high quality, highly efficient R410a refrigerant driven gaseous refrigeration systems, closely focusing on water and glycol as its heat transfer method.
MEET THE TEAM
ALLAN
Technical Director
A true-blue Scottish born and bred fella is the Technical Director and developer of the Vari-COOL technology. Allan emigrated to New Zealand in 2001 as a Biopharmaceutical Process Engineer initially working for PPL Therapeutics (a subsidiary of the Roslin Institute) where he headed up the technical services department engineering equipment to extract the protein from transgenic ewes.
In 2004 Allan was third party contracted to Fonterra to collate data on snap chilling milk. This research led to his development, in 2005, of his first Thermal Storage system which (through his company New Zealand Cold Ltd) went on to gain a Technical Appraisal Project grant from Technology New Zealand.
In 2006, the final concept resulted in a chilling system named the Aqua-TESS which was launched onto the market in 2007 with 30 reference sites established. In 2009 Milfos purchased the technology and this unit is now known as the i-Converter. Allan’s technology was launched into the Australian, Britain and the Fonterra China mega-farm markets and he was responsible for many of those installations.
In 2013 the opportunity presented itself to redevelop a new chiller system using technology advancements in the refrigeration industry and this formed the basis of incorporating Coolsense NZ Ltd and the establishment of the Vari-COOL system. Allan recalls he had “been working with chilling systems and compromising on getting the exact product I wanted since I started in the industry in 2005. Now we can concentrate on building something that the Coolsense team and I can be really proud of”.
Allan is married with four daughters and when he’s not developing state of the art refrigeration systems he rides very fast motorbikes.
KELLY
Executive Director
Kelly oversees the Operational Directorship of the company. He brings corporate, manufacturing, supply chain and dairy experience to the table of Coolsense. Before joining the team, Kelly spent 29 years with Fonterra in a variety of senior roles both in New Zealand and USA. Joining the Coolsense team allowed Kelly to return to his agricultural heritage and continue his unwavering advocacy for the finest quality milk through adherence to milk chilling standards. Kelly is playing a pivotal role in the business’s next growth stages. He is married to Kara and they have four exceptional lads. Kelly enjoys west coast fishing and playing golf in any spare time he can find.
SIMON
Product Manager
Simon heads-up the production management position. His expertise has been built over years having worked with Allan previously and now within Coolsense on the VariCOOL project. Simon joined the company in its early developmental stages and has been responsible for a ground-up build of both systems and processes of a manufacturing facility that follows lean practices. Simon is the proud dad of two daughters.
RICHARD
Automation Engineer
Richard is our contracted programmer responsible for all the ‘smarts’ behind the Varicool PLC drives. A qualified Electrician and Automation Engineer Richard has a key role in the development stages of each project. He resides in Tauranga and in his spare time is a keen mountain biker.
CARL
Electrical Engineer
RICHARD
Junior Engineer
Richard is our Junior Engineer responsible for the development and maintenance of the model audit and meta data storage vault, generation of all systems, operational, electrical, installation, maintenance manuals and 3D modelling. Newly married, Richard is the youngest of the Coolsense team.
Coolsense NZ Ltd is a Hamilton based Refrigeration and Thermal Energy Storage Systems manufacturing company. Formed in February 2013, Coolsense specialises in the on-farm and agri-tech markets, primarily supplying chilling equipment to the dairy farm market. It is a dedicated lean manufacturing company and has been built from the ground up using systems that fully support an Original Equipment Manufacturing operation.