The right tools to reduce the energy consumption of refrigeration systems

Energy-efficient cooling with intelligent control

Van Kempen Koudetechniek celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. In those years, the family business grew into a major player in the field of refrigeration technology. The company is not only strong in the supply of refrigeration and freezer systems, but also in their control in order to make them as energy efficient as possible. "VK-Dynamics is really our unique selling point," says Mr. K.

Van Kempen Koudetechniek was founded in 1947 as a machine and equipment factory. Even in the early years, the company specialized in cold technology. "At first we mainly had many fruit and vegetable growers in the Betuwe as customers, later we grew to include auctions throughout the country," says sales manager Frank Boeijen. While Van Kempen initially built the main components of the refrigeration systems itself, the decision was soon made to purchase the main components elsewhere and to specialize in building the systems. Boeijen: "In recent years, our focus has been on building refrigeration and freezer systems with natural refrigerants. The demand is increasing, because of the subsidy possibilities, the longer lifespan, the green look and the lower energy consumption." Van Kempen installations are now running in 26 different countries.

The customer base continued to expand: the flower, meat and fish industries, among others, knew how to find the company, as did traders and large distribution centers. "We have a leading name in long-term fruit preservation. By creating the right conditions, fruit can be preserved longer. Further specializations include vacuum cooling and ripening chambers for exotics such as mangoes, avocados and papayas. This allows you to make them 'ready to eat' at any time." 

Five disciplines

Van Kempen is divided into five disciplines:

- cold engineering; 
- automation;
- panel construction (together with partners);
- climate department (from residential air conditioners to retail stores and hotels);
- service department (with 24/7 remote management for guaranteed plant operation and 35 service technicians distributed throughout the country).

"Our software is our unique selling point on our installations. Our VK-Dynamics control system incorporates all our experience from 75 years of cooling and 40 years of automating refrigeration plants. This way we always achieve the best cooling results for the customer at the lowest energy costs."

Reduce energy consumption

In these times of extremely high energy prices, reducing energy consumption is a hot topic in all sectors. Boeijen: "We already have many tools to reduce the energy costs of refrigeration systems by switching efficiently. In addition, our VK-Energie and VK-Energie+ software modules make all energy flows transparent. This has already enabled various customers to make significant savings. This software can also be used in combination with existing installations. We are also supplying and installing more and more high-temperature heat pumps. Here we use the waste heat from cooling installations to make hot water. This can then be used again in business processes. We have also been working on heat recovery for some time, and here too developments are moving fast. For example, we used to be able to heat water to 65°C, but now it is 90°C. This contributes to a very high
energy efficiency."

Advancement opportunities and lateral entrants

Van Kempen Koudetechniek employs a total of about 120 people. It also works extensively with partners such as electrical companies, welding companies, insulation companies and panel builders. In 2020, Van Kempen Koudetechniek was acquired by Unica. Boeijen: "We still operate as a family business with our own identity. We have a close-knit workforce with people in most positions who have been with us for a long time. There are plenty of opportunities for internal growth. I myself am a good example of this. I started 32 years ago from an automotive engineering background and over the years I grew from an auxiliary mechanic to the position of sales manager." Like any company in the technical sector, Van Kempen is dealing with the tightening labor market. "We really do the utmost to bind people to us. We organize job days for people who are interested in our company and we are very active on social media. Refrigeration can also be an interesting career switch for lateral entrants such as car mechanics, electricians and other people with a technical background. They receive further training and guidance here. It really is a very interesting and challenging field!"