Sunswap expands UK manufacturing facility to meet demand for low carbon road transport cold chain

Award-winning British manufacturer of solar and battery-powered refrigeration expands production following commercial success

Leatherhead, UK 21 January 2025 – Sunswap, a British engineering company developing zero-emission cold chain solutions, today announced the expansion of its manufacturing capability with a new facility at its headquarters in Leatherhead, Surrey. The facility will produce Sunswap’s Endurance transport refrigeration units (TRUs) for UK and European customers.

The investment in UK manufacturing capabilities follows growing demand from major retailers and logistics companies, including recent agreements with global logistics providers and leasing firms such as DFDS and TIP, as well as British-based manufacturers Samworth Brothers, Staples Vegetables and Cranswick. While Sunswap had initially partnered with third-party manufacturers, the rapid growth in orders and successful £17.3m Series B funding has enabled accelerated development of in-house production.

The Leatherhead facility gives Sunswap complete oversight of production quality and assembly processes. Co-location with the engineering team enables rapid implementation of product improvements and swift response to customer feedback. The expanded facility will create 75 manufacturing jobs in Surrey.

Additionally, as Sunswap expands into Europe the business will have the flexibility to scale up production to meet new demand. The facility has been designed with capacity to scale up production as European expansion continues.

“Building our own manufacturing facility has always been core to Sunswap’s plans,” said Michael Lowe, CEO of Sunswap. “The recent fundraising success and growing customer interest in Endurance has accelerated our timeline. We’re proud to invest in British manufacturing and engineering talent as we scale up production of zero-emission transport refrigeration technology.”

Helen Maguire MP visited Sunswap’s newly opened facility in her constituency of Epsom and Ewell, joined by the leadership team from Sunswap’s investors at the Clean Growth Fund and Barclays organised by the BCVA (British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association).

Upon viewing the facility commented, Sunswap is a great example of how investment in innovative technologies is driving progress towards net zero. This key area of investment is creating jobs and supporting the transition to a greener economy. I’m delighted to have a local company here in Leatherhead showing the very best of British engineering and manufacturing.’

Each Endurance unit combines battery storage with roof-mounted solar panels that can provide up to 100% of the energy needed for refrigeration on certain chilled operations. The system enables logistics fleets to reduce CO2 emissions by 120 tonnes over a 10-year period while cutting operating costs by up to 81% compared to diesel units.

Each Endurance unit enables haulage and logistics fleets to reduce circa 120 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) over the average 10-year lifespan of a TRU, while saving operators up to 81% of costs using traditional diesel solutions.

About Sunswap

Sunswap is a UK cleantech company with a mission to decarbonise the global cold chain. Founded in 2020, Sunswap developed Endurance, the first purpose-built electric transport refrigeration unit powered by batteries and solar energy. Backed by investors including BGF, Barclays and Shell Ventures, Sunswap combines expertise from automotive and aerospace sectors to create sustainable logistics solution.

For more information, visit www.sunswap.co.uk