Centro Nippon Fruehauf Cooltech Inc. (CFCI) is now studying the possible development of ref vans that can transport vaccines for COVID-19 once they become available in the country.
It is a joint venture between leading truck body builder Centro Manufacturing Corporation and Nippon Fruehauf Ltd., one of the biggest truck body builders and wing van manufacturers in Japan.
CFCI Sales Manager Vic Belisario said that they are now consulting with their Japanese partners on this.
“Studies have shown that these vaccines will have to be transported and stored in very low temperatures ranging from -20 to -80 degrees Centigrade. The studies also indicate that otherwise, these vaccines will spoil and will be ineffective. The problem is that current ref vans can only consistently maintain a storage temperature of -20 degrees Centigrade,” he said.
He explained that overland, these vaccines will have to be transported by ref vans from the airports to the cold storage facilities.
“Later on, these will be brought to either the vaccination centers or the airports for shipment to the provinces. Then in the provinces, ref vans will also be needed to move the vaccines from the airport to either the provincial cold storage facility or the vaccination centers. CFCI and our Japanese partners are thus studying what could possibly be done to help in the transport solution to the Covid 19 vaccine logistics,” he said.
CFCI is manufacturing insulated sandwich panels which will be used to assemble dry vans (without a ref system) and temperature-controlled vans or ref vans like chillers and freezers. It has started manufacturing in its new one-hectare plant at the Sterling Technopark in Carmona, Cavite this year.
“CFCI is in a very good position to possibly develop the ref vans for Covid 19 vaccine logistics due to our capability to customize ref vans to match the customers’ operations,” CFCI Production Manager Edd Nieva said. “We have now developed ref vans for Isuzu, Hino, Fuso, Foton, Hyundai and Kia. We have re-engineered our ref vans to handle the ref system of either Mit-Air, Denso, Carrier and Sanden. We have also asked them to consult with their principals on a special ref system for Covid 19 vaccines.”
CFCI has been certified by the Department of Science and Technology and registered with the Board of Investments as a pioneering enterprise.