As the COVID-19 vaccine being rolled out across India and globally, Godrej Appliances has expanded its range of medical refrigerators with the launch of ultra-low temperature freezers.

The company said the advanced medical freezers can preserve medical supplies including critical vaccines below -80°C and are aimed at boosting the medical cold chain in India and across the globe. Vaccines run the risk of damage if they are subjected to fluctuations beyond their specified temperature band.

The newly launched ultra-low temperature freezers are particularly suited to mRNA-based vaccines being deployed in other countries currently. Godrej's new freezers, the company claims, can store vaccines in up to -86°C.

Also read:

China grants conditional approval to second COVID-19 vaccine

Nyrika Holkar, executive director, Godrej & Boyce told CNBC-TV18 that while the company anticipates a huge opportunity and demand globally for the ultra-low temperature freezers, within India, there is potential use for the product in organ preservation, diagnostic labs, blood banks, etc.

According to Kamal Nandi, business head for Godrej Appliances, the ultra-low temperature freezers are currently ready for immediate use globally. Godrej is mainly looking at exporting these to Europe and Africa, and will also look to offer the products to UNICEF.

Nandi said the company's current capacity for the ultra-low temperature freezers is 12,000 units per annum, which it is working towards ramping up to 30,000 units per annum, to meet the growing global demand.

Also read: Vaccination drive: Godrej expects 40% uptick in medical refrigerator revenues in FY21

"The operating principle for the Godrej ultra low temperature freezer is a cascading system having a PHE (Plate heat exchanger) as a heat exchanger between the primary and the secondary system. This lowers the standing pressure of the secondary system leading to lowering of temperature," Godrej said in a statement.

Godrej Appliances has already deployed vaccine refrigerators to store the Covaxin and CoviShield vaccines being administered in India, as part of the national tender it received in October 2020. Medical freezers which maintain -20°C are also being deployed for diluents and ice packs needed for the last mile delivery in the Covid vaccination drive.

While the ultra-low temperature freezers are priced between Rs 5 -7 lakh depending on the complexity of the product, its medical refrigerators are priced at Rs 1.5-2 lakh and are being manufactured in the company’s plants at Shirwal and Mohali.

Also read: COVID-19 vaccinations in India – Approvals, disapprovals and uncertainties

Godrej expects the medical refrigerators business to be the fastest growing segment for the company going forward. While it currently contributes 5 percent to the revenue to Godrej appliances, Nandi expects the business to grow 30-40 percent year-on-year and contribute 7 percent to revenues in FY22 and 9-10 percent in 2-3 years.

Godrej is also planning to roll out mobile clinics in a big to cater to vaccination in the hinterlands of the country. The idea is to have ambulances fitted with medical refrigerators that can run on solar power, or even without power and yet maintain the required temperatures. It ran a pilot in Maharashtra and plans to roll out mobile clinics when the government picks up the immunization program in rural areas.

(Edited by : Jomy)