COOLEX, the brand for air conditioning products of Refrigeration Industries and Storage Companies (RISCO), is on the threshold of great developments.

Already strongly placed, COOLEX is considering new initiatives that will make it a powerful player in the local and international markets at a time when the real estate industry is overseeing a major construction boom involving the building of towers and large commercial complexes.
Currently, the COOLEX product range comprises package units from 4 tonnes to 25 tonnes; duct split units from 3 tonnes to 25 tonnes; mini split units from 1.5 tonnes to 2 tonnes; water coolers and heaters from 20 gallons to 80 gallons; air handling units from 3,000 to 14,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) and air-cooled chillers from 50 tonnes to 200 tonnes.
Total production in 2005 was 17,038 units against 9,721 units in the previous year. The figure is expected to rise to 25,000 units this year.
The company has commissioned a fully automatic CNC controlled duct shop, which it considers a vital building block for the HVAC project sector. It started in mid-April 2005 and has a full capacity of 25 tonnes per day. Presently it is operating at 12 – 15 tonnes per day.
Its vision for the next few years calls for a radical overhauling of the product range with new sizes and new products to meet the changing needs of the local and regional markets.
RISCO plans to set up lines to manufacture package units ranging from 30 tonnes to 80 tonnes, air handling units of up to 20,000 cfm, air-cooled chillers of 300 tonnes and ducts of additional specifications compared to ones now made. These developments will entail an expansion process in the production area. Currently the company has 8,000 sq m of manufacturing area and another 8,000 sq m of warehousing facilities. A further expansion of 7,000 sq m in the manufacturing area is underway.
Air-cooled chillers could be one of the most significant developments in COOLEX history. As Kuwait grows vertically, and towers exceed 40 storeys, the air conditioning needs in such structures will best be met by air-cooled chillers. The company now makes these in sizes of 50, 100, 150 and 200 tonnes, but, as it envisions raising the maximum size to 300 tonnes, it is scouting for partnerships.
“We are seeking joint ventures for air-cooled chillers and looking for high-tech companies,” said Ghasssan M Al-Loughani, assistant general manager for the AC and projects sector.  Al-Loughani said such chillers entailed special specifications and there were many technical issues to take into account, compelling COOLEX to look for someone with certified approvals from famous labs or research institutes such as UL and ETL.
“The joint venture partner will have to provide us a strong platform to enable us to work independently in the future,” he added.
The company is proud of itself for making air-cooled chillers that are price competitive and is confident it will make a mark with bigger sizes.
“It is advantageous for real estate companies to construct high towers and we now see projects with structures of 40 floors or more. This makes the use of air-cooled chillers ideal,” said Al-Loughani. “They are energy-efficient, have compact size and low sound levels and vibration.” Another incentive for making the chillers is that many buildings are very old, requiring the installation of new air conditioning systems.
The company also sees the expansion of duct manufacturing as significant. It was only a year ago that COOLEX introduced the line, and is encouraged by its success and future demand.
It is the biggest duct manufacturer in Kuwait and uses high-end technology called TDF from Engel, USA. The ducts are designed to the requirements of users and conform to Smacna requirements.  They are made of galvanised iron and production is 12 tonnes daily in a factory of 2,800 sq m.  COOLEX receives GI coils from Nippon Steel, Japan, for conversion into ducts and is the biggest buyer in Kuwait of that company’s coils. After meeting its own manufacturing needs, COOLEX supplies the surplus as finished product to other companies. In fact, as much as 80 per cent of the production goes into non-RISCO jobs. The ducts made at RISCO are rectangular, but greater potential is seen in spiral-shaped ones, so the company plans to manufacture those as well.
Al-Loughani stresses that in all its manufacturing processes, COOLEX has adhered to quality material, even while most companies resorted to buying components from some Eastern markets that were cheaper but lacked the finesse and reputation of the giants in the trade. He says 90 per cent of the raw materials come from the US, with the remainder sourced in Germany, Japan and Europe. COOLEX’s main supplier for compressors is Copeland, USA, the others being Maneurop and Bristol, USA.  For motors, it looks to the US companies Emerson and AO Smith. Its fans and blowers come from LAU and expansion valves from Alco, both American firms. Its contactor requirements are met by the US company Tyco Electronics and Japan’s Osaka Shoje.
“We are a unique company with a complete in-house infrastructure of design, modification and development for our product lines,” a company statement says. “Design concepts are conceived with the customer needs in mind. The latest design and drawing tools are utilised to roll out new concepts and products within the fastest possible time.
“Designers are aided with the latest design software and Autocad and Pro Engineer tools. We have a state-of-the-art capacity-testing laboratory to test our product performances all the time. This lab is designed and approved by ETL, USA.
“RISCO design capabilities are extended to doing customised products and cater to special requirements as well.”
Quality considerations are uppermost at RISCO. A series of in-process tests are conducted including those for leaks, brazing quality, electrical items quality and reliability, performance of capacity – noise and sound, wiring quality and paint quality. The product is run tested before the serial number is embossed. The company has acquired the ISO 9001 certification and is working to gain the ISO 14001 (environmental) and OHSAS 18001 (occupational health) certificates as well as the CE  (product safety) and UL (performance) certificates.