| A Belfast plumbing and heating company
has made a major breakthrough by securing an order for its innovative
energy-saving solar device from an international manufacturer.
Willis Renewable Energy said its Solasyphon water
heating system, which was launched last year, was now to be
supplied to Apricus, which is headquartered in Connecticut.
The contract win from Apricus was announced by Tracy Meharg,
Invest NI’s managing director of innovation and capability
development, during a visit to the north Belfast company.
Willis,
which is based at Dargan Crescent in Belfast Harbour Estate,
has been assisted by Invest NI through R&D programmes
to develop Solasyphon
- and, through marketing assistance, to export Solasyphon
worldwide.
Ms Meharg said - “Willis is an excellent example of how
a long-established business focused primarily on the local
marketplace, can reinvent itself and become an international
enterprise through investment in innovation.
“This strategically important breakthrough in the US is
very timely, given the commitment of President Obama to invest
heavily in measures that will reduce substantially the nation’s
over-dependence on fossil fuels.”
Ms Meharg said that Solasyphon offered homeowners
a cost-effective means of harnessing solar energy for water
heating.
John Willis, the company’s managing director, said - “Apricus
is a great starting point for us in what is potentially a
huge market. The contract follows initial contacts which led
to an invitation to make a presentation on Solasyphon
to the company’s distributors at its sales convention in Connecticut
last November.
“Feedback from the presentation was very encouraging - the
first orders followed swiftly.”
The main selling point of Solasyphon is that it can
be fitted to existing water heaters without expensive outlay
on installing a new boiler.
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