Japan Makers Focus On Ultra - Low Temp Freezers


Japan makers focus on ultra-low temp freezers

Japanese manufacturers are stepping up production of ultra-low temperature freezers to store COVID-19 vaccines.

A freezer by leading medical equipment company PHC Holdings chills its contents to minus 80 degrees Celsius.

It has been designed to store the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which must be kept at around minus 75 degrees Celsius.

PHC says it controls the world's second largest market share for such freezers, and is fielding orders from home and abroad.

The firm plans to double its output from next month by running its factory around-the-clock.

Home appliance manufacturer Twinbird has raised production capacity of its freezer by ten-fold. It can store items at up to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

The Twindbird freezer is intended for the vaccine developed by US firm Moderna, which requires storage at around minus 20 degrees Celsius.

The companies are moving as health authorities in Japan prepare their vaccination program, which is expected to begin late next month.