Carrier Refrigeration

For more than three decades, Germany's family-operated Braun Container Trading GmbH has built a legacy of reliability, flexibility and outstanding service in container trading, rental and conversions. Add to that a growing reputation for environmental stewardship. As part of its commitment to the environment, the company invested in rooftop solar panels for its Hamburg operations facility back in 2009, enabling it to generate clean electricity while reducing its dependence on carbon-emitting commercial power sources. Two years later, the business added its own pellet-based heat and power plant to its headquarters office to advance the conservation of energy resources. "We are an Umweltpartner, an environmental partner of Hamburg, and we are QuB-certified, which is an eco-certification system for small and mid-sized companies," says managing director Hinnerk Braun, who, with his brother Hannes, took the reins of the company from their father, founder Uwe Braun, in 2014. "Among our targets is to implement at least one improvement regarding environmental protection each year." To that end, Braun Container recently introduced the world's first and only natural refrigerant-based container refrigeration system to its container inventory – Carrier Transicold's NaturaLINE ® unit. High Performance, Low Environmental Impact The high-performing NaturaLINE unit uses carbon dioxide (CO2) for its refrigerant. With a global warming potential (GWP) of 1, CO 2 has the lowest GWP of any refrigerant currently used in container refrigeration – lower by factors ranging from 1,400 to nearly 4,000. The NaturaLINE unit is also designed to achieve a high level of energy efficiency. Additionally, CO 2 is not subject to regulatory phasedowns that are already affecting synthetic refrigerants in land-based applications throughout Europe. Combined, these factors appeal to Braun's customers, who must achieve their own sustainability goals within the parameters of Europe's stringent F-gas regulations. "The CO 2 refrigerant is the most environmentally responsible available," says Braun. "Many of our customers are certified according to the ISO 14001 environmental management standard or other environmental programs. We believe we can help them achieve their environmental targets with this unique new system." More than Refrigerated Boxes Braun Container's portfolio includes both refrigerated and dry containers, but when the company was founded in 1983, the leasing of used refrigerated containers to shipping companies was its core business. Today the company offers 40-foot high-cube refrigerated containers as well as 10- and 20-foot containers in standard and premium configurations. It serves customers throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland through 40 depots. Braun technicians received training from Carrier Transicold's service engineering team on the new units, which were installed on 20-foot premium boxes, a size frequently rented for cold storage of food and beverages at specialty events such as rock concerts or sports tournaments. Stationary refrigerated containers are also used by supermarkets, food distribution centers, pharmaceutical companies and other industries for temporary expansion of cold storage. With that in mind, Braun anticipates expanding NaturaLINE offerings to the 40-and 10- foot sizes, eventually covering the full range of applications. For now, Braun's first NaturaLINE units are a solid step forward in helping it achieve its own environmental initiatives. "It helps a lot," says Braun. "We are getting a much greener image, and the NaturaLINE units put us another step closer to achieving our target of being a green leader in our segment." w NaturaLINE ® Units Helping Braun Go Green NaturaLINE ® | ContainerLINE March 2017 Braun Container managing directors Hinnerk Braun, left, and Hannes Braun, second from right, with reefer service manager Dennis Jepp, right, and Carrier Transicold's Shaun Bretherton, regional service manager, second from left following a NaturaLINE unit training session. 9

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