In this exclusive op-ed for The Manufacturer, Sunswap’s Mark bryant looks at why the road to sustainable transport requires manufacturing excellence… British manufacturing excellence at that.
The transition to sustainable transport requires more than just breakthrough technology—it needs manufacturing to support it. It is even better when that manufacturing is done in the UK, supporting local jobs and growth.
As Chairman of Sunswap, a British company developing zero-emission refrigeration technology for transport, I have watched our journey from a promising startup towards industrial manufacturing. This transition has reinforced my conviction that British engineering and manufacturing remain world-class.
Sunswap’s technology replaces diesel-powered refrigeration units on delivery vehicles with a cleaner alternative powered by batteries and solar energy – essential for moving temperature-sensitive goods like food and medicine without harmful emissions. While the applications may be specialised, the manufacturing challenges we’ve overcome are universal.
Having spent three decades overseeing manufacturing facilities across aerospace, automotive and medical devices, what Sunswap has established in a short period is top quartile.
Related reading: Sunswap opens new manufacturing facility at Surrey HQ
Sunswap is a young company but the approach we have taken has already got results. Recently named Innovation of the Year at the Made in Britain Impact Awards, the pace has not slowed and the production team are well on track to fulfil orders for major retailers and logistics providers in the upcoming months.
Critical to this progress has been Sunswap’s decision to establish a dedicated manufacturing facility in Surrey. This was a challenging process—bringing production in-house, hiring the right team, retaining the culture that accelerated Sunswap’s growth, and delivering quality products safely.
Sunswap have embraced this exciting opportunity to establish a new manufacturing facility with the right culture and embedding good practice, H&S, quality and continuous improvement in everything they do. They have applied the appropriate lean manufacturing tools from value stream mapping for optimal layout and workflow to visual management and 5S; ensuring clean, clear, focussed work stations.
The results speak for themselves. Sunswap now operates full in-house manufacturing, which have already doubled in size this January. The production facility now spans a manufacturing line and an on-site R&D facility. We have built a highly skilled and dedicated team, most of whom have years of experience in the high value manufacturing sector, including automotive and aerospace. Since November 2024, Sunswap have been continuously delivering units to customers.
This foundation will ensure that Sunswap optimally scales its manufacturing, whilst at all times ensuring they deliver the highest quality product to their customers. This matters because decarbonising transport requires both technological advancement and manufacturing maturity. The challenge isn’t just developing cleaner solutions but producing them consistently at an industrial scale. Britain’s manufacturing heritage, combined with its engineering talent, positions us perfectly to capitalise on this.
The road to sustainable transport requires manufacturing excellence. British manufacturers should be playing a role to accelerate the transition to cleaner technology. At Sunswap, we’re proving this is possible – one production milestone at a time.
About the author
Mark Bryant joined Sunswap as Chairman in 2024, bringing over 40years of experience in global manufacturing and technology. His career spans leadership roles at GE, BGF, Druck Holdings Plc and M&H Plastics. Mark’s expertise in scaling innovative solutions and navigating international markets aligns with Sunswap’s growth plans. His strategic insights are instrumental in expanding Sunswap’s production capabilities to meet global demand for sustainable transport refrigeration.
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