The only Turkish company rising in the world patent league, Arcelik (Beko), is now breaking into new ground with new products.
With a new system called Divide & Cool (DAC) – Divisible Cooling Technology, Arcelik has managed to operate with one compressor per fridge split into seven sections around a kitchen. Through this system, some kitchen drawers are turned into deep freezers.
“We developed this brand new product after three years of research and development work. It will win through built-in kitchen products.” says Arcelik’s General Manager.
He said the “divisible refrigerator” was the brainchild of Koc Holding’s creative team. Divide & Cool (DAC)’s VCC compressor is even quieter than three compressors together, he said, and that it consumes 30 percent less power than a regular refrigerator compressor. “As every cooling section works separately, you lose minimum heat when opening the door of the fridge. As the compressor is placed outside the kitchen or even outside house, the climate and silence of the kitchen is preserved”.
He continued to explain that the new technology consisted of separate sections of various sizes all being fed by one compressor. “The cooling sections are wired up to a single outside compressor and can be installed anywhere in the kitchen separately. This type of coolers can have as many as seven sections. A drawer can be a deep freezer, or a cupboard door can be cooler. All the sections are produced with no-frost cooling technology.”
Arcelik, for the first time, produced a wine cooler as one of the sections of this new system. He said they were breaking new ground with the wine cooler and added: “The DAC has produced the one and only non-vibrating wine cooler of the world. The wine cooler with a ultraviolet-protected glass lid, an active carbon filter, a moisture filter and a rapid cooling quality provides the best conditions for wine keeping and in a way creates a personal wine cellar.”
When asked if there was alternatives form competitors producing fridges or freezers that look like drawers, –zdemir stated that, “There were other firms that turned kitchen drawers into fridges. What is different with our product is that seven separate sections run on one single compressor. However, in previous systems each cooling unit had a compressor and it took up much space.”
He said they were planning to shake hands with a couple of built-in kitchen companies and added, “In Europe, built-in kitchens are preferred the most in Germany. Therefore, we may sign an exclusivity contract with a company in Germany. The United Kingdom seems to be the second country in built-in kitchens. Italy and France follow.”
When asked if it is possible to have one or two of the seven cooling sections in other rooms instead of the kitchen, Ar§elik’s research and development director, Cemil İlhan, said that “the compressor can operate seven sections located within 24 square meters. So it is possible to have, for example, the wine cooler in another room as long as it stays within this 24-square meter field.”
“Divisible Cooling Technology’ products will range from YTL 4,500 to YTL 6,500 (£1800 to £2600), and added, “The price changes according to the preferred section combination options.”
Arcelik now hold the patent rights for their first Divisible Cooling Technology (DAC) in the world for a total of 20 years to prevent its competitors from copying the products.
