ETL at Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC), 2024
Engaging with manufacturers and industry professionals
The Energy Technology List (ETL) team is pleased to have been able to attend the HRC event from March 25th to 27th, 2024, at ExCeL London. This premier gathering served as a hub for the UK hospitality industry, offering a glimpse into the latest innovations and trends, and an opportunity to meet the manufacturers shaping the hospitality industry in the UK.
HRC stands as a cornerstone business event for the UK hospitality sector with over 1500 suppliers and 2700+ visitors, encompassing a diverse range of suppliers spanning food and drink, professional kitchen equipment, hospitality technology, and more.
This article highlights the ETL team’s presence at HRC, featuring comments and reflections from both the ETL team and relevant manufacturers in the hospitality sector.
Reflections from the team and interviews with stakeholders
The ETL team took full advantage of their time at HRC; informing manufacturers and purchasers of the benefits of the ETL, filming interviews for our YouTube Channel, and even being interviewed by Catering Insight over the ETL’s evolution, and its significance for catering equipment manufacturers.
Junior Consultant Todd Leddy expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating, "It was great to see manufacturers demonstrating their energy performance at HRC with the ETL logo visible on several products. We also managed to engage with new refrigeration and Professional Foodservice Equipment (PFSE) manufacturers who wanted to use the ETL to back up the best-in-class claims they were making in their own advertising."
Manufacturers showcased ETL-approved products prominently, signalling a growing recognition of the scheme's importance within the industry.
Director of Strategy and Planning Desiree Collier highlighted the ETL team's proactive approach.
“It was great to be back at HRC to engage directly with industry professionals, manufacturers, and purchasers and, this time, we brought along our film crew. We talked to manufacturers on site, and had the opportunity to interview Andy Threlfall, Technical and Policy Director at the Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA). Not only did they talk about the value they gain from HRC, we also heard first-hand, what they consider are the main benefits of listing products on the ETL," she said.
Andy Threlfall said that “Listing products on the ETL conforms compliance, that they meet certain criteria for efficiency, energy performance and the standards created for the ETL scheme - essentially a bit more rigorous than what people tend to test their products to. So being on the ETL is a way of promoting that your products meet the strictest efficiency targets and specific requirements for the UK market. It provides stability for end users because everybody selling you an item will tell you theirs is the best, but [the ETL] is somewhere that the operator can go to compare equivalent machines.”
Consulting Director at ICF and Programme Director for the ETL Scheme Tom Lock noted the substantial progress made since the previous year's HRC.
"For me, it was great to witness the evolution in the adoption of ETL by manufacturers from last year’s HRC to this. At HRC 2023 we’d only recently launched Professional Foodservice on the ETL. Forward 12 months and on the eve of HRC 2024, the scheme approved its first professional dishwashers from Hobart," he remarked.
Tracy Southwell, the Managing Director for Hobart UK, had the following to say about the ETL: “For us to commit to the ETL listing was a bit of a no brainer in the first place. We're in that position of strength and it made sense for us to go that extra mile and really take that position of strength in terms of committing to the ETL listing ... The ETL, from the position of sustainability, dovetails really nicely into all of our efforts to make sure that we signpost to our customers and to the general trade that Hobart and sustainability go hand in hand. Therefore, the ETL listing simply enhances that mission even further.”
Key Takeaways
The conversations at HRC highlighted a shared commitment to sustainability. Manufacturers expressed eagerness to join the ETL and leverage its platform to showcase the energy performance of their products. "Discussions were had with manufacturers actively getting products tested for the ETL, demonstrating their eagerness to join other manufacturers on the list. Additionally, it was brilliant to hear manufacturers express their desire to start applications for the new hobs and grills criteria which is still under review by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero." Todd Leddy revealed.
As the curtains closed on HRC 2024, the ETL team left with a sense of accomplishment and renewed determination. "We saw ETL approved combination steam ovens on display from Rational, with Liebherr using the ETL label directly on product to communicate to all HRC visitors their ETL approval,” remarked Tom Lock.
With the momentum gained at HRC, the ETL remains steadfast in its mission to drive sustainable practices and promote energy efficiency within the hospitality sector.
To gain further insights into the ETL's presence at HRC and hear from industry experts, including manufacturers and professionals, watch the HRC round-up video available on the ETL YouTube channel.
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If you’re a purchaser looking to find energy efficient technology, browse our list here. If you’re a manufacturer looking to register your product on the ETL, click here.
Contact us at info@etl.energysecurity.gov.uk to explore how the ETL can you get closer to a net-zero reality.