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High‑Efficiency Heat Pump Performance
39% Energy Reduction
A CIMCO‑engineered ammonia heat pump is projected to reduce overall energy use by 39%, with a short payback of approximately four years when compared to catalog alternative using a fluorinated refrigerant.
Industrial Heat Pumps · London, Ontario
As Canada emerged from the COVID‑19 pandemic, one of the most important lessons was the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity, particularly for critical medical supplies. Global supply chain disruptions exposed the risks of relying heavily on offshore production and highlighted the importance of building a more resilient, self‑sufficient healthcare supply chain.
In response, the federal government set out to attract private‑sector partners by offering targeted incentives, long‑term procurement commitments, and strategic investment. The objective was clear: make Canada an attractive and competitive location for advanced medical manufacturing, while ensuring reliable access to critical products for Canadians.
One such partnership was formed with Manikheir Canada, a producer of medical‑grade nitrile gloves. Manikheir's challenge was to design and build a world‑class facility capable of serving the Canadian market while remaining cost‑competitive on a global scale. Achieving this required careful consideration of both capital investment and long‑term operating costs, decisions that ultimately opened the door to innovative solutions that were not only economically sound, but also environmentally responsible.
Manikheir's new 140,000‑square‑foot greenfield facility in London, Ontario is designed to produce up to one billion medical nitrile gloves annually. Supported by both federal and provincial investment, the project represents a coordinated effort to strengthen Canada’s preparedness, manufacturing resilience, and long-term economic impact.
With a focus on reliable production, energy efficiency, and long‑term operating performance, Manikheir worked with its consultant, LaPorte, and CIMCO Refrigeration to implement a custom ammonia heat pump solution. Based on energy modeling, the system is projected to reduce annual electricity consumption by approximately 1.6 million kWh, a 39% reduction compared to a conventional fluorinated‑refrigerant system, delivering meaningful operating cost savings while supporting high‑volume production and a short payback period of approximately four years.
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Strengthening Canada's PPE Supply Chain
During the pandemic, nitrile gloves were among the most difficult products to source, highlighting the risks associated with overseas dependence. In response, both levels of government moved to support domestic manufacturing, enabling the development of this project.
For Medicom, as the parent company of Manikheir Canada, establishing production in Canada also aligned closely with the company's longstanding mission.
"Medicom was founded 35 years ago to meet a need for medical gloves at the height of the HIV crisis. Today, we're taking a major step towards producing our own gloves, right here in Canada. Green, ethical, innovative gloves. Canadian gloves."
Guillaume Laverdure, CEO, Medicom
Source: Government of Canada — Manikheir Canada Inc. Investment
Evaluating the Right Thermal Strategy for High‑Volume Production
For Manikheir, production reliability was a core consideration from the outset. The thermal system needed to support continuous, high‑volume manufacturing with minimal risk of downtime, supported by robust equipment and serviceable components designed for long‑term operation. Manikheir's consulting engineer, LaPorte, evaluated several standard heat pump options commonly used in industrial applications.
After assessing the facility's operating profile including uptime requirements, temperature demands, energy performance expectations, and long‑term operating costs, the project team determined that a customized ammonia heat pump would better align with Manikheir's needs than off‑the‑shelf alternatives.
Rather than adapting the manufacturing process to standard equipment, the project team aligned early around the need for a system engineered specifically to the process.
Drawing on CIMCO's expertise in industrial heat pumps, natural refrigerants, and customized thermal systems, LaPorte and Manikheir worked collaboratively with CIMCO to develop a practical, buildable solution that met the facility's operational goals.
Partnering on a Custom‑Engineered Ammonia Heat Pump
From the outset, the focus was on ensuring the thermal system would support continuous, high‑volume glove manufacturing while delivering long‑term efficiency and reliability.
Medical nitrile glove manufacturing is both cooling‑intensive and heat‑intensive, often at the same time. Different stages of the process require low‑temperature cooling for precise process control, alongside high‑temperature heating for curing and drying. Rather than treating these as separate utilities, the project team identified an opportunity to address both needs through a single, integrated thermal system.
A custom ammonia heat pump made it possible to recover heat from cooling processes and reuse it where heating was required, improving overall efficiency while supporting uninterrupted production. To meet these simultaneous thermal demands, the system also needed to operate reliably across a wide range of temperatures.
The custom ammonia heat pump designed for the facility provides approximately 300 TR of cooling capacity, equivalent to about 1 MW of cooling, while simultaneously delivering up to 1.25 MW of usable heating. This capability allows a single system to efficiently serve multiple process requirements at once, reducing the need for separate heating and cooling equipment.
Ammonia was well‑suited to this application due to its wide operating temperature range, which enables deep cooling and high‑grade heat recovery at the same time. In addition, ammonia has zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP 0) and zero Global Warming Potential (GWP 0) and carries virtually no risk of future regulatory phase‑out, unlike many synthetic refrigerants. These characteristics aligned well with Manikheir's operational profile and long‑term facility strategy, particularly as manufacturers increasingly look to improve energy efficiency and future‑proof critical thermal infrastructure.
By approaching heating and cooling as an integrated thermal system, the project team was able to turn unavoidable process heat into a valuable resource.
Redundancy and Continuous Operation
Key features of the system include a two-compressor configuration from MYCOM, selected for their proven performance in industrial ammonia applications. This setup allows one compressor to be serviced while maintaining 50% system capacity, an important consideration for continuous manufacturing operations that supports both reliability and efficiency objectives.
Optimized Part‑Load Performance
A variable‑frequency drive on one compressor improves part‑load efficiency and reduces energy consumption during periods of reduced demand. In addition, the system was right‑sized to the facility's specific operating temperatures, avoiding the inefficiencies associated with equipment designed for broader temperature ranges than required.
This collaborative engineering approach allowed the system architecture to be optimized for the facility's actual operating needs while delivering reliability, efficiency, and long‑term performance without being constrained by standard catalog designs.
Projected Energy Performance
Energy modeling played a key role in evaluating the solution, with both performance and long‑term operating economics considered alongside reliability. To quantify expected energy savings, CIMCO compared the proposed ammonia heat pump with a fluorinated refrigerant system installed at a comparable European manufacturing facility.
Based on this analysis, the ammonia system is projected to reduce annual electricity consumption by 1,589,605 kWh, representing a 39% reduction. This translates to approximately $254,337 in annual electricity savings, contributing to lower operating costs and a simple payback period of approximately four years.
Beyond cost savings, the use of a natural refrigerant supports reduced environmental impact and aligns with broader industry trends toward energy efficiency and lower‑carbon thermal systems.
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Manikheir set out to build a facility that was reliable, efficient, and economically sound. The ammonia heat pump brought all of that together with strong performance, fast payback, and meaningful energy reduction, while also supporting their longer‑term decarbonization direction. It was very much a case of achieving the core objectives and getting the environmental benefits at the same time.
Bashar Naser, Manager of Decarbonization, CIMCO Refrigeration
Why Medicom Partnered with CIMCO
Several factors influenced Medicom's decision to partner with CIMCO, reflecting the project's emphasis on reliability, technical rigor, and long‑term operational value.
CIMCO's custom heat pump package was built in Canada, supporting domestic industry while aligning with the project's broader objectives around resilience and local manufacturing.
CIMCO brought deep experience in industrial ammonia systems, heat pumps, thermal energy, and custom package engineering — expertise critical to a high‑volume manufacturing environment.
CIMCO's London office, located just 10 km from the facility, includes 26 ammonia refrigeration technicians, providing confidence in long‑term service, response, and support.
The system was designed using industrial‑grade, maintainable components with readily available spare parts, supporting uptime, repairability, and lifecycle efficiency.
These factors supported a solution designed for operational continuity and lifecycle value, reinforcing Medicom's confidence in the system's long‑term performance.
Delivering the Mechanical Backbone of the Facility
In addition to the heat pump, CIMCO delivered the facility's mechanical systems, working through multiple design iterations with Medicom to align building infrastructure with production requirements and long‑term operations.
The scope included
- HVAC systems for office, laboratory, and warehouse spaces
- Plumbing systems (sanitary, storm, domestic water, natural gas)
- A stainless‑steel welded underground process sanitary system
- Ventilation and sheet‑metal systems
- Controls integration with the plant‑wide SCADA system
This integrated mechanical approach ensured the facility was configured to support efficient production from day one, while maintaining flexibility to accommodate future operational needs.
A Coordinated Effort with a Shared Objective
The Manikheir project reflects a coordinated effort across industry, engineering, and government, with each partner contributing specific expertise and support toward a common goal.
Manikheir and Medicom
Established a clear mandate to strengthen domestic PPE manufacturing capability and reduce reliance on global supply chains for critical products.
LaPorte
As the consulting engineer, evaluated long‑term operational requirements and identified the most appropriate thermal strategy to support high‑volume, continuous production.
CIMCO Refrigeration
Partnered on the engineering and delivery of a custom, high‑performance solution, bringing expertise in industrial heat pumps, natural refrigerants, and integrated thermal systems.
Federal and Provincial Governments
Supported the investment to enhance Canada's manufacturing resilience and strengthen the domestic PPE supply chain.
Together, these contributions resulted in a facility designed to support reliable healthcare supply, operational efficiency, and long‑term value within Canada's manufacturing landscape.