The new Teco headquarters in Ravenna

We were invited to the presentation of the new headquarters of Teco in Ravenna, a world leader in aquariums chillers. We were stunned.

The event lasted two days, with one dedicated to the presentation of a new line of products of which we will speak about in another article.

They invited distributors of the Teco brand from around the world, included we of DaniReef/Reefs.com, as media partner, and we enjoyed spending time with representatives from Australia, Unites States, Italy, India, and a few other European countries. This list alone demonstrates the great resonance of this company in the world.

First: the entire place is energy self-sufficient. The roof has 65 Kw solar panels, able to completely supply the energy needs of the whole headquarters. A great move for a green company.

Presentation of Teco products and related benefits

The Aquaponic system

The importance of eco-sustainability is on display right from the entrance, were there is an aquaponic system: a complex system that combines aquaculture and hydroponic farming. Fish and plants grow inside a closed ecosystem in which good bacteria convert the fishes’ waste into food for the plants, which then keeps the water clean. This system is spectacular to see, and even more impressive if we understand how it works. Even though we prefer “proper” aquariums, this peculiar system is very intriguing…

Aquaponic system for the sustainable breed of plants and fish at the entrance of Teco

The History and the modern developements

Massimo, Teco’s director, and his staff told us the history of the company, starting from early 1988 with the very first samples of aquarium chillers, exhibited right at the entrance. Massimo underlined that the hobbyist side of the business is just 30% of the total activity of the company. Their core business, is, in fact, professional refrigeration. They regularly apply the results of the research and development of the professional chillers, as well as their professionalism and capacity, to the design of their aquarium chillers, and can even take custom requests. It is one of the things that makes Teco great, and gives it a big advantage over competitors.

The visit inside the Company

After a brief look at the offices, we arrived at the production floor, the pulsing core of the company. It houses different production lines, working together to make up to 200 units a day. They showed and described the various phases of assembly, which made us appreciate the high level of quality. The materials are professional-grade; suitable for continuative and durable use for years. For example, the titanium exchanger is corrosion proof, which guarantees great performance. The attention to detail can be seen in every weld, and in the steps it takes to create the void inside the machine before the gas is inserted. Great attention is also paid to the security measures, particularly in the area where the gas is loaded: there are a host of sensors and vacuum cleaners ready to go into action if any potentially dangerous leakages are found.

Each chiller is to be tested multiple times to be sure of their efficiency and control, and that there are no leaks or defects. They want to offer clients a very high quality product.

The gas loading phase

Then we passed through the wide warehouse, stocked with the compounds, materials, and products ready to be shipped out. We finished our visit in the research and development area, where they test new solutions and the capability of their machines.

In a very interesting the room, there was a chiller working continuously for long periods of time at a temperature over 35°c (95 F) and high humidity to verify its real behavior. We will probably never find these climatic conditions in our homes, but this level of care illustrates the real value of the company.

Teco’s warehouse

The general impression is of great order and cleanliness. Inside a recently-built area we noticed comfortable common places for the employees. That care for and appreciation of its employees gave us a good impression, especially for a company that looks to the future within a very modern industry, equipped with every advanced technical detail.

From the first samples to the last ones

The second day they organized a short visit to the major cultural attractions of Ravenna, with a bit of time dedicated to food and wine! It was well appreciated!

By participating in this event, we had the opportunity to not only visit the company, but get to know both Teco and the other guests, most of whom were interested in aquaristic hobbies like us. We shared opinions and learned about the trends of the sector all over the world.

San Vitale in Ravenna

We thank Teco for this opportunity; we had two wonderful days, we saw a lot of news (stay tuned!), we met a lot of important people that are dedicated to this hobby, including many worldwide distributors. But what amazed us the most was that such a big company in its extramodern and sustainable structure is looking after the quality of life and the safety of its employees. We could also testify to the great attention given to the products and the raw materials.

[Translated by Agnese Poggi]