A Machynlleth company developing solar-powered vaccine refrigerators for some of the world's most remote communities has won a major business award after recording international sales exceeding £7 million.

Dulas, which has its headquarters in the Dyfi Valley, received the Judges' Special Award at the Powys Business Awards on 30 October. The employee-owned company was also runner-up in the International Trade category, recognising its growing role in delivering renewable energy and medical refrigeration technology overseas.

The recognition comes as new figures published by Business Wales on 5 November reveal that Dulas exceeded £7 million in international sales during 2025.

Exports now account for approximately 60 percent of its trade, with the company's products and services reaching more than 80 countries across Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.

Dulas has also secured deals worth more than £2.5 million in West Africa, strengthening its presence in a region where reliable vaccine storage can be particularly challenging.

Its solar-powered refrigerators are designed to keep vaccines at appropriate temperatures in locations with limited or unreliable electricity supplies. The technology uses solar energy during daylight hours and specialist materials that store cooling capacity, helping maintain safe refrigeration temperatures overnight and during cloudy weather. Unlike conventional refrigeration systems, certain Dulas models do not require batteries to maintain cooling. The phase-change material absorbs heat as it melts, allowing the fridge to maintain its specified temperature range after sunset. This eliminates expensive battery maintenance and simplifies operation in remote clinics.

The refrigerators are designed for use by health organisations delivering immunisation programmes to isolated communities, where access to dependable medical infrastructure can be limited.

Models developed by the company have received World Health Organisation prequalification, demonstrating that they meet internationally recognised requirements for vaccine storage equipment.

Despite its global operations, Dulas has maintained strong roots in mid Wales. The company was founded in 1982 by engineers working at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) near Machynlleth, becoming an independent employee-owned business in 1988.

More than four decades later, it employs over 60 permanent staff at its mid Wales base, supporting skilled employment in engineering, manufacturing and renewable energy.

Alongside medical refrigeration, Dulas works across the wider renewable energy sector, providing technologies and services designed to help communities and organisations reduce their reliance on conventional energy sources.

The company has received Welsh Government support for research, development and international trade, including assistance with expanding into overseas markets.

Catherine McLennan, commercial lead at Dulas, said: "The support and advice from the Welsh Government has been instrumental to our exporting success."

Exporting medical equipment to remote destinations presents substantial logistical challenges, with deliveries sometimes involving several forms of transport before products reach their final destination.

The recent business award recognises a company whose products have developed from a small mid Wales renewable energy initiative into technology used by healthcare providers worldwide.

Its latest trading figures highlight the international reach of a business operating from rural Powys, while maintaining its longstanding connections with Machynlleth and the region's renewable energy industry.