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Passion for struggle has not dimmed ; IN THE COMPANY OF ...Peter Saunders Business angel and Sure Chill chairman [Daily Post (Liverpool, England)](Daily Post (Liverpool, England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) E NTREPRENEUR, business angel and philanthropist Peter Saunders says he does not have to struggle anymore - but his passion for business remains the same. His energy, talent and hard work saw him build snack bar firm Halo Foods in Tywyn into a multi-million pound business before selling the company in 2004. Now he has a portfolio of businesses that he has invested both time and money into. He is particularly drawn to companies with a social dimension THE QUICKFIRE FIVE 1Proudest moment? Receiving an OBE from the Queen for services to industry in Wales. 2Key qualities for entrepreneurs? Passion, determination, ability to communicate and inspire others, tenacity so that every time you get knocked down you get up stronger and even more determined. 3 Who do you most admire in business? James Dyson. 4 Worst idea you have ever been presented with? Can't tell you. If I've considered it and rejected it then it is already forgotten. I've moved on. 5 Which sectors can drive the North Wales economy? Energy (New Wylfa), technology, aerospace and telecoms, though this is more about the affect that superfast broadband will have on other sectors. in what he calls a form of 'venture philanthropy'. He said: "I have always loved the struggle, I don't need to struggle anymore but it is hard to give up. "My passion for this has not dimmed at all, I am still spinning plates." This has seen him give special attention to Sure Chill, based in Tywyn, whose revolutionary technology is helping to save lives and improve healthcare in developing countries. He added: "Sure Chill hits two boxes for me in that it is a commercial venture that can make money but can also make a difference by saving lives around the world." Sure Chill is a unique new cooling technology that doesn't need a constant power source and enables refrigerators to work without power for 10 days or more. With intermittent or erratic power, it works perfectly well and teamed with solar, it also works perfectly - making it a life-saver in poverty stricken communities around the world, where they keep vital vaccines cool before they are administered. Chief Technical Officer Ian Tansley is Sure Chill's creator after the innovator spent years working with vaccine refrigerators in the world's most inhospitable places. He was later introduced to Peter who has now invested Pounds 2m into the firm and is the Sure Chill chairman. Peter said: "My full focus is on Sure Chill in 2014, this can be a big year for the company. "We are still doing research and development and small scale manufacture at Tywyn and have around 15 staff. "That R+D will continue at the site and I hope will grow gradually over time as there is so much potential with this technology. "This year we are also licensing the technology to a company in India with the intention they will step up manufacturing. "It makes sense that when we are supplying these fridges to India that they are also manufactured there, it makes sense on cost and also the Indian Government likes to buy off Indian companies. This is an exciting step in the development of the company. "There is huge potential for the technology and that is what we are looking to develop. This could be used in developed countries as well, especially with the roll out of the smart grid (a modernised electrical grid that uses information and communications technology to gather and act on information). "The fridges could be taking power when the cost is low, saving people money and also reducing pressure on the grid." He added: "It is very hard to bring through a new technology as Dyson found. We have the support of the Bill Gates and Bill Clinton foundations and this has made a big difference. As well as receiving financial backing it has opened doors for us." Peter's first business success, Halo, started shortly after he left university, with five staff employed. After six years of growth, he received an offer for the business from Rowntree and Peter sold the business but continued to run it for the multi-national. After another six years Rowntree was itself acquired by Nestle. When Nestle threatened the Welsh business with closure, Peter stepped in and bought it back. It grew strongly under his leadership and was sold again in 2004 when it employed 500 staff in Wales. Recently manufacturing was moved from Tywyn to a central site in Newport, seeing more than 100 workers lose their jobs in Gwynedd. Peter, who was honoured with an OBE in 1995 for services to the food industry in Wales, said: "I was gutted to see manufacture close at Tywyn. "This was something I with others had built up over the years with the support and loyalty of the staff there. "The firm went from five staff to 500 and to see that all go from Tywyn was very disappointing. "I was especially disappointed for the staff there, they were a fantastic workforce and this is a big blow to . Are company manager or North Wales? to spend a little company of Contact us DPBusinessWales an area like this and it is very hard to replace those jobs. I don't think the company had that passion for the local area that we had. "The Welsh Government came under some criticism for helping fund the move but really they were left with no choice once the company decided to close at Tywyn, it was to support this or lose the jobs from Wales." His anger at the job losses highlights the passion he still has for the area. Peter has received an award from the Communities Foundation in Wales in recognition of 'commitment to and leadership of philanthropy in Wales'. '. And at a prestigious event in London he was named the UK Business Angel of the Year 2012. Locally, he is involved in projects to establish a safe off-road cycle route between Tywyn and Aberdyfi; as well as a bridge over the river Dysynni. you a owner, director in Would you like time in the BUSINESS POST? via Twitter: FULL NAME Peter Saunders, 62 EDUCATION Sale Grammar School for Boys, Glamorgan Polytechnic as sponsored student of British Petroleum (BP). BSc in chemical engineering FAMILY Three sons, three daughters-in-law and four grandchildren. CAREER Started Halo Foods and built it into a multi-million pound company. Now a business angel. THE CV f? Are you a company owner, manager or director in Wales? Would you like spend a little time in the company of Business Post? 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