DEXT founder Neil Bracewell was working on HVAC installations in the construction of new restaurants when a client mentioned an ongoing problem in their open kitchen restaurants. They were struggling with damage to the décor behind their main cooking appliance due to the high temperatures.

Most existing restaurants had simple heat deflector panels installed to mitigate this issue.
Conversationally, Neil proposed the installation of a pillow plate heat exchanger (PPHE) in the form of a splashback which would recover heat for use elsewhere. 
It just so happened that Neil’s suggestion was heard by a member high level management, who created the opportunity for him to build the solution and prove it worked.

Neil has a ‘knack’ for bringing together the right team for any project, and he went on to recruit a talented group of like-minded people to work towards this heat recovery goal. Neil built the first prototype in a small farm workshop near his house, and then sought further resources to help refine the product.