A leading supplier of food-safe panelling systems and coldstores, HBCL Coldstores supplies full-package hygienic and temperture-controlled environment solutions to the food manufacturing, storage and distri bution industries, plus other specialist end-users. Managing Director Craig Lovett discussed the company’s efforts to improve sustainability and its commitment to customer satisfaction. Report by Imogen Ward and Antonia Cole.
Established 22 years ago, HBCL C oldstores has grown and developed through years of experience and working in diverse settings. As specialists in design, manufacture and installation, the company is able to deliver effective solutions to satisfy a range of client needs.
Through the provision of chiller and freezer coldstores, food processing facilities, temperature-controlled environments, firewall systems and partitioning, HBCL Coldstores has developed an expansive and varied customer-base including leading retailing groups, food processors and manufacturers, plus pharmaceutical and construction clients. The company currently has a contract supplying coldstores to new ALDI stores across the north of England.
Operating from a 20,000ft2 factory and storage facility in Bradford, West Yorkshire , the company has a fleet of vehicles and an experienced team of directly employed fitters, which enables it to efficiently deliver service.
HBCL has a subsidiary company, RCL Doors, operating from a 10,000ft2 factory. RCL make bespoke hinged and sliding coldroom doors, hygienic insulated personnel doors, and all types of freezer doors. RCL also provides a range of high-speed doors. RCL is a huge asset in helping HBCL by manufacturing doors as often work is scheduled at short notice, so RCL allows for flexible timescales.
“We’ve been taking on increasingly larger projects as the company has grown,” said Managing Director Craig Lovett. “Our ability to understand our clients’ needs means that we are able to adapt our services to fit each individual project. We learn how our clients operate and are flexible in our operations to suit their practices.
“Having this concern for our clients allows us to build stronger relationships and deliver greater results. We see the importance of listening to our clients and enjoy providing a service that really benefits their operation.”
Freezing waste production
A client that HBCL Coldstores has worked and built a relationship with is FareShare UK, the largest food redistribution charity in the UK. FareShare works with leading retailers and manufacturers to enable the collection, storage and distribution of food to Community Food Members.
In partnership with ASDA, FareShare has been working on the Fight Hunger Create Change campaign, which redistributes
good quality surplus food to disadvantaged communities facing food poverty. Through school breakfast clubs, elderly lunch clubs, homeless shelters and community cafés, food that would have otherwise been wasted is able to reach people who need it.
HBCL Coldstores has supported FareShare’s mission by installing freezers and cold rooms, as well as using refurbished panels, doors and ancillary items at a reduced margin. The cold rooms have been designed specifically for the facility, meaning foods can be stored and distributed more efficiently, whilst also limiting energy consumption.
“Every week, FareShare provides almost a million meals for vulnerable people, so it’s really great to be able to support a charity doing such impactful work,” explained Mr Lovett. “We’re always looking for ways that we can save them money and help expand their operation.”
As well as supporting UK charities, HBCL Coldstores is dedicated to decreasing its carbon footprint. In the last few years, it has incorporated electric vehicles into the fleet. To further reduce environmental impact, the company uses British-made materials, meaning that fewer carbon emissions and other pollutants are pro duced through the transportation of goods.
One of HBCL Coldstores’ UK suppliers is Hemsec Manufacturing, which manufactures insulated panels. Hemsec’s products meet CE standards and have advanced insulative properties that support end-users in operating more sustainably. By utilising effective insulation, less energy is required to maintain set temperatures, and thus fewer harmful emissions are produced.
The company is also actively working to reduce waste on projects and at its facility. I f there are surplus materials such as panels or doors on a project, then HBCL Coldstores will reuse them on a different job instead of disposing of them.
Defrosting development
With an experienced and professional team, HBCL Coldstores offers clients knowledgeable design and installation recommendations. After taking into consideration client requirements, the company’s in-house CAD designers produce detailed drawings for client approval, taking into account functionality and efficiency, plus health and safety.
Currently, HBCL Coldstores provides in-house and external training to its team, to ensure that elevated levels of quality are met throughout the company. This involves the continuous development of employees and supporting trainees working on site.
“We are always monitoring quality and training levels within the company,” said Mr Lovett. “By enforcing open communication between the installation team and
contract managers, we are able to create effective plans for staff development.”
The company is currently advocating for NVQ qualifications to be reinstated within the industry as a form of external training. As a member of the Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA), HBCL Coldstores is working with others in the industry to achieve this goal.
“I’m hopeful that CEBA will be successful in making this NVQ available again,” explained Mr Lovett. “Better access to training will benefit the whole industry and will help workers to develop their skills with the necessary support.”
Keeping it cool
As well as working within the industry to improve training opportunities, HBCL Coldstores is always aiming to develop relationships with partners and suppliers.
The industry innovations of suppliers allow HBCL Coldstores to advance its own services and are essential to the success and evolution of the company.
Working with suppliers like Fermod UK, a leading supplier of door furniture, is beneficial as it shares the same value for premium-quality products and services. By integrating high standards throughout the supply chain, HBCL Coldstores can be confident in the services it is providing.
“Our relationships with Hemsec and Fermod UK have lasted over 40 years,” said Mr Lovett. “My late father worked for Hemsec, so some of my connections there have been lifelong, and we are proud to be one of its leading customers.
“The relationships that we have built with all our partners are so important to us. There is a sense of mutual respect where we know we can rely on them and they can rely on us too. They help us to grow, and we aim
to do the same for them. It is very rewarding to see the progress we have all made together over time.”
As HBCL Coldstores continues to develop, it wants to continue upgrading machinery in order to achieve improved efficiency, in terms of time and energy, for itself and clients. The company will also keep advancing the training measures for employees to ensure that high standards of quality and customer service are maintained.
“One of the elements that sets the company apart is the level of customer service,” concluded Mr Lovett. “We work to deliver a service that keeps clients coming back. A lot of our projects come from referrals, where people have been so impressed with us that they have recommended us to someone else. This level of customer satisfaction is something that we are striving to uphold now and into the future.” n
