ISD to manufacture cold rooms in the UK

UK: ISD Solutions is to manufacture its modular cold rooms in the UK in a £300,000 investment to reduce outsourcing and improve efficiency.

The Gloucester-based company, which has been manufacturing insulated panels and doors for cold room storage solutions for 70 years, currently imports the cold rooms from Europe.

With the investment in machinery and personnel, ISD says it will be able to champion UK expertise and design and build the modular cold rooms at its base in Gloucester. Improvements in manufacturing quality will also lead to greater thermal accuracy and more competitive pricing, the company says.

Up to £35,000 of assistance has come from The Growth Hub, a partnership between the University of Gloucestershire and the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership. This will go towards funding a new CNC punching machine, two new CNC folders and a roll former. 

The investment will create six new jobs in manufacturing, with at least one apprentice, in the next three years as the manufacturing side of the business expands to design and build more parts internally.

The manufacturing division under the new leadership of manufacturing manager Paul Sauntson, will adopt one-piece flow methodology instead of batch production, making the division more responsive to customers and  other ISD division requirements. The company says it will make more bespoke PUR panelling to meet precise customer needs, minimising waste and speeding up the delivery process. 

Andy Moon, CEO of the P&M Group, whose major trading division is ISD Solutions said: “With new capabilities in the design department under Paul Chivers and innovative thinking by Paul Saunston in the manufacturing division we are confident that we can integrate design and manufacturing, make changes to fabrication to result in manufacturing more doors and all trims and flashings in-house.

“Our new combined expertise will allow us to adapt to last minute changes in cold store panelling, fabricate material in more intricate shapes and reduce waste to deliver improved customer service.  We expect to have a return on this investment within two years.”