CoolKit takes over new factory site

CoolKit, the UK’s largest specialist in temperature-controlled van conversions, has secured new premises following a blaze that devastated one of its manufacturing units in Burnley at the beginning of July.

The company has signed an agreement for a 75,000 sq ft site eight miles away in Whitebirk, Blackburn.

As a robust recovery plan was instigated immediately following the fire – which enabled production to resume at the company’s second unit within days of the disaster – founder and chief executive Rupert Gatty put out an urgent appeal for new premises.

East Lancashire’s business community rallied to CoolKit’s support, and the company has found an ideally situated site in Thornley Avenue, off Carl Fogarty Way, Blackburn, previously the home of Kenyon Transport.

CoolKit has already started to move some production to the Blackburn site, with the plan to have the entire business relocated within the next few months.

Last year, CoolKit recorded sales orders of £20.1m – an increase of 60% on their previous year – and despite the blaze, it is still expected to report a further record period this financial year.

Rupert, who founded CoolKit in 2005, said: “We can arrange the site so that we will have from one side deliveries coming in, a stores section, the manufacturing unit, a pre-delivery inspection area and then our conversions will go straight out of the door.

All of the present workforce of 100-plus will be transferred over the next few months to the new premises.