Medical refrigeration specialists, CoolMed, are celebrating a significant increase in orders for their medical fridges and freezers from the NHS after completing their latest delivery of more than 100 laboratory freezers. Procured by NHS Shared Business Services, the delivery takes CoolMed’s health service orders this year to well over 1000.
Managing Director Stephen Johnson said:
“We’ve seen a jump in orders from across the NHS for both fridges and freezers. There have been dozens of orders coming in. Without doubt, some of that increase is the result of extra demand for the COVID-19 response including the storage requirements for vaccines, most of which need to be kept at very low temperatures.”
The business behind CoolMed has been manufacturing high tech medical refrigeration products since 2000, but only launched its own CoolMed brand in 2018.
“We have seen significant growth in direct purchases during the pandemic. Part of the challenge for the NHS is keeping vaccines at low temperatures throughout their distribution chain from central stocks to the network of vaccination centres.”
CoolMed believes that all areas of the NHS are seeing their refrigeration needs rise including at GP surgeries.
“Nobody knows what additional capacity is needed within the NHS, but the indications are that more community-based vaccination programmes and the continued need for ‘flu and coronavirus jabs will drive demand in the next year.”
Based at Trafford Park in Greater Manchester, CoolMed has recently moved premises to accommodate growing demand with 14,000 square feet of warehousing to help ensure it maintains a fast and responsive operation.
