WELCOME
TO THE SECOND COLD CONTROL ENEWSLETTER
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Lee
Grant
HR Manager
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It
has been an extremely busy and successful
period for Cold Control. In order to support
our customers' needs and develop the business
further, we are constantly looking for new
ways to move Cold Control forward.
Many of our staff recently have attended
training courses to ensure we are continually
striving to provide the best customer service
possible. Our engineers have been updating
their training and have attended Mitsubishi
Electric, Bitzer, Daikin, and LG training
courses. The engineers have also renewed
their Safe Handling of Refrigerants Certificate.
We are attending this year's Homebuilding
and Renovating Show, which is on 21st -
23rd September 2007 at Excel in London,
please visit
our website to receive free tickets.
Talking about websites, we have just launched
our new Jamaican site www.coldcontroljamaica.com
and I would encourage people to visit the
site to see the latest news from our sister
company. Cold Control Jamaica has been set
up in Ocho Rios to serve the Air Conditioning
and Refrigeration needs of the North Coast
of Jamaica.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a great summer. |
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| COLD
CONTROL IS THE ANSWER |
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With
growing concerns about climate change and
electricity costs soaring, the cold storage
and distribution sector faces a challenging
future. Laurie Fisk, Cold Control’s Technical
Director discusses: The
UK’s refrigeration industry faces
major challenges. While ozone depletion
is being addressed, the battle against global
warming is ‘heating’ up. As
a big user of electrical power, the cooling
industry is in the spotlight in the drive
to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate
change. As well as the need for improved
energy performance, other environmental
issues - such as noise and material sustainability
- are driving change throughout the industry.
Continued growth in the refrigerated and
frozen food sector has provided good stimulus
for the refrigeration industry. With more
food being transported across Europe and
the UK, demand for refrigerated transport
is increasing. These trends suggest major
changes in the refrigeration market over
the next few years, in terms of technical
and product development and in terms of
market changes in cold stores.
Currently,
it's a very tough environment for the refrigeration
industry, prices have deflated over the
last five years and logistics companies
have had to be very good at cost savings
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to survive. As competitive pressure
increases, refrigeration companies
continue to hunt for new ways to streamline
operations and enhance productivity
to stay ahead of market rivals.
The
increase in demand for fresh, frozen
and chilled products has led to an
increased growth in the installation
of cold stores. This increase coupled
with the growth for rapid turnaround
of goods and JIT logistics has meant
that safely storing goods is vital
in the supply chain.
However,
keeping temperature constant in cold
stores and walk in freezers is a challenge
faced by a wide variety of manufacturers,
processors and storage specialists
in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical,
and the industrial and horticultural
industries, amongst many others.
Cold
stores operate at various temperatures
above and below freezing. Air temperatures
may be as low as -40°C. In cold
stores the chief concern is temperature
control – especially where there
are a number of door openings. The
exchange of warm air for cold air
that takes place when an entrance
to a chill or freezer store is left
unprotected can also cause food safety
problems, by affecting the temperature
of the products themselves. Installing
a system to reduce this exchange complies
with food safety best practice and
can also prolong product shelf-life,
all of which work to cut-costs.
With
energy prices soaring and no sign
of abatement, it is essential to ensure
economical energy efficiency in manufacturing
and storage. For example, in order
to maintain inside temperature remains
constant, a number of infiltration
reducing devices, such as curtain
strips and automated doors, should
be installed.
The
varied requirements of individual
companies are not something to be
overlooked. It's not always a simple
matter of replacing old with new;
in many cases it's about optimum use
of existing machinery and processes
and ensuring companies know how to
use equipment in the most energy-efficient
ways. With increased awareness, companies
are realising that they need to invest
in, and make use of, energy efficiency
and sustainability initiatives. A
very high percentage of cold stores
in the UK are now very old, it's not
uncommon to see stores that are over
30 years old. So many are facing quite
major capital investment in the near
future, however, long term, choosing
the right application can make considerable
savings.
We
have successfully completed hundreds
of commercial projects for leading
companies in food processing and packaging
and other sectors, where installing
energy efficient equipment has been
high on the agenda to combat rising
costs. Because we are independent,
we can always specify the most appropriate
equipment from all the major manufacturers,
whether it is installing the most
energy efficient system to installing
bespoke solutions.
We
have a wealth of experience and knowledge
of refrigeration plant; cold room
design and installation together with
commercial and domestic food freezing/chilling
systems and can manage the whole process
from conception to client handover.
We
can carry out a bespoke service including;
full design, installation and commissioning
package for the mechanical, electrical
and refrigeration services. Furthermore,
the full breadth of our service conforms
to current legislation, as work in
cold stores requires a risk assessment
under the
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Management of Health, Safety and Welfare
Regulations Act 1999.
Our design engineers can recommend
multiple engineering solutions including
the appropriate construction panel
specification for each individual
cold store, which will take into consideration:
strength, hygiene, thermal transfer
and aesthetics. Choosing the right
material to insulate your cold store
is also a difficult, with a wide variety
of options from rockwool to PIR rigid
urethane core panels. Identifying
which is the most cost effective,
durable and reliable material in both
the short and long term is complicated.
Lastly, there should be consideration
of the noise that cold stores create,
especially if they are located within
close proximity of residential houses.
Many manufactures are now creating
systems with whisper quiet sound using
low noise condensers so hardly any
noise is detectable.
While
the cold store market continues to
grow, even under more and more financial
burden, it is worth talking to the
experts, as there are many ways to
make your cold store even more energy
efficient, thus reducing your overheads
and ensuring your business remains
in a competitive market position. |
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| TIGHT FOR TIME? COLD CONTROL MEET STRICT DEADLINES |
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When Grovestable, a major building developer, won the project of refurbishing two floors of an office building within a strict deadline and with difficult site restrictions they did not hesitate in calling Cold Control. With a long standing working relationship established, Grovestable knew Cold Control could effectively manage the task and the restraints of the project.
This project involved the fit out of the seventh and eighth floors of a ten-storey site in Central London, providing modern, fully air conditioned offices for a new client to move into.
A project of this size would usually take
24 weeks to complete, however the new client
taking over the office space had
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already
agreed an early completion date and the project
deadline date was halved to just 12 weeks.
By developing and producing full installation
drawings, utilising their expert client liaison
skills and ensuring that the levels of engineering
staff on site were sufficient to complete
the works, Cold Control effectively managed
the project making sure the completion date
was met.
During this project Cold Control had to work
around specific site restraints as all other
floors within the ten-storey office block
were occupied and noise restraints and riser
access was limited and confined to agreed
hours. By meticulous planning of work schedules,
co-ordination of works with other contractors
and liasing with the other occupants in the
office building, Cold Control ensured there
was no disruption to the normal operations
of the building, enabling the occupants to
continue their working day as normal.
Cold Control and Grovestable are aware of
the importance of creating a comfortable and
healthy working environment to ensure the
successful performance of the working space.
With this in mind, they combined their services
to install and commission a new air conditioning
system.
This involved the supply and installation
of new chilled water fan coil units, which
were fitted with electrical heaters. Fresh
air and extract services for the floors are
provided by ventilation ductwork throughout
the floors, extended from existing risers,
served by base build air handling units located
within the roof plant rooms. The new system
ensures the optimum temperature can be maintained,
generating a pleasant working environment
for the office workers and encouraging high
productivity levels.
Cold Control also installed and commissioned
a new close control air conditioning system
in the communications room which houses the
server for both floors. Close control air
conditioning was also installed in the basement
UPS room which houses back up generators to
cover the energy requirement of the server
room in the event of power failures. The server
room is effectively the nerve centre of the
client’s operation. Cold Control ensured
that both the server room, which delivers
information and software to all networked
computers in the office, and both floors of
office space remained at the optimum working
temperature.
The project also called for Cold Control to
extend the Building Management System (BMS)
for all air conditioning controls from the
base build control system, allowing convenient
control and remote monitoring for the entire
office space. This system can be monitored
from both the maintenance department’s
main BMS computer located within the basement,
and the client’s head end computer located
on the eighth floor. Adjustments to control
settings can be made from either location.
A sprinkler system was also installed meeting
all fire and health and safety regulations,
and protecting the occupants in the event
of a fire.
Colin Harris, General Manager at Cold Control
commented: “This was a challenging project.
We undertook much of the work in half the
time that an installation of this scale would
usually take. This coupled with ensuring that
we caused minimal disruption to the operational
side of the building meant the project had
to be accurately planned and constant liaison
with the contractors was needed to guarantee
that the building was completely operational.
All in all this project was a resounding success.”
Cold Control have a wide range of experience
in designing, specifying and installing for
individual projects, whilst offering an unrivalled
after sales service and maintenance. |
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| EXPERTISE
OF COLD CONTROL |
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Cold
Control is committed to providing customers
with the
most effective system for their needs and
budget, whilst offering the benefit of Cold
Control's professional reputation
of delivering a first-rate service. We have
established partnerships with leading manufactures
and boast highly
skilled, accredited engineers providing an
unrivalled service
for clients.
As an independent accredited
installer for all major manufacturers, Cold
Control can draw on a vast range of products
to provide customers with a comprehensive
solution for all aspects of refrigeration,
air conditioning, heating and ventilation.
From domestic to corporate office buildings,
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specialised large-scale cold rooms or industrial
blast chillers, we can deliver the most appropriate
product for the required environment, taking
the stress out of specification and simplifying
the whole process.
As a recognised leading air conditioning and
refrigeration specialist with vast experience
in both the commercial and domestic markets,
Cold Control are proud of their strong partnership
with the top manufacturers in the industry
providing clients with a complete solution
to any of their air conditioning and refrigeration
needs. We are accredited members of both Daikin's
D1 partnership and Mitsubishi's A1 partnership
scheme.
As a Daikin D1 partner, we are recognised
as a professional and established business
with diverse industry experience. Our expert
installers have full design and technical
capability, and have full access to parts
and knowledge from Daikin UK for the most
up to date product applications. As
a Mitsubishi Electric partner, Cold Control
is acknowledged to achieve the high standards
of installation, commissioning and aftercare
service expected by today’s customers,
and benefit from access to a dedicated access
partner extranet site providing full technical
support to Mitsubishi partners.
Being a member of such schemes means that
not only are we recognised by leading manufacturers
but clients also benefit from extended warranty
terms and an increased back-up service.
Clients also have the peace of mind that
our engineers are among the most up to date
in the market equipped with the latest technology.
We
are a proud investor in our employees, ensuring
they are sufficiently qualified to receive
unrestricted site access, thus benefiting
both the employees and client alike. Our
employees’ accreditations include
Engineering Services Skillcards, which are
recognised as the leading industry scheme
for the registration of personnel in the
building services engineering sector. Without
this qualification builders and M&E
contractors will not allow engineers on
site, which will disrupt the progress of
the project and cause delays.
All
our engineers hold a CITB Construction Skills
certificate proving they are competent to
work with refrigerants in accordance with
the Environmental Protection Act, which
forbids the deliberate discharge of refrigerants
into the atmosphere.
Holding a CITB Safe Handling card ensures
all our engineers meet the requirements
of the Environmental Protection Act, which
states that where refrigerant from a system
is recovered a qualified engineer undertakes
the task.
Our engineers are also PASMA
(Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers
Association) trained. PASMA allows engineers
on site to erect and dismantle scaffolding
towers during the installation process.
This commitment to giving our employees
unrestricted site access, which ensures
a first rate service is delivered to our
clients and demonstrates our dedication
to providing the best service both as an
employer and a contractor.
With the ability to design, specify and
install any project from a wide range of
products, we ensure the most efficient and
cost effective solution is chosen for our
clients.
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| FRESHLY
SUPPLIED BY COLD CONTROL |
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Temperature
control is vital to ensure food safety.
Colin Harris, General Manager of Cold Control
discusses the eCube, the new, innovative
temperature measurement device.
It
is a legal requirement for all food businesses
to have a documented food safety management
system based on the principles of HACCP
(Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point).
At
the heart of this legislation are the Food
Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations,
which were introduced to try and stop any
food from growing micro-organisms or toxins
causing food poisioning and spoilage.
Food benefits from refrigeration because
the cold slows the development of bacteria.
Refrigeration thermometers inside the fridge
are used to check that it is operating at
the correct
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temperature
in order to stop any bacteria in food from
multiplying. However, more and more food
inspectors are finding high-risk foods are
being stored in fridges above the legal
maximum temperature of 8°C which is causing
food poisoning and food bacteria to grow.
This is often because proprietors are relying
on the ‘built in’ temperature
display on the outside of the fridge rather
then checking the actual temperature of
the food inside.
The
temperature of circulating air fluctuates
quicker than the food inside the fridge,
and as a result the fridge will have to
work a lot harder than necessary to maintain
the stored products at the right temperature.
This causes excessive electricity consumption
and undue wear and tear of the equipment.
Today, high energy costs consequential to
the increasing awareness of our role in
climate change and the ever-important role
of sustainability has resulted in squeezed
margins within the food industry. As a result
of these factors, ensuring temperature control
is cost-effective and energy efficient is
crucial with in the food industry.
All
food handlers need to appreciate the importance
of correct temperature checking and understand
that there is a genuine advantage to testing
the food temperature as opposed to the air
circulating. By testing the food temperature,
a more accurate reading is obtained, meaning
you can optimise your cold storage to exactly
the temperature you need. This prevents
over or under cooling, ensuring you are
using only the minimum energy required to
cool.
Historically,
temperature checks with a probe thermometer
were the best way to ensure cold food is
sufficiently cold. Thermometers have provided
a safe, accurate means of checking the temperature
of food, in fridges and freezers, but they
must be used, maintained and calibrated
correctly. This entails regulary checking
the functionality of the thermometer by
placing it in ice water, verifying a correct
reading has been taken and ensuring the
probe is cleaned, disinfected and sterilised
properly. By having to probe the food, you
must always ensure that the probe is inserted
into the middle of the food for an accurate
reading. This means that whatever food is
tested would have to be thrown away, causing
product wastage.
Many
refrigeration service engineers require
a method of achieving stabilised readings
within their cold storage units without
the problems and costs of using probe thermometers.
At
last a solution has been achieved, which
is set to take the industry by storm. eCube
is a small, self-contained device that can
be fitted into fridges and freezers. This
small plastic block filled with a special
silicon gel acts as a food simulant, giving
a simple reading of the product temperature
rather than the air temperature. The food
simulant in the eCube is designed to mimic
the food inside the fridge, giving an exact
reading of the temperature.
The
eCube has been extensively tested by independent
organisations and is specifically designed
to ensure that refrigeration keeps food
at the correct temperature, rather than
the air.
By
using the eCube, a more efficient refrigeration
cycle is maintained and the readings are
as accurate to 0.1 – 0.2°C which,
which is highly precise in terms of food
safety. This is a far more efficient system
than thermometer probes. By optimising the
food temperature, food handlers can actually
reduce the electricity needed to chill the
food without compromising the integrity
of the food. Independent tests have proved
that the eCube can save on average between
20-35 per cent of energy, however, higher
results have been achieved, especially on
freezers.
By
making the refrigeration unit more efficient,
use of the condenser will be significantly
reduced. As there are fewer starts to the
condenser, a lot less power will be used,
as just turning on the condenser uses a
considerable amount of power and produces
a lot of noise.
Once
fitted, the eCube requires no further maintenance
and has a five year guarantee. The eCube
can also have a positive effect on food
storage insurance, as reduced premiums can
be negotioated due to the increase in reliability
and life span of refrigeration equipment.
Strict
product trials have been highly successful.
The Campdene and Chorleywood Food Research
Association (CCFRA), the largest independent
food research organisation has verified
energy savings of 26 per cent and confirmed
that food safety was not compromised. Foster
Refrigeration, the UK market leader in the
manufacture of commercial refrigeration
equipment, saved approximately 16 per cent
energy by fitting an eCube. They also confirmed
that the compressor did not need to start
as much, causing less wear and tear on the
equipment.
Cold
Control, the award winning air conditioning
and refrigeration specialists have been
awarded the National Contract for the installation
of the eCube.
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Cold
Control made it possible for local girl
Petra Piers from Alton, near the companies
head quarters to fulfil her dream to win
in the World Masters Championships in Judo.
“Without
Cold Control’s sponsorship I wouldn’t
have been able to fly out to Brazil and
compete,” explains Petra, now the
proud owner of the World Masters Gold and
the Open Bronze Medals.
Petra
started Judo at school as self-defense,
when she was 14. Told by her teacher she
was ‘a natural’ she moved to
Alton to take advantage of the first class
training at Club level, and went from white
to black belt in a mere 17 months. She then
became Hampshire and Sussex champion for
two years, won the Hampshire Open –
gold medal, won the British Masters |
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Open
– gold medal and gained silver High
Wycombe Masters whilst recovering from injury.
Her continued success led her to enter the
World Masters Championships.
A
determined Petra was unsure how she could
afford to go to Brazil to fulfil her dream.
Cold Control heard about Petra’s success
and wanted to help her to realise her ambition
to win the World Masters Championship. “Cold
Control was out of this world – their
sponsorship enabled me to fly out to Brazil
and win my way to the top,” Petra
adds.
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The
defining moment that led her to win gold
medal required a high level of control:
she faced up to her rival and following
some grappling, pinned her opponent to the
floor and after holding her there for 25
seconds the winning whistle blew.
The
award winning duo both look forward to continued
success. Petra already plans to go to the
European Masters Championships in Germany
this October. Cold Control has recently
re-branded their ice-cold image, supplying
clients all over the UK with first class
products whilst ensuring the maintenance
of low carbon footprints.
Keeping
consumers cool across the country, Cold
Control is ecstatic with Petra’s hard
work, determination and guts that have led
to her success. Cold Control provides a
full turnkey service including: design,
installation, after sales service and maintenance
of refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
Mark
Grant, Managing Director of Cold Control
proudly commented, “Petra is seen
as a fantastic symbol for our company as
she embodies notions of control, professionalism
and determination, making her the best in
her field”. |
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Come
and see us at the following exhibitions:
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Homebuilding and
Renovating Show - Stand
823
21st – 23rd September 2007
Excel, London
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