ACR Journal

April | May 2020 AIR CONDITIONING 22 Installer says flexibility and company culture are at the heart of its four-decade journey. Life begins at 40 for Coolair Volume 6 No.3 For a company celebrating its 40th anniversary, Coolair Equipment shows no sign of resting on its laurels and says this is the year in which it plans to cement its position as the country’s leading air conditioning installer and aftercare specialist. As well as recently revealing a re- brand of the entire vehicle fleet, Coolair Equipment will embark on a series of high- profile events in 2020, including parachute jumps and tropical bike treks to celebrate the landmark. But the company says it is the culture of nurturing talent, embracing technology and empowering employees which has seen it through to its fifth decade. Originally established in a terrace house in east Manchester, the nationwide firm now operates out of three oces: its southern base in Maidstone, Kent; a Midlands oce in Cannock and Coolair House, its headquarters in Dukinfield, Manchester. ‘Cosy Coolair’ Managing Director John Otterson, who joined the company in 1984, is the longest- serving current member of sta. He said: “The air conditioning industry today, compared to the one Coolair entered back in 1980, is unrecognisable. “Back then it was big, chunky chillers. However, our business model means we can adapt, change and grow with the industry. We were the first company to install a VRV system in the UK and now our focus is on installing increasingly sustainable air conditioning units.” To say Coolair’s client base is diverse would be an understatement. The company has worked on projects for football stadiums, including Old Traord and Wembley, as well as corporate projects, such as HSBC’s 210,000 sq ft HQ in Birmingham. But more than 65% of its jobs are for small and medium-sized businesses, with contracts worth less than £10,000. For Otterson, it is this flexibility that has secured the business’ long-term future. He said: “We don’t like to put all our eggs into one basket. We like to take on lots of smaller jobs, there is no long-term financial risk and this allows us to take on bigger projects.” Also key to Coolair’s success is its culture, known in-house as ‘Cosy Coolair’. The firm actively recruits young, ambitious college leavers with plenty of potential, and invests in on-the- job training, pairing them with a more experienced member of the team who guides them through every aspect of their job. It’s a process that can take years but is pays dividends, quite literally. Regional Director Neil Gibbard said: “Coolair’s culture is all about bringing sta through from a young age and growing them all the way through to potential shareholders and directors. “As directors exit the business, their shares are bought back by the company and re-allocated at nil cost to successful Neil Gibbard and Helen Sharratt celebrate the 40th anniversary of Coolair Equipment Coolair memories, including the first office, bottom left, and the first page from the original order book, below