ACR Journal

December 2022 | January 2023 In 2022, Thermofrost Cryo Ltd has celebrated 50 years since it started trading from a small o ce above an Indian restaurant near London Bridge. Since then, the company has grown to become a leading refrigeration and air conditioning distributor in the UK market, o ering a wide range of products to the trade. The company was formed in 1972 by Bob Fawkes and Bengt Lindgren as United Termofrost Ltd with just two employees - Andrew Barwick, who ultimately became the first managing director, and a secretary. Initially, the company specialised in hermetic compressors and Necchi was the first manufacturer to be taken on board, quickly followed by Maneurop products. Consistent growth resulted in a move which took the company just a short distance away, to Borough High Street, where the o ce and warehouse was expanded several times. ln 1982 the company expanded with the purchase of wholesaling operation Delta Cryo Ltd, based in Birmingham. Cryo sold refrigeration and line fittings from Parker, Mueller Brass, Jackes-Evans and some products made by the Delta Group themselves. Cryo was moved to a larger Birmingham base in 1985, and two years later was fully merged with United Termofrost into a single company renamed Thermofrost Cryo Ltd. At that time, Cryo director Philip Sloper became marketing director of the new company. He would go on to become managing director upon the retirement of Andrew Barwick in 2004. ln 1989 the London o ce was moved to a new site at West Norwood, from where the company operated alongside the Birmingham o ce until 2002, when Refrigerator Components Ltd of Manchester was acquired, ultimately becoming Thermofrost Cryo’s third location. From the inception of the company, the product portfolio grew rapidly with the addition of pressure controls and thermostats from Saginomiya and the DISTRIBUTION 28 50 years of Thermofrost Cryo Electrolux (AKA Cubigel) hermetic range of compressors and condensing units. Industrial refrigeration Eliwell electronic controls became part of the range and later Dixell was added to give the company an enviable product line-up, making Thermofrost a leading supplier in the electronics sector. An industrial refrigeration division was formed supplying valves from Refrigeration Specialties, part of the Parker Group. In later years, further industry-leading brands were added such as Bitzer, i Cool, J & E Hall, Univap, Kelvion & Eco, giving the company a very diverse product o ering. In 1998, an air conditioning division was fully established and, in 2000, the company became a distributor for LG Electronics. This partnership endures to this day and Thermofrost are a leading UK supplier of the brand’s split systems. A major development for Thermofrost was the agreement for the company to become the sole UK importer of the KD range of condensing units from South Korea. From a small beginning, the KD range has expanded greatly and now, as well as a wide span of standard and inverter condensing units, comprises a comprehensive range of cellar coolers and evaporators. The partnership with KD is a classic example of distributor and manufacturer working together to develop products suitable for a particular market and then successfully launching them to mutual benefit. Current joint managing directors Alan Wright and Steve Mace took over the reins in 2014 after the retirement of Philip Sloper. They stepped into the role as existing directors with 33 years of Thermofrost experience between them. At the retirement of long-term financial director John Copping in 2015, ex- employee Maja Hilton returned to replace him and complete the current executive director team. At the core of the company’s success over the years has been a knowledgeable and committed sta . Whilst the head count is lower today than at some points in the past, the aim has always been the same; to employ experienced people in key positions in order to provide the best overall service in the industry. By retaining sta and, where possible, favouring promotion from within, the company has always had an enviable reputation. Volume 9 No.1 Thermofrost Cryo joint managing directors Alan Wright, left, and Steve Mace