Leading temperature-controlled logistics specialists Chiltern Cold Storage has recently ordered 12 new specialist forklift trucks from their long-time partner, UniCarriers.

Specialising in the manufacture of industrial trucks, UniCarriers has supplied trucks for Chiltern Cold Storage for over 20 years during which time they have supplied circa 80+ trucks  to the company, as well as provide valuable consultation for major projects and truck acquisitions.

In conjunction with supplying high-quality, innovative warehouse equipment as well as IC/electric counterbalance forklifts UniCarriers also offer solutions in safety improvements, identifying cost efficiencies, and optimising customer operations.

The order was made following a number of high-profile contract wins for Chiltern – who has undergone major expansion in recent months – and acts as yet another significant investment into the business’ operations as it builds for growth.

The 12 new trucks, which comprise of three Double Deep Reach trucks, five Rear-Entry Pallet trucks and four 48V electric 3-wheel counterbalance trucks, will be split across Chiltern’s two sites in Peterborough and Bourne. Each truck is fitted with a state-of-the-art Tensor XGEL batteries which negates the use of expensive battery changeover systems and spare batteries as well as freeing up labour time.

Furthermore, with safety ‘top of mind’ for both businesses, UniCarriers engaged with Chiltern’s Health and Safety team to minimise out of contract costs, which predominantly includes damage costs caused by operators that affects the bottom line of the business.

With 1,200 pallets delivered daily by the cold store specialists, the demands placed on the trucks are exceptionally high, especially when factoring in the temperature which has a significant baring on truck performance and longevity of battery life.

Speaking on the long-standing relationship between the two businesses John Davidson, Managing Director at Chiltern Cold Storage commented: “The new forklift trucks are a great addition to our existing fleet and will help future proof the business during a time of strategic growth.

“In such harsh environments and with volumes increasing for ever-expanding Chiltern, truck reliability and optimal uptime is vital for operations to continue.

“When operating in low temperatures of between -22 to -24 degrees Celsius, the challenges faced when operating the trucks in a cold store environment is considerable.  It is for this reason UniCarriers is so vital to our operation and why in many ways the partnership goes so much deeper than a simple customer-supplier relationship.

“Along with the quality and bespoke aspect of the new trucks, the other important facet of the partnership is ensuring that truck uptime is maximised as much as possible – something we feel is the real difference we find with UniCarriers. Their first-time fix rate is above 95 per cent, which is nothing short of exceptional as it ensures that our operations can continue with minimal delay.

“The trucks are also manufactured entirely for the operator. From the bespoke safety features which include a S3 stability system to camera technology to improve visibility, the trucks are a perfect fit for our operation.  

John continued: “UniCarriers are just a very easy company to work with.  They have a full understanding of who we are, our growth plans, and what we need as a business. Ultimately, they support our long-term challenges through constant engagement and have become an integral cog in our business.”

Mark Wakeman, National Sales Manager for UniCarriers UK also said: “We are delighted to once again have the opportunity to support Chiltern as they continue to grow.

“The relationship between both businesses has grown from strength to strength, and the key to that has been to add that personal touch – to listen to their requirements and tailor the solution directly to their operation. We strive to support them every way we can on a daily basis by assisting them with their short-term and long-term challenges, which requires us to understand their business in-depth.”

UniCarriers recently won the Materials Handling Equipment Provider of the Year Award at the TCS&D Awards 2022 following their achievements in delivering high-quality, state-of-the-art equipment and consultancy to the Cold Chain sector.

https://www.chiltern.co

https://www.unicarrierseurope.com/uk

Chiltern Cold Storage, which specialises in temperature-controlled solutions, has entered an exciting new chapter in its 28-year long history by rebranding under a new name, JS Davidson.

The company, which now bears the name of its Managing Director John Davidson, has rebranded during a time of major expansion, which has been largely fuelled by the recent spike in demand for temperature-controlled services within the UK.

In the past two years alone, the company has invested a substantial seven-figure sum into enhancing its business operations following a number of high-profile contract wins to further streamline its operations in turn improving productivity and efficiency for the benefit of its customers. 

With much change already being driven throughout the company, John Davidson sought to transition the business onto its next evolutionary stage after feeling that the old brand did not fully represent the company’s contemporary position as a one stop provider of distribution, ambient, chilled and frozen storage and supply chain solution services.

John Davidson and his team therefore took the strategic decision to redefine the business under a new trademark that would suitably echo its all-encompassing offering.

Equally, the JS Davidson team wanted the new brand to appropriately reflect the family-centric ethos of the company, a philosophy that has been ingrained within the business since it first opened its doors over 28 years ago.

Under JS Davidson the business will now be structured to offer five core services, which includes: ambient, chilled, frozen storage, and co-packing as well as a brand-new distribution service.

The rebrand was officially announced at the company’s official JS Davidson launch party which took place on 29^th October at the Holiday Inn in Peterborough. 

John Davidson, Managing Director of JS Davidson commented: “Our new rebrand comes at an exciting time for the company. While Chiltern Cold Storage was a well-known name within the industry, it nonetheless did not reflect the ethos or direction in which I wanted the business to go.

“With a background that has predominantly focused on cold storage, the company has since evolved and our offering today is considerably more far-reaching.

“Our range of services now portrays our true offering, which is essentially a supply chain solutions provider and a one stop solution for customers.

John continued: “We have put an extensive amount of capital investment into the business in recent years and we ultimately felt that a rebrand to reflect the business’ values, ethos and comprehensive offering was a natural next step and very much a springboard for future growth.

“For us it is an exciting time and is a move which will further reinforce our position in the marketplace and underpin continued growth. Along with focusing on our five core service offerings we are also focusing heavily on developing our talented staff as well as driving efficiencies throughout the business to ensure our customers receive the very best in service to ensure long-term sustainability.”

It can be argued that the JS Davidson success story is relatively unorthodox.

A company which was faced with a mountain to climb following the outbreak Covid-19 pandemic, JS Davidson’s commitment to its long-standing core values enabled the business to successfully navigate through the trials and tribulations of the last few years and come out of the other side stronger than ever.

Proof enough of this is that the company is expected to increase its turnover this year to £10 million – doubling that of its mid-pandemic figures of £5 million which were posted just two years ago. 

Indeed, the pandemic very much acted as an opportunity for the company’s Managing Director John Davidson to take stock of his business and look at ways to streamline its operations in the pursuit of greater productivity and efficiency for the benefit of its customers.

But it was equally not without its challenges.

Having partnered with the UK’s largest airline caterer, the culmination of recurrent lockdowns throughout the globe rendered the need for the company’s temperature control solutions redundant in this sector – with air travel being reduced by 97 per cent at the peak of the pandemic’s world tour.

Indeed, the geo-economic impact of the pandemic decimated this crucial market for JS Davidson.

However, when one door closes, another opens. With a higher demand for food as the nation was forced to eat predominantly in the home, food retailers and manufacturers experienced an unprecedented boom.

£10.8 billion of grocery sales made in the first few weeks of the pandemic perhaps provides a glimpse into this unprecedented spike, and the subsequent level of demand placed upon the shoulders of the temperature-controlled operators such as JS Davidson during this period.

Fast forward to the present day, and food products account for a significant part of the company’s business – with the firm’s ever-growing portfolio boasting some of Europe’s largest food manufacturers and suppliers.

Re-evaluating the business and its operations also brought about transformative change to JS Davidson. With the help of expert financial consultants which he recruited during the pandemic, John was able to streamline his operation by reassessing its pricing model, implementing new and improved company policy, investing into areas which would cultivate further growth, and reviewing areas which were underperforming.

As a result of this major re-alignment, he was able to invest a substantial sum – totalling nearly £1 million – into key areas of the business in order to gear up for growth and to enhance its offering to customers, both current and new.

This comprehensive assessment provided John with a strategic roadmap for future growth, seeing it as a ‘new chapter’ in the company’s proud history. In line with this, John, along with his team members, took the executive decision to rename the company from Chiltern Cold Storage to JS Davidson to mark a new age for the business.

According to John Davidson the move to JS Davidson was not only made to reflect this new chapter, as well as its growing status within its marketplace as a one-stop shop provider of distribution, ambient, chilled and frozen storage and supply chain solution services. The rebrand also represented the family-centric ethos of the company, a philosophy that has been ingrained within the business throughout its 28-year history.

John Davidson commented: “The level of growth JS Davidson has achieved in such a short period is a true testament to the resilience and persistence of the business, especially given the challenges faced.

“The pandemic, ever-rising energy costs and increased inflation were roadblocks that came to a head in a relatively short period of time, however committing to our culture, ethos and our comprehensive roadmap allowed us to push through stronger than we were before. Equally remaining adaptable and listening to the needs of customers both existing and new, along with streamlining our operation through investing into key areas and taking stock of where we were as a business also played a significant factor in our success.”

John continued: “The move to JS Davidson comes at both an exciting and fitting time for the company. We ultimately just felt it was the natural next step, especially after the growth achieved in recent years, and would act very much as a springboard to reinforce our leading position in the marketplace.

“Indeed, with a background which has predominantly focused on cold storage, the company has since evolved, and our offering today is considerably more far reaching. Our range of services now portrays our true offering, which is essentially a supply chain solutions provider and a one stop solution for customers both existing and new.

“Under its new name the business model which we have now puts the company in a strong position for the years ahead and we are confident that it will trigger further growth as we look to the future.”

Leading bespoke temperature-controlled solutions specialists JS Davidson (formerly known as Chiltern Cold Storage) has invested almost £1 million in enhancing the business’ operations.

Offering a complete end to end solution, Peterborough based JS Davidson has made the investment as it continues to build for growth, following several high-profile contract wins.

Recent investments include a £220,000 into installing a new compressor and air-cooled cooling tower.

A further £400,000 has been dedicated to an electrical installation upgrade at their Peterborough site which includes brand new control panels and transformers which will drive greater efficiency and improvements in their operation and a new welfare room for staff with kitchen facilities.

To drive greater efficiency within its operation and to reflect its increased portfolio of services, JS Davidson has also invested £250,000 into a state-of-the-art warehouse management system from Principal Logistics Technologies which will optimise stock management, enhance traceability and transparency, and facilitate improvements in both handling and storage.

John Davidson, Managing Director at JS Davidson  commented: “Following a number of high profile contract wins and an unprecedented spike in demand for cold storage services – that initially became apparent as we worked through Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic – especially following the recent spike in the e-commerce sector, we have committed nearly £1 million in capital investment over the past 18 months to facilitate our recent growth as well as improve our infrastructure as we build for the future.

“Our new game changing warehouse management solution will drive a number of improvements throughout the business, namely provide more scope for reporting, allowing customers to place their own orders through designated portals and vastly improve the transparency and visibility of stock.

“On the electrical side of things, while we have taken strategic steps to minimise the impact of rising energy costs, we also have one eye on becoming more energy efficient and reduce consumption for the benefit of the environment and of course our customers. As a business, we are committed to improving our carbon footprint and creating a sustainable storage business that meets the rigorous requirements of our clients.”

“With ambitions for further growth, we are confident that our recent £1 million investment programme will pay dividends down the line as we continue to establish ourselves as a leading temperature-controlled solutions provider in the UK.”

Energy hikes, an ongoing capacity crunch and heightened logistical costs are just some of the everyday challenges that temperature control operators throughout the UK have been forced to endure in recent months.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the landscape of the temperature-controlled space has indeed somewhat shifted, with further challenges being posed to on operators in their pursuit of meeting the ever-changing demands of customers.

Following a significant shake up by the UK’s food manufacturing alongside the impacts of contemporary consumer demands as well as the challenges posed by Brexit, temperature-controlled operators JS Davidson and Freshlinc regularly join forces to help navigate through the trials and tribulations of the ever-changing marketplace to ensure optimum service levels are maintained.

As a leading service provider throughout the UK and Europe, Spalding-based Freshlinc specialise in the supply chain management of temperature controlled fresh, chilled and horticultural products.

With several different trading divisions under the Freshlinc Group umbrella, the growing business forged a relationship with their counterpart JS Davidson three years ago in order to mitigate everyday market challenges, especially with regards to capacity issues during periods of high demand.

Having extensive experience in delivering temperature controlled and distribution solutions to major retailers and various food manufactures/suppliers across Europe and the UK, the company’s expertise and similar customer base, along with its fleet of 380 tractor units and 700 trailers, has enabled JS Davidson to reap the rewards from this fruitful working relationship.

JS Davidson, which has recently undergone a major rebrand, has invested heavily in a suite of improvements across the business since the pandemic, with £1 million of capex being dedicated to streaming and enhancing operations across its two sites in Bourne and Peterborough – which Freshlinc utilise to alleviate capacity shortages.

John Davidson, Managing Director of JS Davidson commented: “The hurdles faced over the past three years have indeed been challenging, however through building strategic relationships with fellow temperature-controlled operators such as Freshlinc, we have been able to mitigate issues as and when they have arisen.

“Especially with regard to scaling our temperature-controlled distribution arm, Freshlinc has been invaluable in ensuring customer consignments get where they need to without fuss. Similarly, if their customers need cold store space – which still remains in short supply throughout the UK – then we are always on hand to find capacity within our facilities in Peterborough and Bourne to help them meet demand. The relationship works evenly both ways in many respects and as we are local to one another, we are each readily on hand to help in a time of need.

“The working relationship has been crucial to helping us grow over the past few years. The industry has experienced significant demand over the past three years, largely in line with the impacts of changing consumer demands as well as sky high energy costs, the transition towards Net Zero and of course the challenges inflicted through Brexit.

John continued: “Therefore having trusted partners on hand who you can call upon, especially during periods of high demand is imperative. By sharing the workload, it also helps alleviate cost pressures associated with running a temperature-controlled supply chain operation, costs which have indeed risen as a result of the well-documented energy hike.

“We are delighted with how the relationship has progressed over the years and for it to continue to grow from strength to strength in the near future as we undoubtedly work together to navigate through the challenges and complexities of managing a temperature-controlled supply chain operation while continuing to meet customer demand.”  

With record temperatures surging throughout the globe this July, the era of ‘global boiling’, as its now coined, has seemingly arrived with a vengeance.

The need to drive decarbonisation has never been greater. Increased energy costs – which still remain above pre-pandemic levels despite the drop of wholesale gas prices by 46 per cent since last June – along with volatile weather conditions has sparked alarm bells across the globe. 

While UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has recently sanctioned hundreds of new oil and gas licenses for the UK, potentially bringing the country’s 2050 Net Zero target into question, John Davidson, Managing Director of temperature-controlled solutions specialist JS Davidson, has urged the industry to continue pressing on with their sustainability targets.

To assist in driving the industry forward in matching the UK’s goal of bringing down all greenhouse emissions to net zero, the Cold Chain Federation launched its own Net Zero Project in 2020, which aims to help the industry to meet the challenge of decarbonising the UK economy.

Data on the impact the cold chain sector has on the UK’s overall carbon footprint is not clear-cut, however it has been estimated that food refrigeration systems – which are a major element of the wider cold chain network – account for approximately between two and four per cent of total GHG emissions in the UK.

With this in mind John Davidson believes there is a responsibility for the industry, along with the nation, to press forward with sustainability plans, not only to help fight to climate change but also to future proof temperature-controlled businesses in the years and decades to come.  

John said: “The need to invest into alternative means of energy has never been greater. With environmental sustainability high on the global agenda in a bid to tackle the ever-worsening climate crisis, the industry has a responsibility to play its part in helping to drive forward its sustainability plans.

“Understandably as a consequence of the rise in inflation and interest rates investment into alternative energy sources may have to be put on hold for the time being for some temperature-controlled operators, but compromising on sustainability plans altogether is very much a false economy. We are actively noticing year on year that as the nation becomes more acutely aware of the harm greenhouse gases causes to the environment, more onus is being placed on the industry to think greener in every aspect of their operation. This is particularly apparent with regards to buy-in from customers both existing and new when they learn of our ongoing investment programme into renewables.

“Therefore, while safeguarding the environment is a significant benefit of considering alternative sources of energy, there can also be long-term financial benefits for operators. Implementing energy-saving measures can lead to reduced operational costs over time through lowering energy bills, as well as provide operators the opportunity to identify areas within their business which are inefficient, replacing them with more sustainable processes, systems, or technologies.

According to John Davidson maximising efficiency and investing into alternative means of energy will be key to offsetting emissions for temperature-controlled operators in the UK and beyond, with capitalising upon new and innovative technologies a fundamental driver for reducing carbon consumption – something that indeed his company, JS Davidson, has successfully integrated into its operation in recent years, and is already experiencing tangible benefits as a result.

John Davidson said: “As a progressive business, we have consistently explored sustainability opportunities when available and conducted an ongoing investment programme in its site facilities to ensure maximum energy efficiency is retained. 

“This has included converting our entire lighting system across both our sites to the latest LED technology as well as upgrading the insulation used to line the building to better thermal performance panels, ensuring as little cold escapes as possible. This year, we will be introducing a number of ground breaking renewable energy processes to further reduce our greenhouse emissions as well as general dependency on non-renewable energy sources. “

JS Davidson, one of the UK’s leading temperature-controlled solutions specialists, has expanded its senior management team by appointing David Davidson as its new Operations Director, a brand-new role for the business.

The son of Managing Director John Davidson, David’s new role will involve overseeing the day-to-day operations at JS Davidson, whilst also refining and enhancing the company’s processes. 

David joins at an exciting time for the fast-growing family business, with the company having recently undergone a total rebrand as well as having achieved several high-profile contract wins in recent months.

Boasting a 23-year long career in the UK military, having served several tours in Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, David’s experience has seen him posted in a variety of different roles, latterly as a Staff Sergeant with the 4^th Regiment, Royal Artillery – a regiment in which he served throughout the duration of his service.

More recently he worked directly in the Army’s quartermaster department and was responsible for handling the supply and maintenance of uniforms, rations, and a range of military equipment along with refining processes to maximise efficiency. His extensive background places him in good stead to transfer his well-honed skills to his new role at JS Davidson, according to John Davidson.

John Davidson said: “As a business we have always looked to place significant emphasis on creating a family-centric environment at JS Davidson and ensuring that we position that culture at the forefront of the business. Over its near 30-year history, the company’s foundations have been built on harnessing this culture and instilling it throughout every level of the business to ensure that as a team we all move forward as one towards a collective goal – providing the very best in service to our much-valued customers.

“Having being charged with overseeing, motiving, and training military personnel as well as pushing the implementation of new processes within his department, we recognised that David would be a valuable addition to the JS Davidson family.  The military has a number of synergies with the logistics industry and many of the skills and expertise David has developed over his career are both transferable and relevant and crucially can offer us something entirely unique.

“In line with the recent company-wide rebrand, the appointment of David as our new Operations Director caps off an exciting new chapter for JS Davidson moving forward and we could not be more thrilled to have him on board.”

Commenting on his new role David Davidson said: “My appointment as JS Davidson’s new Operations Director is an incredibly proud moment, and one which I feel is a natural next step in my career.

“My time in the military will enable me to leverage the valuable skills that I acquired during my service and apply those in helping to enhance JS Davidson’s processes and ultimately drive greater efficiency throughout the business.

“While I’m relatively new to the role, it’s clear already that there are a number of synergies with regards to the standard operating practices at JS Davidson as there were within the various departments in which I was stationed during my time in the miliary. That’s not to say I want to instil a military-style operation to JS Davidson – on the contrary. But in line with my background and experience I will strive to provide a fresh perspective to the business, as well as utilise the intrinsic value of unity to foster a collaborative environment amongst our staff so we can seamlessly move together as one cohesive team.”

Leading multi temperature-controlled operator JS Davidson has acquired a Smart Portable Blast Unit from Blue Cube PCS Limited, a UK provider of temperature controlled and cold storage units.

The significant investment into the new Unit, which includes a 5-year partnership, will be officially commissioned later this month.

The Blast Unit, which has the capability of blast freezing, blast chilling and tempering all within the same mobile unit, will enable JS Davidson to drive greater efficiencies throughout its temperature-controlled operation.

With a capacity of up to 30 UK pallets, JS Davidson’s new Portable Blast Unit suited for both freezing and defrosting under a controlled environment as well as bringing food products back up to temperature in rapid succession, offering greater longevity for product life and a greater capability of processing orders quicker and more efficiently.

Offering up to 53 per cent reduction in GWP compared to other refrigerants, it also provides a low emission, and low-operational cost option for both rapidly freezing and tempering products.

The Unit has been acquired during a period of continued investment by Peterborough-based JS Davidson who provide co-packing, distribution and storage services to its growing customer base.

John Davidson, Managing Director at JS Davidson commented: “We are delighted to announce the recent investment in our new Smart Portable Blast Unit, which has been provided by Blue Cube PCS Limited.

“From market research conducted in recent months, we have seen a growing demand for both rapid freezing and tempering, largely in line with increased expectations in the marketplace. In order to cater to this, we felt a Blast Unit would offer the greatest operational output, without compromising our sustainability pledge.

“With a Blast Freezer, we are able to reduce waste and ensure products stored, remain of a premium quality, which will only serve to benefit our customers. Equally we can safely and rapidly cool, chill, freeze and temper tonnes of produce in a matter of a few hours, compared to potentially up to hundreds of hours, it will drive significant operational efficiencies throughout the business – especially within our co-packing division.”

Alan Hunt, Managing Director at Blue Cube PCS commented: “To support John’s comments, customer demands for Blast and tempering facilities have seen a 8% uplift during recent months, further indications demonstrate the trend of increased blast freezing and tempering requirements will continue”.

Adding to this “Being able to work with John and the team to extend their offering has been a pleasure, allowing him the opportunity to attract new business into his portfolio with the added reassurance of technological support during this transition”.  

JS Davidson provides an unrivalled cold storage and distribution service, taking the stresses and strains of everyday challenges allowing them to focus on their primary role – running a successful business.

Established in 2003, GO Kombucha is Europe’s longest-established producer of kombucha tea. Situated in East Sussex the company brews raw kombucha by hand in small batches using organic teas and spring water purified 50 ft to 60 ft below the ground and pumped from its well, situated just yards from its microbrewery.

JS Davidson has worked with GO Kombucha since September 2022.  From the company’s initial enquiry about JS Davidson’s storage services to which they received a much welcomed swift and helpful response, they have never looked back. Following a series of bad experiences and issues with previous suppliers GO Kombucha immediately noticed the ease of dealing with JS Davidson and so made the switch.

A key factor in the production of GO Kombucha’s range is ensuring the temperature of the live product is regulated. If not, the product can become unstable, especially in an ambient temperature, so ensuring consistent regulation of temperature is vital.

JS Davidson is responsible for the chilled storage and packing of all the orders ready for collection by the company’s haulier.

An added advantage of the JS Davidson service is its ethos of providing an unrivalled professional service while adhering to its core values. This way of conducting business is completely in synergy with GO Kombucha which believes in treating people well, including contractors and suppliers.

Gary Leigh, Founder Go Kombucha said: “Our initial call to enquire about storage was so swift and simple compared to previous experiences. None of the conditions attached that we’d experienced before. JS Davidson welcomed us warmly.

“We are a micro-business with anything between only 15-30 pallets of stock held at JS Davidson at any one time, yet they treat us courteously and respectfully and no differently, I’m sure, than if we were a mega-corporation with thousands of pallets.

“We have previously used four such facilities, but JS Davidson made it the easiest and friendliest experience possible by comparison. They are a vital component to our business excelling.”