THE boss of a refrigerated vehicle conversion company has spoken of his pride at an award for manufacturing expertise.

Burnley-based CoolKit won the manufacturing excellence category at the town’s Business Awards.

The judges were impressed by CoolKit’s significant growth over the last two years through its application of manufacturing techniques and processes.

They said the business is now highly productive and a leader in its field.

CoolKit, which creates fridge vans, was established in 2005 and is the UK’s leading manufacturer of insulated lining kits for vehicles.

Rupert Gatty, managing director, said: “It’s been such a busy 12 months and the growth has been so fast that no one has had the chance to take a step back and look at how far we have come. This award has allowed us to do that.

“Receiving this award is a fantastic pat on the back for all the staff at CoolKit.”

The champagne celebration, honouring the best of Burnley, was jointly hosted by Burnley Council and Burnley Bondholders.

The award follows success for CoolKit last year when it announced a major contract for a fleet of specially designed vans with AAH Pharmaceuticals, the UK’s leading pharmaceutical and healthcare wholesaler and distributor.

The Burnley-based manufacturer is providing 900 temperature-controlled Ford Transit conversions for AAH, with the full rollout set to be completed by the end of this year.

The company now employs more than 70 industry experts on a site of 2.5 acres