An East Lancashire business that literally rose from the ashes following a fire at one of its warehouses has been named WhatVan?’s Converter of the Year, for a second time.
Burnley’s CoolKit, which specialises in temperature-controlled van conversions, is celebrating after claiming the Converter of the Year title for the second year running at leading event the WhatVan? Awards 2024.
The ceremony, hosted by trade magazine WhatVan?, took place at the Hilton Bankside in London and was attended by the industry’s best and brightest including leasing companies, large fleets and dealers.
The judges said that Coolkit impressed them with its wide range of innovative temperature-controlled products backed-up with strong customer testimonials.
MORE HERE: East Lancs firm rises from the ashes following devastating blaze
After a year which has seen CoolKit bounce back following a devastating fire which destroyed its main manufacturing facility in July, CEO and founder, Rupert Gatty, said that this award was testament to the resilience and dedication of its workforce.
He said: “In spite of the challenges that CoolKit has faced this year, I’m incredibly proud that the award is returning to Lancashire.
“Winning and defending this important industry title is a tremendous achievement for us, and one that would not have been possible without the efforts of the entire team.”
More than eight fire crews battled through the afternoon and early evening after receiving the call at around 3.20pm on July 6.
By the time they arrived at the unit, in Farrington Place, on the Farrington Road industrial estate, thick black smoke was already billowing into the sky, and the fire was well alight.
CoolKit acted quickly following the incident and implemented a robust recovery plan to enable the business to remain operational in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
Production and operations were successfully relocated to its second unit on the same industrial estate, before the firm signed an agreement for a 75,000 sq ft site in Whitebirk, Blackburn, eight miles away from its fire-ravaged unit in Burnley.
The WhatVan? Converter of the Year title is the latest in a series of national and regional award wins for the UK’s leading specialist in temperature-controlled van conversions, which includes the TCS&D award for Refrigerated Panel Van of the Year, the Insider Made in the UK Automotive, Aerospace, and Rail Award and the Medium Business of the Year at the Red Rose Awards.
The business recently announced the opening of its new main premises at Thornley Avenue in Blackburn but maintains some manufacturing at its site in Farrington Place, Burnley.
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