Refrigeration firm heats up expansion plans after takeover

Martyne Manning and Chris Birch

A Coventry refrigeration installation and maintenance company has been bought out in a deal which secures all existing jobs.

Swift Maintenance Group has added Huntley Refrigeration, based on Fletchamstead Highway, to its portfolio of companies, that also includes Knight Catering, Swift Maintenance Services & Swift Ventilation Services.

Following the takeover, Swift has invested in the growth of the business by appointing additional staff – including the firm’s first ever female refrigeration engineer, new vehicles and equipment for the team as well as moving the entire team over from a paper-based job allocation and control system to a fully computerised version.

The company, which has been established for more than 40 years, has also been assisted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s business support team through the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme.

Part of that support included a £10,000 grant, through Coventry City Council, to assist the company in its growth.

Chris Birch, managing director, Swift Group, said: “We saw Huntley Refrigeration as a perfect fit for our group of companies.

“New management systems and controls have been put in place (and) we have made significant investment to safeguard jobs, create new ones and to furnish the new members of the team with vehicles and equipment they need to carry out their work in a much more efficient and timely manner.

“The support from the chamber has been invaluable and the grant, as well as the advice and assistance, have allowed us to invest and grow Huntley Refrigeration more quickly.”

The Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, in partnership with Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and the District and Borough Councils.

Martyne Manning, a business support coach at the Chamber, said the deal had helped to streamline Huntley’s processes to enable it to provide a better service.

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