Our history started 75+ years ago with early hand-made composite panels we installed in practically every food industry business local to our HQ in Bristol. While the times have slightly changed, we have not forgotten our humble roots.

The UK’s food manufacturing landscape is widely varied – massive, automated facilities on one side of the spectrum and artisan businesses on the other, equally important in the big picture.

“Making a difference feels good”, Rich Chaplin, Stancold’s Construction Manager, starts. “Sometimes these local jobs are the ones you’re the proudest of, especially when you see the brand on the shelf of your corner shop.”

Supporting up-and-coming food industry businesses in our locality has always been one of our priorities. We have recently taken it a step forward by strengthening our relationship with Taste of The West, an organisation we’ve been a member of for over a decade.

“My team is currently wrapping up a project that came to us from our networking efforts. A lovely company who hand-make the most delicious flapjacks I’ve ever had. They want to grow their business and decided to try composite panels as a quicker, less invasive way to adjust their production areas to their current needs. Ryan & Rhys have just completed an internal kitchen extension for them as the first step of their plans, with plenty more in the pipeline.”

We’re excited for our clients. Stancold have been there before and seen such companies flourish when given the space to grow.

Based in the South-West and thinking of expanding your food manufacturing business?

info@stancold.co.uk

Stancold industrial partitions team is on track to finish the year on a high note as we start a whitewalling project in a business park in Devon.

“If I counted correctly, we have secured 40 contracts this year. A busy one, and it’s far from over”, says Shaun Jones, our Senior Business Development Manager.

“Our client is a rapidly expanding real estate developer specialising in building mixed-use units. They somehow never used composite partitioning before, but when you’re in this kind of business, you’re bound to realise that blockwork is slowing you down and costing you money.”

Stancold were tasked with partitioning two new build warehouses totalling approximately 48,000 ft² into 32 units. Our installation scope included fire-rating to 60 minutes, with low U-Values of 0.27 W/m²K contributing to BREEAM Excellent certification for the build.

It’s our second week on site – more news coming up soon!

To further our BIM capabilities, Stancold were on the lookout for a Design Manager capable of strengthening the integration with main contractors and fully embracing modern 3D industry standards. Shaun, a highly experienced designer from Cardiff, joined us in July.

Shaun Gustard, CAD Designer, “retired from all things rugby related”.

It was a long chapter of my life. I had played rugby since I was 11 years old, at various competition levels. Clubs, the Welsh “Masters” Team, coached a long list of junior and senior teams. It lasted for 35 years until my body said no.

And you became sort of an advocate for safe rugby.

I’m open about my injury. Players take bumps on their heads – it comes with the nature of the sport. One day, it was just one too many, and my brain hasn’t been the same ever since. Sports are great for your body and mind when you know your limits and tread cautiously.

But you always had a backup plan…

I love rugby, but I knew I would eventually have to retire. My dad used to work in civil engineering, and I was helping him out from my early teenage years. I ended up in design, but I also have this hands-on background and an idea of how it fits together. The office team should make it easier for people on-site, not harder. And as we know, that’s not always the case in our industry!

When did you get into design?

It’s hard to point to a date, but I vividly remember the first time I fired up AutoCAD. That was 1992, over three decades ago now. I still like the old-school ways, pencil & paper and all. But we’ve come way too far for that.

BIM.

Indeed. My long-term plan is to use Revit as much as possible. Whether for visualisation purposes or full integration into main contractor builds, clients always come first, and they kept asking Stancold about BIM. These days, the designer’s job is not only to produce drawings for the sake of doing it for building control, LPCB or insurance. We’re here to optimise material use, minimise installation issues, lower the project’s carbon footprint and – most importantly for me – support the on-site crew to understand the big picture better.

You still sound like you’re coaching…

A rugby team, I know! Construction is also a team sport. Due to my health situation, I work from home most days, but I do my best to share this spirit with my colleagues whenever I’m in the office. We can only grow as people when we work on things together.

CREST continues its contributions towards global science development with a 185 m² ISO5 cleanroom envelope for an optical lab fit-out.

“We’re always excited for a challenge – space engineering demands very strict cleanroom environments,” starts Mark Kendrick, CREST’s Business Development Director. “After consultations and many pre-construction meetings, we put forward Puracore as the best system for the project.”

The plenum design required us to install the envelope on a raised access floor – a common solution for critical environments within industries dealing with electronics.

“Lee Duffield and I visited the site to ensure smooth project delivery. The facility was to remain open during the build. With our scope including partial strip-out of existing walls and limited access via main reception, we had to coordinate and plan ahead not to interfere with the end user’s day-to-day operations.”

The design incorporated a full-height fire-rated partition, separating the internal envelope from the office areas, and a bespoke removable section to allow for future equipment installation. Steve Gunning ran the project.

“I’m very pleased with the outcome. Between the bespoke elements, high ISO specification and working on a live site, our installation team did well to deliver a world-class critical environment”, he says.

Need an involved architectural envelope partner for a cleanroom facility?

Email info@crestcleanrooms.co.uk for early feasibility, buildability, and specification consultation.

As a part of the continued development of CREST’s range of services, we are proud to report we recently completed our first non-progressive cleanroom envelope build, following training and familiarisation with the MIDDAS system.

“Bouygues brought us on board with specification & layout almost confirmed between themselves, the specified panel manufacturer, MIDDAS, and the customer”, says Mark Kendrick, CREST’s Business Development Director.

“Even with the above agreed upon, we conducted multiple site surveys to advise on buildability from a cleanroom envelope specialist point of view. The scope also required alterations within the existing lab and included a one-hour fire-rated wall, something best left to partitioning specialists to advise on.”

“The client knows our capabilities – this was a project not many subcontractors could successfully take on”, starts Lee Duffield, CREST Construction Director. “Not only was it a live site, but it included many different elements – the lab fit out itself, a firewall, complex layout of lining panels, reveals, and on top of everything, breaking into the existing clean area to reconfigure it. All of it within a fast-track programme.”

Our installation team completed the extension in 6 weeks proving its versatility in intricate projects.

Read more about the MIDDAS Bi-Panel Partitioning System here or email info@crestcleanrooms.co.uk for expert consultation.

Recent additions to the Stancold family changed our company, but our projects team’s transformation really started two years ago, when Becky joined us. We spoke to her to see how her role evolved over time.

Two years. How does it feel?
It feels like ten! And not in a negative way. It’s just that so much has changed it’s hard to say it’s the same job role I started in.

How come?
Many things. Firstly, we didn’t have anyone like Rich to focus on making the department run smoother, so there were many choke points. When a project manager was off for a week, you would see how things slowed down massively. There weren’t many procedures in place for what I was doing. Not so much anymore.

But that’s not all Rich…
Oh, definitely not. We’ve got a great team, and I can’t speak well enough about my colleagues, but if not for my endless hours of self-studying and reading between emails and calls, it would all look very different. I take pride in my work, and if things are not perfect, they need improving.

You did have some background in construction.
Yeah, I worked for a scaffolding and building company for five years. Simliarly hectic and very much a co-ordination job, but it was as far from what Stancold do as it gets.

Hence the need for self-study. How did you find the time for this tough?
Ever since our team expanded, I’ve found the time to pay even more attention to the technical aspects of what I’m dealing with. It’s not just ordering what the designs say to buy. It’s anticipating what the guys on site will need, as opposed to what “the office” deemed necessary. When someone on site realises they need something and calls me, it’s already too late. I’m a lot more involved than my predecessors, and I try my best to prevent these situations.

Sounds like quite the task.
In a project co-ordinator’s role, you need to be constantly switched on. Between the live jobs, the ones we’re preparing to go live and the ones in design stages, there isn’t much leeway for mistakes. Things won’t happen on time, which can be costly in construction – you have to consider the whole supply chain. It’s project co-ordination that makes this work. Yet, at the same time, we’re very underappreciated in the industry.

You can come to the office on Monday in a good mood, and your first phone is… of the not-so-easy kind. But I get it, the construction industry is stressful, and not everyone knows who’s responsible for what when running a job.

So, how do you deal with it?
Oh, the ups easily outnumber the downs. You move on, do your job, and a day later, a call with the same person can be the nicest phone conversation you’ve ever had. It’s what co-ordinators do. We put the wheels in motion to fix things.

It’s challenging but rewarding. And I have to admit my two years at Stancold have far exceeded my expectations. It’s not “just a job” for me and my colleagues all share that attitude. What more can you ask?

What more… Aren’t you tempted to try project management?
I cannot comment on that! <laughs>

Yet another significant construction success for CREST, as our team completes a project we’ve been building for 10 months under a long-standing main-contractor partner.

The end-user is in the process of transforming its manufacturing capability in Scotland. Mark Kendrick, CREST Business Development Director, was involved with the project from day 1.

“The facility comprises multiple grade C & D cleanrooms and offices across three storeys”, he says. “We were brought in very early to ensure our designs align with other trades. It was the first time CREST would run two big projects concurrently and being a part of the early meetings helped us greatly to coordinate our work between Grangemouth and Stevenage.”

CREST was responsible for the envelope fit-out of two levels of the building: production rooms, QC labs, along with CNC corridors and a large pharma-grade cold store. “We used two different systems – Puracore for the first-floor cleanroom area; and Kingspan for the second-floor labs and the cold store on the ground floor. 1750 m² total floor space. A tremendous success for the teams, both our and our client’s,” Mark sums up.

“We had all hands on deck in Grangemouth, with full-time project managers on site and myself visiting whenever available”, says Lee Duffield, CREST Construction Director. “It was a challenging build. Our team did great, showing efficiency, flexibility and experience at all stages from pre-construction to installation.”

The facility is soon to be handed over to the end user. Our teams are already working hard on other projects – stay tuned for more news.

Want to work with the best cleanroom envelope and cold store contractor in the UK?

info@crestcleanrooms.co.uk

Vinci Construction contracted the Stancold industrial partitions team to install whitewalls for phase two of their works two miles from the centre of London.

“It’s one of the biggest jobs in our recent history”, says Shaun Jones, who secured the job. “Vinci were pleased with the work we did for them on phase one last year, and trusting your subcontractor is a big part of such builds.”

Stancold is fitting out the 5500 m² unit to a maximum 60-minute fire rating with 7,000 m² Kingspan Quadcore food-safe panels. The interior comprises four areas and a large service corridor, with an average height of 13 metres.

Stay tuned for more news from the site, as we’re on a steady pace towards completion.

info@stancold.co.uk

A local, Gloucester-based main contractor contacted Stancold’s industrial partition team looking for assistance on the fire-rated scope of their works.

“It’s a new client, a company with 60 years of history, but not very involved in warehouse construction, which would explain how we have never worked with them before”, Shaun Jones, our industrial partitions expert, starts. “A company very much like Stancold, family-owned and run.”

Having never used composite panel solutions for warehouse office enclosures, our clients needed to subcontract the fire-rated whitewall portion of their project. Two units that will eventually become a medical manufacturing company’s warehouse required a fire rating of 120 mins.

“Everything went very smoothly, and my contacts were very receptive to our feedback – which is important when you want to get things built without significant redesigns and delays”, Shaun continues. “Based on the U-value and the 100 mm thickness requirements, I suggested Trimo panels. Less common than the Eurobond Firemasters we’re known for, but in this case, their specification aligned perfectly.”

The spans in steelworks, Shaun’s usual concern, were not an issue. “Both parties were flexible, and from what I heard from the projects team, the installation also went very well and was completed in a week.”

Whether you’re a veteran warehouse contractor looking for an equally seasoned white walling partner, or you’ve never built anything with fire ratings in scope and are looking for guidance, our team has got you covered.

info@stancold.co.uk

Radio-frequency anechoic chambers are essential in validating telecommunications equipment and a significant fire risk. Shaun Jones elaborates.

“Not only the RF ones but the acoustic chambers as well. It is not the operations inside these that are dangerous, at least not as long as the electrical equipment is functioning correctly. The pyramid-shaped diffusers are the problem – you want to ensure whatever fire breaks out inside the room is contained for as long as possible”, Stancold’s industrial partitioning expert starts. The diffusers in question are made of rubber foam and coated in substances that melt into toxic fumes while accelerating the fire spread. 

Based on our previous successful visit, when we built two similar rooms, the client contacted Stancold to add more chambers to their facilities.  

“They’re a global manufacturer who needed to up their capacity for testing industrial wireless devices. Validation procedures are important in their process – we don’t like our networks to run slowly at home, so you can imagine what it’s like when your Wi-Fi reliability is business critical”, Shaun continues. 

The 50 m² room required a fire rating of 60 minutes. Unusual to our typical installations, it required no fire-stopping. 

“We would only do this if the panels connect to an existing structure – this chamber is a self-standing box, therefore requiring no fire-stopping. These situations can be quite confusing and always need an expert’s eye, otherwise, the clients are wasting their money on unnecessary costs. It’s important to value-engineer whenever possible, given recent price increases. We installed two such rooms in this facility a few years ago, and the rising costs surprised our clients… We try to cut costs as best as we can without cutting corners – not with fire risk being a factor”, Shaun explains.  

Our team is starting the installation soon, with Sam Glover leading the project. 

Wondering what level of passive-fire protection you need? Reach out to info@stancold.co.uk for consultation, design and build services. 

Not every laboratory has to be ISO or GMP graded. Food-safe clean fit-outs services apply to many situations. Patrick Ball, Stancold’s food industry expert, shares his insights into a recently completed project.

“It was just over a year ago when our long-time installation partner, Adcock Refrigeration, approached us with a job in one of 350 locations of a global sample testing company that wanted to up their capacity”, he starts. “At first, I thought it might be something CREST would be interested in – contaminated soil & water for brownfield construction doesn’t exactly sound like food industry cold storage. It was quite refreshing, actually.”

Patrick has worked with Adcock’s engineers since his first day at Stancold, developing a deep understanding of their processes. Such partnerships speed up every project stage and make working towards specifications a breeze.

“It turned out the requirements weren’t as strict as a typical lab, and our scope was more value than specs oriented. I enjoy these. Figuring out how to deliver a space that is just right and optimising budgets for all the parties involved is a rewarding exercise”, Patrick sums up.

Stancold’s on-site team built the 105 & 30 m² spaces across two storeys in less time than we expected, allowing Adcock to hand over the areas to the end user within a strict deadline.

We’ve partnered with various companies to deliver turnkey food-safe cold rooms over the past 75+ years.

Why not see how such experience can help your business grow?

info@stancold.co.uk

Refurbishing a facility can pose unique challenges depending on the reasoning behind it. Some clients do it to comply with new regulations – others want a cosmetic refresh. We heard it many times at Stancold. It is never “simply cosmetic”.

“That is very much true unless one was to paint the walls and call it a day! Whenever you change something structurally, whether internally or externally, there’s bound to be a third party involved,” says Shaun Jones, our industrial partitioning expert. “Could be directors from overseas, building regulations or an insurer – remember, even an unassuming corridor could be a fire escape route of an R&D centre working on expensive products. Things get complicated quickly.”

Shaun is talking about a recently completed job at a local, Wiltshire branch of a global small electronics manufacturer, a stone’s throw away from our HQ in Bristol.

“We worked with a brand-new client who manages the end user’s facilities. They are a construction company, but a more traditional one. The world of composite panels was new to them, especially how their specifications affect insurance policies.” These policies turned out to play an important role in the project, as the end user is insured by FM Global – a name well known to anyone working with high-tech manufacturers or life sciences companies based in the US.

Stancold’s scope of work included the installation of non-combustible panels rated for 30-min of fire resistance. “The corridor was on the outside of built-over cleanrooms,” Shaun continues while marking up drawings. “The partitions were all on a steel frame, supporting the cleanroom system on one side and the fire escape corridor wall on the other. The labs were self-contained, so the end user carried on working “business as usual”. That’s the biggest benefit of composite panels – avoiding the mess you’d normally make with traditional methods.”

Working in an operational facility meant we had to design a solution interfering with existing doors and structures as little as possible. After carefully considering the options, Shaun suggested an unusual 75mm-thick panel. “It was a complicated chain of command: from Stancold’s suggestions to our clients to the end user, and then finally to the insurers who often have the final say about what we can and can’t do… We eventually agreed on a design satisfying all the parties and saving them a significant sum over what they’d pay if I hadn’t gone on a site visit.”

Shaun approximates the savings he made to be around 30%.

Value engineering combined with rigorous certifications?

To experience how he does it, email info@stancold.co.uk

Five years ago, when Ollie decided to leave and try something new, he told Mark Kendrick to keep him in mind if Stancold ever set up a separate cleanroom division. Fast forward to April 2023, and the timelines have aligned…

“I started years ago as an apprentice, completed the training and carried on as an Estimator, working under Donna’s guidance. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it, but it was my first job in the industry, and honestly, I wanted to see what it’s like in other companies”, Ollie starts. “I continued working in the role, progressively adding more sales responsibilities. Whilst I enjoyed the interpersonal aspect of sales, I decided it wasn’t quite for me. Now that I’ve matured in the industry, I know I’m better suited as an Estimator/QS. And given I always liked working with cleanroom & cold store quotes, CREST was a sound choice.”

During his first stint with the company, Ollie created most of the handover documents for his successors. “It was nice to come back and see they are still in use. Speaks very well of the author! I’ve since developed new workflows and improved the way I create drawings. Experiencing the sales side of construction taught me it’s all about rapid editability, sometimes in front of the client. Not having to re-draw everything from scratch every time there’s a variation makes a big difference to how efficiently we can estimate new quotes.”

His career goal is to progress to a full QS role. “I’ve already started training for it. Things like that don’t happen overnight – I’ve still got a long way to go. It helps to have the full support of the team. I always enjoyed that about working at Stancold, and now CREST.”

Ollie is still keen on sports and even ran a half marathon during the pandemic. “My usual favourite disciplines were out of the question: no team sports and limited skiing opportunities. I was a bit bored, so I started running. And took up DJing, of all things.”

Give Ollie a warm welcome as he’s settling back into his seat, this time focusing on all things CREST and estimating your cleanroom & pharma cold stores enquiries.

info@crestcleanrooms.co.uk

Stancold’s Industrial Partitions Division proudly reports yet another new business relationship facilitated by Shaun Jones. We sat down with him to find out what getting to know each other in construction looks like.

“No two projects are the same, even if they look similar on the base level. The market is competitive, so our track record and history help. Getting all the details right is essential, so experience makes all the difference”, Shaun starts. Fire-rating certifications can’t be issued retrospectively. Companies like Stancold exist to take that potential headache out of the equation. “My clients are busy enough with building the sheds themselves… It makes perfect sense to subcontract whitewalls to a specialist contractor.”

Shaun’s latest contract win was two office enclosures in a retail park in Cambridgeshire for a new main contractor we have been quoting for a few years.

“Sometimes timelines don’t align. Sometimes it’s about the locality or framework-dependant. We always do the best we can – there were quite a lot of changes in the design, and we’re still ironing out the details in preparation for September’s start on site”, Shaun continues, as always, mentioning the intricacies of designing steelworks to comply with LPCB regulations. “After securing the contract, quantity surveyors and health & safety specialists exchanged a few emails, as it is with a new client.”

While contract terms vary, H&S assurances are standardised. “Tom Goddard, our SHEQ Manager, has got all our memberships and certifications ready whenever Stancold makes a new company an acquaintance.” The long list can include everything from Stancold’s ISO 90001:2015 and LPS1500 & 1531 certificates through professional memberships like Controlled Environment Building Association, Building Safety Group, SMAS Worksafe & CHAS, and ends on all our environmental assurances confirming our carbon neutral status.

“After a pre-let meeting, the project gets handed over to the contracts & design team to do their part. As far as I’m aware, the two units we will be working in have already been pre-rented to a global distribution company, ahead of the target early 2024 completion.”

The project marks Shaun’s 15th major contract for a principal contractor secured this year, among many other partitioning projects he was involved with.

Repetition makes the master. See what Shaun can do for your warehouse build.

info@stancold.co.uk

One of our Construction Manager’s first tasks was to smoothen project delivery. Rich quickly realised just how much admin goes into Stancold installations. A couple of months later, we brought Jessica in to fill the much-needed role of Project Administrator.

“I’ve never worked in construction prior to Stancold – I’ve got a diploma in dance! I graduated just before the lockdowns, and since there was no work for professional dancers, I found a job in retail,” she says. “I had climbed some steps to a supervisory role, but… I wanted to use my organisational skills better and find a career path I could happily follow.”

The choice wasn’t random. Jessica’s partner works in construction, so she had an idea of what she was getting herself into. “I knew the leap of faith was going to be difficult. I’ve heard all sorts of stories over the years and took it as a personal challenge not to be a part of them! It helps massively to have someone support me and believe in my choices.”

Jessica joined the team to assist our Project Coordinator, Becky, as the contracts we take on get more complex every week. “In my first months, we prioritised things I can do almost automatically whenever a new project pops up. And we’re slowly building these up, as I learn more about the business. It’s rewarding to see how I took some pressure off the team, even though it’s only been three months,” she says, giving us a long list of her daily tasks, which sum up to getting jobs on-site and ordering necessary machinery.

“I might be on the front line, but I am yet to have a bad experience with anyone. The construction industry seems friendlier and more understanding than retail, where it was as if the constant stress had been in the contract.”

At the weekends, Jessica still enjoys dancing, although not in a professional capacity. “I don’t compete anymore, but old habits die hard – I train and exercise regularly to keep the dream of having my own dance studio alive. Maybe one day. But I’m happy where I am at the moment.”

You’re bound to meet Jessica if you’ve got a project with Stancold. She’ll be one of the first contact points for anything site-related and will gladly deal with any delivery queries.

Jessica works on ongoing projects – if you’ve your planning a new one, email info@stancold.co.uk

Patrick Ball, our food industry expert, shares how business models and aspirations influence how Stancold interact with clients, discussing two examples from the past and a related upcoming project.

“Food manufacturing is extremely varied. It’s not only products that vary, though. Based on the nature of our client’s business, some will need handholding and help navigating the construction world. We’d guide them through the feasibility stages, discuss sustainability, energy efficiency and educate them on their options,” he says, giving our case study from last year, where we partnered with a project management company to deliver both internal fit-out and external cladding.

“Our Birmingham job is a perfect example of such an approach. Working together through all the phases of their plans and getting to know and understand their business makes all the difference. And seeing how it helped them take their operations to the next level was a rewarding experience.”

Understanding that, for instance, an artisan cheese maker doesn’t necessarily plan on becoming a supplier for a supermarket chain and will likely need a more futureproof, bespoke design and factoring in their growth forecast is an essential part of our process.

“It is slightly different with companies that aspire to, or already form, someone’s supply chain. They often know their precise needs and sign contracts years in advance. The approach will be more structured and streamlined,” Patrick explains, referring to a project we are due to start at the end of June. It will be our second visit to the Asian cuisine specialist manufacturer’s site (photos from our previous build below).

“While I cannot share specifics, we’ve known their plans for over a year. For them, a new product line meant the specifications would have been similar to what we built in the past. It was more about ensuring they could ramp up the production significantly, working towards a deadline given by their client. And for that, they needed people they could trust,” he sums up.

We’re proud to say that based on the quality of our previous installation, we did most of our pre-construction work with little to no questions asked. That is often the case with companies anonymously manufacturing food products for big, well-known brands. Strategic background work and, most of the time, even technical design – would have happened before involving a construction contractor.

Sam Glover and his installation team are yet to start on-site, but we’re confident the client will be ready to meet their deadline.

Stay tuned for more info. And why not message pball@stancold.co.uk to see what our team can do for your business?

Ben joined Stancold in early 2021, only to find out two days later that he’ll be working for CREST, helping to shape the future of our cleanrooms & pharma cold stores specialist division.

“All the guys had a combined experience of many years building cleanrooms. I haven’t even heard that word before looking at Stancold’s website. ‘No pressure at all’ – I thought,” Ben says. “Every company says apprentices are essential. But most wouldn’t let an apprentice take real ownership of their job role. I appreciate that kind of trust from my more experienced colleagues.”

“As soon as I spoke to Ben about taking on the role within the CREST team, I could tell straight away he was the right man for the job,” says Lee, CREST’s Construction Director. “He has proven this tenfold, developing a real skill for tracking costs, project coordination and implementing live sheets to mitigate any unnecessary losses to the business.”

In the cleanroom industry, one administrative mistake can cause a domino effect and lead to losing time and money. Bob, our Senior Design and Coordination Manager, oversaw Ben’s apprenticeship and can’t say he ever had to step in and control damage. “Honestly, I probably wouldn’t be able to dedicate as much time to design meetings and implementing Revit into our workflow if I wasn’t confident he could handle the admin side of our duo. Fair play to Ben – he put on his big-boy pants quickly. ”

Fast forward to mid-2023, Ben has now finished his apprenticeship. He passed with distinction and continues his involvement with CREST as a fully-fledged Project Coordinator. “It took longer than I expected, everything because of the pandemic. It does feel great to finally get rid of the ‘apprentice’ in my job title. Adds weight and credibility in an industry filled with professionals twice my age,” he says.

What’s next for him? More of the same. Ben has already been learning Revit and all the aspects of the business during his time as an apprentice. “I’ve always said I am wearing the CREST badge with pride. It is my first real job, and I am very fortunate it all clicked on the first try. Excited for more.”

Congratulations, Ben, and thank you.

The CREST & Stancold Family.

Can a fire-rated wall be reconfigured? How would one approach that? What should one be wary of? We spoke to our whitewall specialist, Shaun Jones and our project team, who shared their insights on one of our recently completed contracts.

“In construction, if something sounds too good to be true, you’ll hit a stumbling block at some point! The clients, a fit-out company, were approached by an up-and-coming clothing retailer to add office space to the warehouse they were about to move into. It sounded like a simple alteration until we arrived on site,” says Shaun. Stancold’s job was to cover the undercroft with a 120-minute fire-rated partition so our clients could work on the internals of the offices. The new wall had to match & integrate with the existing system and fire-stopping.

Our construction manager, Rich, took the lead on the project. As our installers were dismantling the cover strips on the edge of the structure, it turned out that there was a gap between the panel and the steelworks, as if someone had cut the panels short.  “You could do that and work around such a design. Fill the gap with sheets of steel or something. They decided to go with timber. Timber. Our team could not believe what they saw,” Rich said, rolling his eyes.

Working on a tight schedule required all hands on deck to coordinate a quick change in the design. Shaun, Rich, and our CAD technician, Jonathan, found a practical solution and amended the plans.

“I cannot think of any reason to use MDF for fire-rated partitions. I cannot see how it passed LPCB certifications. It’s hard to comment on that. I can only say this is why you should hire specialists for such things. I’m glad it’s all fixed and safe now,” Shaun sums up.

Do not risk people’s lives or the safety of your product. Experienced, reputable firewall contractors would not settle for anything less than perfect compliance with the Building Regulations.

When in doubt, we’re happy to assist.

The first step is always to call 0117 316 7000 or email info@stancold.co.uk. We will take care of your project.

No extra work for designers, no back and forth with steelworks contractors, and time and money saved from the minute we start quoting. Big warehouse builds require balancing value engineering and LPCB regulations, which can impact your timeline and budget.

“Most of the time, the building has already been designed and approved, set in stone. Subcontractors must show the highest levels of flexibility,” says Shaun Jones, Stancold’s expert in fire-rated construction. “Our recently expanded team allows me to focus even more on giving main contractors all the support they need. I’ve got a good example of why this change is important.”

The project is a phased build of a new industrial park Shaun has been involved with since last August. “It started quite typically: we found our panels wouldn’t align to the planned steelworks grid. Our involvement is small compared to the big picture, so understandably, firewalls can be an afterthought and a tiny fraction of the whole budget, and we need to make it work.”

Stancold, our client and their steelworks subcontractor worked together to meet the financial and regulatory targets of the first two units. Thanks to the team’s hard work, we secured the next phase, and we are already quoting for phase three, totalling six buildings of varying sizes.

“We had similar input in building the second lot of sheds. We had to start our designs from square one, liaising once again with multiple parties,” Shaun continues. Certifications, buildability, fire ratings, steel layouts, and cost all factor into passive fire protection – expectations & specifications vary between contractors. As always, cooperation is the key to a successful business relationship.

“For phase three, on the other hand, we applied everything we learned about our client’s ways and taught them about ours. The result is a solution that, fingers crossed, will require fewer emails and amendments. We had been working for the client for years, but we had never collaborated this closely.” Units 5 and 6 were designed from the ground up based on our previous findings, aligned to the main contractor’s vision, and optimised for steelworks and partitioning.

While we’re still awaiting the client’s decision, Shaun’s efforts and Stancold’s dedication to the embedded supplier approach to industrial park developments show how a partnership can lead to a win-win situation.

Are you planning a large warehouse build? Work with people who make it easy for you. Contact Shaun at sjones@stancold.co.uk or 07821 152663.

When we think about the food industry, we assume it’s all fridges and freezers. An abattoir, however, would have different requirements than a cheese producer.

“The clients, a fit-out company specialising in high-end offices, needed assistance with a partition separating manufacturing and storage areas. We received the initial enquiry via our firewall quick-quote form and later found out the end user is a sweets manufacturer,” says Patrick Ball, Stancold’s Divisional Development Manager. “Having the in-house expertise in food- & fire-safe fit-outs always works to our client’s advantage – Shaun was the one holding the reins this time.”

Requirements included  LPS 1208 compliance for 120 mins fire rating, alongside a food-safe finish. “As often happens, the insurance company was heavily involved in issuing the firewall specifications. Negotiations were fierce,” says Shaun Jones, our industrial partitioning expert.

“Jokes aside – there is a significant difference in price and build time between 60, 120 and 240-minute ratings, so I always ensure our clients and the end users get what they need without overdoing anything. This considerate approach saves money and time. Works out better for all the parties!”

Having received the initial enquiry, Shaun priced further works within the same facility, due to commence at the end of April. “There is a section in the factory where the end user will house a starch-processing plant. The process generates quite a lot of heat, and the powder is highly combustible. Building a separate enclosure and making it fire-rated is the only logical choice if one is to keep the whole area safe – we were more than happy to help,” he sums up.

Both projects required close cooperation with the architects to work out steelwork details. Stancold’s project manager Rob White visited the site to confirm if up-rating components of the existing structure from FR60 to FR120 was possible.

Our team has started building the 1130 m² partition wall this week, while our designers are finalising the 140 m² starch room’s details for later installation.

Whether you’re a contractor needing assistance with components of a build or a business looking to fulfil fire-rated requirements in your facility, our team is here for you.

Email info@stancold.co.uk or use our firewall quick-quote calculator to get started!

Stancold’s dedicated food projects team are proud to be sponsoring this year’s Environmental Sustainability Award, as part of the annual Taste of the West Awards programme.

As the most prestigious food and drink awards programme in the South West, it has been supporting and promoting key players in the industry for over 30 years. 2023 sees the Environmental Sustainability Award feature for a second year with the aim to celebrate a pioneer in sustainable development for food and drink.

With our business’ roots firmly planted in the South West for over 75 years, the team take great pride in the support it offers to food & drink manufacturers and suppliers across the region. Through interior fit-out design-and-build projects, we continue to work with clients as they rapidly expand and grow their operational capacity. Our ability to provide solutions that future-proof facilities further supports sustainability within food-safe environments.

As part of our own journey towards environmental sustainability, Stancold achieved carbon neutrality in 2022, with a reduction plan now in place and dedicated ‘Carbon Champions’ working to prioritise short-term and long-term sustainability goals.

Thanks to the combined factors above, we’re best positioned to be able to sponsor this award.

For more information on the Environmental Sustainability Award and how to put your food & drink business forward for consideration, take a look here. Entries close on 31st July 2023!

Stevenage was CREST’s most frequently visited place in 2022. Many biotechnology and life sciences facilities have recently appeared on its map – nearly all with pharma cold stores or cleanroom requirements.

“That’s true – Stevenage has felt like a big construction site for a while now. I’m proud to say we participated in a few of these projects over the past years, contributing to what could soon become the heart of Europe’s R&D for life sciences,” says Mark Kendrick, CREST Business Development Director.

“This one landed in our inboxes in mid-2021. We were excited to be working with a new main contractor client, helping them to deliver a part of a significant project  currently in development in the area.”

But it wasn’t until a year later that the end user signed all the contract details. The scope of work was to construct two fully equipped pharmaceutical-grade holding chillers across two storeys, on the first and second floors of the building. Both included a turnkey N+1 refrigeration package with high-specification monitoring system and required a stable temperature of 4°C. Steve Gunning, our Contracts Supervisor, ran the project.

“The main contractor put in an enormous amount of work stripping the internals of the building. Made our job look easy,” he says, mentioning how CREST installers completed the walls in 8 working days, split across three visits.

“Initially, we were only supposed to build the box, install all the refrigeration components and leave the rest to the client,” he continues. “But as it often can be with construction sites, the plans changed, and the team returned for a few hours for a third visit to build over the structure. Long story short, we did slightly more than you can see in the photo. We’re very pleased with the outcome and how we accommodated all the changes, worked around the limited access and our client’s scheduling,” he sums up humbly.

Need a flexible fit-out partner to deliver a cleanroom project or add pharma cold stores to your facilities?

Mark, Steve and their CREST colleagues are here to help. Email mkendrick@stancold.co.uk or call 07585 301425.

An overarching strategy is necessary, even having the most experienced veterans in the industry. We’ve been talking a lot about growth and expansion – one of the first steps to facilitate these was recruiting a Construction Manager to oversee our Food & Industrial Partitions divisions.

“I’ve always been a big picture guy,” starts Rich Chaplin, who joined Stancold last September. “But there was a lot I had to sink my teeth into before I could start thinking about new procedures and streamlining our project delivery. Quickly digesting the processes in place wasn’t an easy task. It took a good couple of months to wrap my head around everything, but thankfully, my team has been most helpful, especially my female voice, Becky!”

Rich managed a few projects to ease his introduction to the company. “I ran M&E contracts, worked with renewable resources, and built top-secret government sites under NDAs… But to be honest, my experience working with Stancold’s range of solutions was limited. It works to my favour, as I get to use what I learned in other sectors, without the we always used to… attitude that plagues the construction industry,” he continues. As our departments grow, Rich’s efforts will let us introduce new team members more smoothly than ever.

“My current goal is to make all our internal operations transparent to improve communications. For example, to move from Outlook to Teams and from Excel to Project. What we’ve got is working perfectly right now, but I can see this being a bottleneck in the future with our plans for 2023. It’s all a process, but we’re getting there!”

He says he’s “pure business – no fun”, but if you ask him why “The Wire” is the best TV show ever or where his favourite surfing spots in the world are – spoilers, Scotland – you’ll instantly notice his eyes go bigger and brighter.

See for yourself – get in touch with us at info@stancold.co.uk. You’re bound to chat with Rich at some point!

Recent years have been a rollercoaster for everyone. Many businesses are now revisiting their postponed expansion plans. One of them, a medical equipment manufacturer, recently contacted Shaun Jones, Stancold’s industrial partitioning expert.

“This is something we quoted a long time ago. September 2021, I think. The client is a well-regarded respiratory devices specialist. They had been busy over the past years, ramping up production every month – there was no time for any construction works,” he says. Stancold’s job was to limit dust from spreading between manufacturing and storage areas by constructing a 370m² division wall.

“The trick here is to separate two areas while ensuring quick access. We’re installing three roller shutters alongside three sets of doors to allow quick access,” Shaun continues. “The factory has to be fully operational while we’re on-site, so the plan is to carry the works out overnight.”

“It’s been almost a year since the original quote, and it’s a completely different market now. I have to say I really appreciate the clients coming back to us after such a long time and going ahead with the project,” he sums up.

Stancold is due to start the installation in April, with Sam Glover managing the project. We’ll keep you posted about its progress!

In the meantime, why not email us at info@stancold.co.uk or check out our quick-quote calculator to see how we can help to optimise your facility?

At Stancold, we engage with dozens of construction tenders every year. With some clients, we price multiple projects before meeting their expectations.

“Naturally, we don’t expect to be awarded every project we quote. It comes down to factors like aligning timelines, our internal capacity or the current prices of materials we use,” says Shaun Jones, our fire-rated partitions specialist.

“It was to my great satisfaction when we won two tenders for a Worcestershire-based main contractor within two weeks, having quoted them for years! Both projects were quoted and procured within six weeks, with an installation completion estimate of 3 months following issuing the PO,” he continues.

When deadlines are tight, Stancold’s proven track record separates us from the competition – our food & fire divisions completed 94 projects in 2022 alone.

Rob White‘s teams have just started working on the bigger, 1250m² installation, while our project coordination team is busy making arrangements for the second project’s planned start in March. Stay tuned for more news!

Are you looking for new supply chain partners? Email info@stancold.co.uk and see how we can help you to deliver your build.

We’re pleased to report yet another completed contract from our industrial partitions team. A long-standing principal contractor, the client needed our services constructing FR-60 walls for a logistics facility.

“Clients approached us to deliver firewalls and ceilings for a future distribution hub in the Birmingham area, which seems to be in shortage of those,” says Shaun Jones, Stancold’s fire-rated partitions expert.

“As we’re moving towards net zero, the industry needs to adapt. It might seem like there are plenty of warehouses dotted around the country, but there is still a great need for more eco-friendly logistics. It forces everyone to think about not only their business’ operating capacity, but also distances between their distribution hubs and other facilities,” he continues.

Shaun first heard about the 10,000m² warehouse in late 2021, but it took a few months to finalise designs and details, given the slight delay and changes we advised for LPCB compliance and cost savings.

“With builds this size, it’s always an exercise of patience and working with our suppliers to hold favourable prices for materials, which is becoming harder every month,” he concludes.

Thanks to Shaun’s 40+ years of experience working in the construction industry, challenges like these are easily manageable. All it takes is our usual approach of always going the extra mile.

To find out how our team can help your partitioning project, email sjones@stancold.co.uk or call 07821 152663.

Stancold’s dedicated cleanroom envelope entity, CREST, are making good progress on site in Nottingham, where they have the second phase of works to undertake for a global consumer goods brand.

Working with a local M&E services contractor as part of the fit-out of four compressing bays within the manufacturing site, CREST are responsible for the design and build of walk-on ceilings across the space, utilising the Puracore cleanroom system, as specified by the client.

A full site survey by CREST’s Contracts Director, Lee Duffield, and Site Manager, John Barrie, was required to assess the scope of works. This allowed them to advise on the orientation of the ceiling in line with necessary suspension and how this would integrate with the addition of loading bays and walkways above.

Coordinating the programme of works in line with other trades working on site has been key to ensure a timely build, where the implementation of two phases has enabled the team to work around the contractors undertaking the build of plasterboard walls.

A complex contract of this nature further demonstrates the vast range of CREST’s capabilities within the construction of highly controlled environments across the UK.

For more information about working with CREST as your cleanroom envelope construction contractor, get in touch with Mark Kendrick on 07585 301425 or send your enquiry here.

CREST’s integrated approach to working with turnkey cleanroom construction contractors over the last decade has enabled the team to demonstrate their versatility as experts in architectural cleanroom envelopes.  

This was no different for one of the team’s latest contracts, where they were required to carry out repairs on an existing client’s cleanroom within automotive manufacturing. Accidental forklift damage can be common on busy sites like this but being able to ensure that the cleanroom’s validity isn’t compromised is a top priority in this situation.

As the cleanroom envelope was originally built by our team in 2019, CREST’s Mark Kendrick had some familiarity with the Oxfordshire site, but it was imperative that a site survey was conducted to assess the damage and understand the requirements to repair.

As a two-storey cleanroom with single-span outer walls, care and attention was necessary when removing the damaged panels and replacing them with new ones, all while the warehouse remained operational.

Repairs were complete and CREST’s team off-site again in less than a week.

CREST’s end-to-end service with clients across the pharmaceutical, medical and advanced manufacturing industries in the UK has demonstrated time and time again. To find out more, get in touch with Mark Kendrick on 07585 301 425.

Stancold’s industrial partitioning team have successfully handed over at a new-build medical facility in Ely, following the design and build of a fire-rated warehouse partition to segment manufacturing and logistics space.

Working with the client’s appointed principal contractor in late 2021, the project was in the safe hands of our industrial partitioning expert, Shaun Jones, who engaged from the early stages. He was able to challenge the proposed specification in relation to the existing steelwork structure and saw it undergo a complete redesign with a new costing exercise. In turn, this meant that the works came in line with the client’s budget.

Stancold’s industrial partitioning team won this tender thanks to competitive costs and our willingness and flexibility to adapt to the changing specification and design to date.

With the adjusted composite wall specification of FR30, Eurobond’s Firemaster remained a sensible panel system selection for the job, along with firestopping, where the build also incorporated multiple door openings for personnel and large doors.

This was a successful opening contract for this large contractor and end client within the medical device manufacturing industry.

To discuss the composite partitioning works for your next tender, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Shaun Jones at 07821 152 663 or through our enquiry form here.

Stancold values having young apprentices as a part of our team. We believe that investing in the development of young talent is not only beneficial for them, but also for the growth of the business’ legacy.

Jessica, Stancold’s youngest team member works as a Sales & Marketing apprentice. Unlike the typical construction worker, she works in the marketing department and spends her day compiling data through LinkedIn, aids in content creation and helps generates new leads.

Since joining the business seven months ago, Jessica stated that as the company grew, so did the team. She said “The dynamic is positive and supportive, and I feel like I’m constantly learning and growing both personally and professionally. I’m excited to see where this experience takes me in the future.”

After leaving school, Jessica was unsure of her next move, but she ultimately found her passion in the marketing industry. She said, “Working within the marketing department has ultimately changed my perception on both self & corporate representation, and how the world revolves around promotion and advertisement. Without a unique portfolio directed at the right audience, your capacity is limited.”

Although she was not sure what to expect when she first started her apprenticeship, she has been pleasantly surprised by the experience. She said, “My role has not only taught me a completely new skill set but walking into my apprenticeship was nothing like I expected it to be.”

The unique nature of Jessica’s job often leads to confusion when she tells people what she does for work. “Whenever someone asks what I do for work I love nothing more than mentioning that I work in construction. 99% of the time the first assumption made is that I’m on a site in a hard hat and hi-vis, it’s hilarious witnessing the confusion as it always seems to throw everyone off!”

Jessica is excited to continue growing in her career and is proud to be a part of the Stancold team.

If you would like to learn more about our group or how we can help with your project, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 0117 316 7000 or submit an enquiry here.