Supporting South West Food and Drink Producers | Taste of the West & Stancold

Posted on February 27, 2025 by Dan Bartfield

At Stancold Food Projects, we’re proud to partner with Taste of the West to champion South West food and drink producers. Together, we’re building a stronger local economy, creating opportunities for businesses to thrive, and supporting the vibrant food and drink community that defines the region.

In the above video, discover how our collaboration combines Stancold’s expertise in food-safe environments with Taste of the West’s mission to promote the best of South West food and drink.

Learn more about Taste of the West.

Explore Stancold Food Projects offering to Taste of the West members.

OUR HISTORY

1946

Creation of Rowland Adams Metals Ltd, Bristol

A partnership between Mr Adams and Mr Rowland, two metalworker friends back from the war. Over the years, they became one of the first companies in England making cork filled coldroom panels that were sandwiched between timber frames and vapor repellent faces infilled with rope fibres, bitumen and caulk to create a seal.

1979

Name change to Stancold Coldstore Construction

Where the name originated from is a combination of urban legend and myth. Some say it was the idea of an installer called Stan, some say it was a “clever use” of the concept of 'Standing in the Cold'. However we got here, we are proud of our roots!

1988-1997

The Gillham family steps in

Mervyn Gillham came from a different field and saw the potential within Stancold to become a leading company in this specialist marketplace. In 1997, his son Kevin Gillham joins the team.

1999

Stancold acquires Mercury Coldrooms

Stancold becomes one with the well reputed local coldstore business, Mercury Coldrooms, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a great team of people to the company. Today, the majority of the senior management team of Stancold and our top project managers are originally from Mercury.

2000

New HQ

As a result of rapid expansion, Stancold moves into a new 2600 m² building conveniently located just off the M4 motorway in Avonmouth. This exciting change has allowed us to consolidate all teams, knowledge and resource into one central hub, whilst being able to effectively cover the whole of the UK and beyond.

2001

From father to son

Mervyn Gillham retires at a young age to a warm country with a cold beer. His son, Kevin Gillham, takes over as Managing Director and remains to this day.

2002

Gilcrest Group

Gilcrest Group is established with a separate manufacturing division to provide specialist composite panels to the broader market whilst supporting Stancold's continued development.

2002-2015

Stronger team and offering

Stancold strengthens its team and offering to the market by introducing innovative uses of insulated panels for other applications such as firewalls. Throughout the recession, Stancold remained profitable and retains all the key personnel who make the business what it is. A core of staff at this time have been in the same business for 20 years.

2015-2020

Cleanroom Development

Demonstrating resilience amidst Brexit uncertainty and a worldwide pandemic, Stancold preserves its strong financial status and diversifies our offering further. Where we saw an increase in demand from clients for more technically challenging projects, including cleanroom envelopes and humidity-controlled facilities, a specialist team was formed within the business.

2021 – 2025

Complex Project Delivery

Stancold increasingly demonstrates design-and-build envelope solutions for demanding applications across the UK, such as battery manufacturing facilities, nuclear establishments and major pharmaceutical expansion projects.

Present

Strength to Strength

Ahead of the next stage of strategic growth and investment, the company restructures, introducing Chris Honer as CEO, supported by a Senior Management Team that aligns expertise across every stage of the customer journey. This reflects a clear intent to build on strong foundations, sector diversification and continued investment in people, innovation and operational strength.

ACCREDITATIONS

BRE - UKAS; ISO 9001:2015

BRE Global provides independent, third-party certification of fire, security and environmental products and services. ISO 9001:2015 ensures that our customers get consistent, good quality products and services.

SafeContractor

The SafeContractor scheme is designed to review and audit the health and safety policies, procedures and documentation of contractors giving our clients continued piece of mind.

LPS 1500

This standard defines the requirements for companies installing fire resisting compartment systems approved by LPCB to the requirements of LPS 1208 – LPCB fire resistance requirements for elements of construction used to provide compartmentation.

Constructionline

Constructionline is the UK’s leading procurement and supply chain management service that provides efficiency savings by reducing risk, creating cost efficiencies and helping buyers engage with new suppliers.

CHAS Accredited Contractor

CHAS is a pre-approval scheme run by the Government assessing suppliers' conformity with Health and Safety laws. It saves both time and resources for buyers when looking for the right supplier.

Cold Chain Federation

The voice of the temperature-controlled supply chain in the UK, the federation is the leading source of information, advice and guidance for businesses within the industry.

FPA

The Fire Protection Association (FPA) is the UK's national fire safety organisation who work to and identify the dangers of fire and the means by which their potential for loss is kept to a minimum.

Builder’s Profile

Gives main contractors the opportunity to receive our up-to-date pre-qualification profiles and gives confidence that your supply chain is up-to-date and meets your insurance and health and safety responsibilities.

BSG Membership

BSG help us minimise the risk of accidents in the workplace and keep us up to date and compliant with all health, safety and environmental regulations.

Taste of the West

We are proud to support Taste of the West, a unique membership organisation for food and drink businesses across the South West. Stancold are Taste of the West's Preferred Partner for Food Factory Fit-Out.

Taste of the West Awards Sponsor

In line with our goal to support food and drink producers in the South West, we are very pleased to be sponsors of the 2025 Taste of the West Awards.