History
Labcold was founded in 1932 as Boro Dairy Laboratories and Appliance Company Limited. Originally the primary business was to provide a laboratory analytical service to London’s small dairy suppliers in the capital in addition to the odd piece of laboratory equipment.
During WW2 the analytical laboratory suffered a decline as small dairies ceased to exist and free national testing of milk was available, however, after the war the laboratory turned to testing ice cream and the company became appointed analysts to the Ice Cream Alliance.
In 1946 the company moved to Catford, and in the following years closed the analytical laboratory to further develop its growing laboratory equipment business, including supplying specialist temperature control equipment for the medical, food, pharmaceutical and life science related applications. The company shortened its name to Boro Labs to reflect this change of direction.
In 1974 the company relocated to Aldermaston to be closer to its customers which included the Milk Marketing Board, Heinz, Associated Foods, AWE Aldermaston and the NHS. By this time Boro Labs was gaining a growing reputation for the supply of Ultra Low Temperature Freezers, Sparkfree laboratory refrigerators and freezers and blood banks. These products were all sold by the growing ‘Labcold’ division of the company, which out grew other areas of the company including LabHeat, which sold autoclaves and the general laboratory equipment division.
In 2007 Borolabs was renamed Labcold to reflect the expertise and reputation of our medical and scientific refrigeration. It also coincided with the company’s 75th Anniversary. From then on Labcold concentrated on supplying, manufacturing and maintaining our growing ranges of quality medical and scientific refrigerators designed from the ground up for a variety of specialist applications in healthcare, laboratories and industry.
This change of direction was so successful that December 2012 saw Labcold celebrate not only their 80th year in business but starting to look for even larger premises to house the rapidly expanding business and in December 2013 we moved to our current location in Chineham Park – after we’d significantly extended the building that is. In 2023 with demand for Labcold products still increasing we took on even more warehouse space in Chineham Park.
The Products
Today, Labcold is well established as a leading UK specialist manufacturer and supplier of medical and laboratory refrigerators and freezers. Labcold products have developed a reputation with large corporate and medical establishments for being safe, secure and reliable. We were the first UK manufacturer to gain ISO 13485 medical device certification for our blood storage products and Labcold blood bank refrigerators can be found in most UK hospitals, complemented by a variety of other temperature related products for a blood transfusion department use such as platelet agitators, plasma freezers and reagent refrigerators.
In 2012 Labcold launched the all new IntelliCold® range of pharmacy refrigerators with a range of new features including integral data logging and alarm battery back-up. These pharmacy fridges have since become the preferred brand for a number of organisations due to their 24/7 automatic data recording, digital lock option and alarm battery back-up. At a time when most UK business halted investment, 2019 saw Labcold release an updated range of IntelliCold® refrigerators with a new touch screen controller designed to be easy to keep free of microbes and to prevent the settings being change inadvertently.
In 2022, our 90th year, we also launched a new range of Sparkfree ATEX refrigerators and freezers with an interior which is licensed as a Zone hazardous area under 2014/34/EU (ATEX Directive) in order to store products which are classed in explosion group IIB+H2 and temperature class T6 under 2014/34/EU (ATEX Directive).
As you would expect, all Labcold products are CE or UKCA marked to confirm they comply with current EC safety and other directives and are manufactured in accordance with our ISO9001 certification.
The Service
Customer service forms the cornerstone of Labcold’s continuing competitive advantage. An integrated manufacturing, maintenance and repair facility allows customers to benefit from rapid deliveries and regular servicing. Accredited service engineers are on hand to commission units on site and deal with any queries about operation. All installation problems are dealt with quickly and efficiently, with an Account Manager from Labcold conducting site surveys to ensure the best and safest route of entry into the building. Our account managers are happy to liaise with project managers, builders and contractors to ensure that all projects, no matter how large or small, are completed with minimum disruption and within timescales agreed.
Labcold is also an accredited UKAS temperature calibration laboratory no:8898. In our first full year we calibrated almost 5,000 refrigerators and freezers on customer sites and after manufacture.
The Future
Over the years, Labcold has seen a significant growth in equipment sales into medical, pharmaceutical and biological science related laboratories. Sales through U.K. and export distributors have complemented supply through our own specialist sales forces. With repeated success in winning major contracts to supply new hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, as well as routine purchases of fridges, freezers and incubators, Labcold continues to see turnover increasing steadily with growth of products and services providing scientists with the best possible solution to their temperature control and monitoring requirements now, and well into the future.
Over the years, Labcold has seen a significant growth in equipment sales into medical, pharmaceutical and biological science related laboratories. Sales through U.K. and export distributors have complemented supply through our own specialist sales forces. With repeated success in winning major contracts to supply new hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, as well as routine purchases of fridges, freezers and incubators, Labcold continues to see turnover increasing steadily with growth of products and services providing scientists with the best possible solution to their temperature control and monitoring requirements now, and well into the future.
