A wealth of innovation will be on display at Cold Chain Hub

Exhibitors at Cold Chain Hub 2024, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC on 9 & 10 October, are preparing an exciting line-up of products and services to showcase to visitors.

Cold Chain Hub will showcase innovation from across the cold supply chainCold Chain Hub is supported by the Road Haulage Association and organised by the team behind TCS&D magazine, a leading publication for the temperature-controlled supply chain. “The show will be 30% bigger than last year’s event,” says Martyn Cogan, Event Director, “and will highlight innovation from across the industry.” 

First-time exhibitor, RIS GreenChill specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of bolt-on clean energy power packs for vans, trucks and trailers. Providing electric power to run refrigeration units and other ancillaries, the solutions are fridge-agnostic and cover a range of vehicle sizes, makes and models. The solar-electric, solar-kinetic and fridge-battery systems can all be retrofitted, helping transport operators to accelerate their decarbonisation journey. RIS GreenChill will be displaying one of its solar-electric systems on a trailer on its stand (D15), in collaboration with Dawsongroup Truck & Trailer. “We are also promoting a special offer at the show,” says Fiona Cropper, Operations Director. “Our range of optional features – including our newly launched fridge-battery system and worth a considerable sum – will be offered free to all enquiries placed during the show that lead to sales.” The company will also be promoting its purpose-built installation facility at Clay Cross in the East Midlands, which opened recently. “Installations can be turned round quickly and efficiently, ensuring that vehicles are off the road for a minimal amount of time,” adds Fiona.

Pulleyn will be showcasing its temperature-controlled and specialist transportation services on its stand (E25). Operating throughout the UK, Europe and beyond, the company not only serves the food sector but also handles pharmaceuticals and more unusual products, such as works of art and laboratory equipment. Pulleyn, which also has extensive storage facilities at its site in Reading, is now part of CubeCold, a pan-European cold storage platform. “We will be displaying one of our articulated vehicles in the outside area at the show,” says Tom Wakefield, Warehouse Manager and Director at the company. “This will feature a Mercedes Actros tractor unit and Chereau twin-temperature trailer with Carrier Vector fridge system. We offer a whole host of services – from transportation and storage to blast freezing, overpacking and product disposal – and our team will be ready to chat to potential customers about their precise requirements.”

Construction company, Cold Clad will be showcasing its range of building envelope and fire wall systems on stand D34. The firm specialises in building temperature-controlled environments such as food manufacturing or preparation facilities, chilled or frozen stores and distribution centres, as well as LPCB-accredited, fire-rated structures. “We also provide a complete package for the building’s external envelope,” says Tony Harrold, Managing Director, “including insulated roofing and cladding products. Cold Chain Hub is a good fit with our business, as many visitors have a need for our solutions and expertise. It’s also a great environment for us to learn about new opportunities for business development.” 

Rack Collapse Prevention will be promoting its safety systems for warehouse pallet racking on stand P6. The patented solution prevents racking collapse by connecting the racking frames with suspension cables from the building’s steel superstructure. When this is not suitable, a secondary steel structure can be installed to support the cables instead. The system not only prevents racking collapse – thereby protecting workers from injury and inventory from damage – but also reduces insurance premiums. Rack Collapse Prevention will also be informing visitors about its innovative Spy Rack safety system, which monitors pallet racking impacts and sends alerts via a smartphone app. By recording data, the app helps to identify weak areas and impact hotspots. “Cold Chain Hub is an ideal venue to showcase our products,” says Craig Attwell, the company’s Founder, “because our solutions are ideal for any storage facility with pallet racking, including chilled and frozen environments.”

CoolKit, the UK’s leading refrigerated van specialist, will return to Cold Chain Hub to showcase its extensive range of products and services. “We’re coming back because this event gives us a unique chance to connect directly with the key people in our industry,” says Cameron Javed, Head of Technical Sales. “It’s the perfect platform to showcase what we’ve been working on in the past 12 months.” Visitors to stand G30 will discover CoolKit’s latest offerings, including in-house designed and manufactured van conversions, rigid insulated box bodies, conversion kits and a UK first: a groundbreaking refrigerated van conversion with innovative features. A range of Melform portable refrigerators will complete the lineup. These units are ideal for businesses needing to transport chilled, frozen or hot goods without converting a full vehicle. “As the exclusive distributor of Melform in the UK and Ireland, we’re proud to provide solutions that serve a wide range of industries, from pharmaceuticals and groceries to specialised services, such as water sampling,” explains Cameron. With capacities ranging from 21 to 1,350 litres, we have a unit for every requirement.” 

Cold Chain Hub welcomes new exhibitor, Asset Alliance Group – the UK’s leading provider of specialist asset finance – to stand D25 at the show. “We will be delighted to welcome commercial vehicle operators to our stand,” says Jordana​​​​ O’Reilly, Head of Brand, “to find out more about our contract hire, operating lease, hire purchase and rental solutions for the temperature-controlled sector.” Asset Alliance Group is an award-winning, multi-location business with over 5,000 vehicles under management. The company is also one of the largest buyers from the leading truck and trailer manufacturers, currently procuring more than £100m of assets each year. “We are also very proud to be sponsoring the Customer Service category at the TCS&D Awards,” adds Jordana, “which will recognise the temperature-controlled operator who has really made a difference in the sector.”

Celebrate at the TCS&D AwardsThe annual TCS&D Awards will be held alongside Cold Chain Hub. Now in its 11th year, the awards evening will take place on Wednesday 9 October at the nearby National Motorcycle Museum. Main sponsor for the TCS&D Awards is cleantech company, Sunswap, while the pre-dinner drinks reception is being sponsored by Dawsongroup truck and trailer, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. “The awards are now closed for entries,” says Martyn Cogan, Event Director, “and the Judging Panel are making their eagerly awaited decisions. The awards evening is always a special opportunity for our industry to come together and celebrate achievement and innovation in a number of categories.” Firms interested in attending the TCS&D Awards should contact Martyn on 07545 378793 or visit www.tcsdevents.com.

Visitor registration now open!Professionals in the industry who want to discover the latest technologies for the temperature-controlled supply chain can now register for free to visit Cold Chain Hub 2024. In addition to the event’s free-to-attend conference streams – Refrigerated Transport (sponsored by Petit Forestier) and Cold Storage – visitors will experience a wide range of innovative solutions, both inside the exhibition hall and in the outside display area. Other major industry brands exhibiting at the show include Carrier Transicold, Gray & Adams, Longhurst Refrigeration, Montracon, Paneltex, Petit Forestier, Solomon, Sunswap, SSI Schaefer and Tiger Trailers. The full list of exhibitors at #TCSD24 can be viewed on the show’s website.