High praise for Burnley convertor, CoolKit

By We Love Creative

28 Jul 2020

vms4.jpg

A leading fleet services group has offered high praise for Burnley refrigerated van manufacturer CoolKit for its rapid response service amid the pandemic.

Due to a large influx of orders, Hertfordshire-based VMS Fleet Management, required external support to help convert vehicles quickly and efficiently and so they called on a long-standing partner they knew they could trust. 

VMS Fleet Management works with a variety of well-known supermarkets in the UK, supplying refrigerated and standard vehicles on both a fully managed and maintained basis.

The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a huge growth in online shopping and home delivery services, meaning fleets needed to expand to fit consumer demand. 

VMS was inundated with requests from both big brand supermarkets and foodservice providers together with smaller operators who were looking to rapidly expand their fleet size and service offering.

VMS had worked with CoolKit on 300 conversions over the last three years and, as the largest convertor of panel vans in country, they knew they would make the perfect partners; if they had the capacity to assist.

Martin James, managing director at VMS said: “CoolKit is a valued, longstanding partner of VMS and we have been working well together for some time now. When Covid-19 hit and our customers came to us for help in expanding their fleet, we were confident that CoolKit could assist us in meeting our customers’ expectations.” 

While CoolKit was operating with a skeleton workforce, they were instantly on board.  

Glenn McCulley, CoolKit’s sales and marketing director, said: “VMS needed a partner who was still open for business and who could carry out builds at speed. We responded as one of the few convertors open and were ready to pull out all the stops to complete the conversions for such a loyal customer.”

VMS sent 80 of the required vans to CoolKit; a mix of Citroen Relays, Renault Masters, Mercedes Sprinters, so that they could convert 10 per week.

Fifty of these vans were to be fitted with the transport refrigeration system Alex Original, for which VMS Refrigeration is the sole UK distributor.

Martin concluded: “CoolKit was able to pull together their teams and work to deliver the required converts to our vehicles, while also keeping their workforce safe in an extremely unprecedented environment. We knew we could rely on them to provide fast, quality services to meet ours and our clients’ needs, and we thank them for mobilising so quickly to assist us.”

The 80 vans converted by CoolKit were distributed by VMS to a wide range of customers including food service businesses, top name supermarkets and online retailers. 

Latest news

1

University recognises adidas curator Gary Aspden

University recognises adidas curator

11 Jul 2025

2

Investment drives growth plan at CoolKit Coolkit Vans

Investment drives growth plan at CoolKit

11 Jul 2025

3

Story Homes submits plans for 140 new homes in Longton Story Homes plans

Story Homes submits plans for 140 new homes in Longton

11 Jul 2025

4

University of Lancashire climbs 14 places in student positivity survey Happy students at ULAN

University of Lancashire climbs 14 places in student positivity survey

10 Jul 2025

5

Forbes Solicitors achieves strong growth and promotes 15 Forbes Solicitors promotions

Forbes Solicitors achieves strong growth and promotes 15

10 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley College University Courses Building, Burnley, BB12 0AN

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past
1750160034867.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:30

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Lancashire Business Day 2025
241122lbvlancashiredaylhp0647web
Networking
27 Nov 2025

Lancashire Business Day 2025

Burnley FC , Burnley, BB10 4BX

12:00 - 17:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin