Cold Storage for a Pharmaceutical Customer in East Kilbride

A pharmaceutical customer in East Kilbride had reached a critical point with their existing cold storage facilities. They were relying on two ageing coldrooms located on a mezzanine floor. These units had:

• Reached full capacity, restricting operational growth.
• Become inefficient and unreliable due to age.
• Posed compliance risks if they were not replaced in line with MHRA standards.

The customer needed a larger, modern, compliant coldroom that would not only solve their immediate capacity issues but also support future growth. The challenge was delivering a major installation on a mezzanine floor, within a live operational site, while causing minimal disruption.

ICE were chosen to design, supply, install, and commission a new pharmaceutical coldroom that provided both compliance and capacity. Our turnkey approach ensured the customer only needed one point of contact, removing all friction from the process.

Step 1 – Safe Removal of Existing Systems

• Recovered refrigerant from the old coldrooms in line with F-Gas regulations.
• Decommissioned the redundant systems safely.
• Demolished and removed the old insulated panels, ensuring responsible disposal.

Step 2 – Coldroom Design & Installation

We designed and installed a fully insulated coldroom measuring: 17.75m x 7.30m x 3.0m (h) → Cubic capacity: 388m³

Because the coldroom was located on a mezzanine floor, it required an insulated floor system to ensure:

• Proper thermal efficiency.
• A structurally sound and sealed environment suitable for pharmaceutical products.

Key features included:

• Operating temperature: 2–8°C with setpoint of 5°C, fully compliant with MHRA requirements.
• Run and standby refrigeration systems for resilience.
• Pharma-spec control panels with integrated temperature alarms, fault alarms, and door-open alarms.
• Three access points: 1 x automatic sliding door (large enough for pallet access, reducing door opening times), 1 x manual sliding door for conveyor access & 1 x fire door for safety compliance.

Step 3 – Operational Considerations

ICE carefully planned the installation to align with the customer’s operational needs:

• Materials were lifted onto the mezzanine during off-peak times to minimise disruption.
• Room size was made slightly larger than required to allow for future growth.
• The room was designed with a higher 3m ceiling to maximise storage capacity and improve airflow.
• Cooler positions were optimised for best air distribution, ensuring consistent temperature performance across the coldroom.
• Detailed airflow calculations were undertaken to ensure correct spacing between product storage and cooler units, maintaining airflow integrity.

Step 4 – Electrical & Compliance Works

• Full electrical package including mains supply, control wiring, LED lighting, and emergency lighting to required LUX levels.
• Full set of drawings produced to assist with planning and CDM compliance.
• System passed temperature mapping first time.
• Complete O&M manuals and commissioning reports issued at project handover.

The customer now benefits from a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical coldroom that is reliable, compliant, and ready for future growth.

Key results include:

• 388m³ of compliant cold storage capacity, replacing two outdated rooms with one modern solution.
• Insulated floor system that ensures efficiency and compliance on a mezzanine installation.
• Improved operational efficiency, with easier pallet and conveyor access via automatic and manual sliding doors.
• Future-proofing built-in, with extra capacity and a higher ceiling to allow for maximum use of space.
• First-time compliance success, giving the customer peace of mind for MHRA inspections.
• Minimal disruption during works, thanks to careful planning and off-peak material movements.

By choosing ICE, the customer avoided the complexity of coordinating multiple contractors. We delivered a turnkey solution that covered everything from demolition, design, and installation, to compliance validation and handover.

Why Pharmaceutical Customers Choose ICE

• One-stop shop: From safe demolition to installation and compliance, we manage it all.
• Sector expertise: We understand the unique challenges of pharmaceutical cold storage.
• First-time compliance: Our systems consistently pass MHRA temperature mapping.
• Built for growth: We don’t just solve today’s problems — we design with tomorrow in mind.
• Trusted partner: Many leading pharmaceutical sites rely on ICE for installation and ongoing maintenance.