W McClure

Overview

W McClure, a fine food wholesaler based in Windermere, has achieved £37,000 in annual savings by optimising its refrigerated van fleet with CoolKit. Through partnering with us, McClures has achieved greater efficiency, sustainability, and profitability.

“Our partnership with CoolKit has been a game changer for our fleet efficiency and bottom line. A £37,000 annual saving is a significant boost, it’s essentially the cost of a new van in just a year.”

Jeremy Cowan, Transport Manager at W McClures

The Background

McClures began trading in 1945, initially selling Morecambe Bay shrimps from a hand cart in Kendal.

A business that first sold, and now delivers thousands of product lines around the country, has added £37,000 to its annual profit margins thanks to its CoolKit-converted van fleet. Today, it supplies thousands of fine food products across the UK to schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and care homes.

Sunce 2017, McClures has partnered with CoolKit, the UK’s leading specialist in temperature-controlled light commercial vehicles, to modernise its delivery fleet.

The Challenge

McClures needed a reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective way to deliver both chilled and frozen goods efficiently. The company faced increasing pressure to control costs, reduce environmental impact, and maintain food safety standards during multiple-drop deliveries.

As a leading supplier of fridge and freezer vans to the food and drink industry, we understand the unique challenges businesses like McClures face.

“Plus being able to maximise payload means we use fewer vans, that reduces fuel consumption and lowers our environmental footprint, aligning with our commitment to sustainability.”

Jeremy Cowan, Transport Manager at W McClures

Innovation in Fleet Design

CoolKit was the first converter in the UK to introduce CurtAir – a compact, effective and invisible curtain in the load space, to isolate the cold air inside the van from the ambient humid air outside during door openings.

“A third of our deliveries are frozen goods and two-thirds are chilled. The air curtain ensures that all of our goods are delivered in perfect order,” Jeremy added.

The Outcomes

To address McClure’s issues, we provided a bespoke fleet solution which involved the use of our signature ‘Air Curtain’.

• Improved Vehicle Access: The Air Curtain provides unobstructed entry and exit, which is essential for multi-drop deliveries, saving time and physical effort.
• Enhanced Health & Safety: Health and safety is improved through clear visibility and accident prevention. It also maintains hygiene by keeping out dust, dirt and insects.
• Temperature Retention: The air curtain also maintains internal temperature effectively, preserving perishable goods and reducing strain on the refrigeration system, leading to lower energy consumption and costs.

By working with McClure on a tailored end-result, we helped them achieve:

• £37,000 Annual Cost Savings: Achieved by reducing fleet size while keeping the same delivery volume, saving £150 per day based on data from both companies.
• Maximised Payload Efficiency: Fewer vehicles on the road reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, supporting sustainability goals.

“It’s great to see McClures achieve such impressive savings and efficiency gains with our solutions. Their success is a perfect example of how CoolKit’s innovations deliver real value—both financially and operationally. We’re proud to support their fleet and look forward to continuing our partnership.”

Mark Beaton, Account Manager at CoolKit

Jeremy said: “We deliver to customers who have commercial kitchens such as schools, hospitals, care homes, restaurants and hotels. So, being part of a robust supply chain, controlling the different temperature of our deliveries in the various parts of the vehicle especially when the door is being opened and closed is vitally important and CoolKit conversions serve our needs perfectly.

“Coolkit’s designs and processes have evolved since we placed our first orders eight years ago – and every time we deal with the team, they are able to adapt to our tweaks and needs.

“CoolKit always build to the brief that we require and the relationship we have with their sales account manager Mark Beaton is very good. He is quick to reply to our calls and drops in to see us whenever he is in the area.”

McClures will continue its relationship with CoolKit into 2025 by upgrading its fleet with four new vans from MAN TGE.