Caithness freezer name lives on – in England
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NORFROST freezers are to be produced again – but in the north-east of England rather than in the north of Scotland.
The brand name – made famous by the manufacturing firm set up by Alex and Pat Grant in Castletown over 40 years ago – is to continue.
It will be used by the Durham-based company, Ebac, which purchased the operating equipment, assets and intellectual property, including the Norfrost brand, from Icetech Freezers when it went into liquidation last year.
Ebac, which manufactures dehumidifiers and water coolers, bought another factory near its existing base in Durham to house the freezer equipment.
“Production will be under way shortly and we are extremely confident we can make it work,” said appliance product manager Joanne Vipond.
“We are looking at different strategic options and will be focusing on the UK market which we know very well. We are trying to get previous freezer retailers back on board. There has been a gap in supply because of Icetech’s problems but we are starting to make inroads there,” she told the John O’Groat Journal.
Ms Vipond said Norfrost freezers can already be purchased online.
“We bought a few thousand freezers which had been produced by Icetech and they are available for sale on the Norfrost website. They have been doing okay,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Ebac’s bid to diversify into freezer production using the Icetech equipment will be the subject of a television documentary next week.
The programme focuses on the company’s plans to transport tons of equipment from Castletown to Durham, build a new production line and relaunch the chest freezer brand Norfrost.
Former director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and ex-minister of state for trade and investment Digby Jones acts as troubleshooter. He offers analysis and advice but asks some tough questions.
Digby Jones wonders how Ebac thinks it can succeed when other British white goods manufacturers have found it very difficult because of foreign competition.
The programme, called Digby Jones: The New Troubleshooter, can be seen on BBC Two on Thursday at 8pm.
Norfrost was founded in 1972 by Alex and Pat Grant and quickly established itself as one of the largest and most successful manufacturers in the Highlands.
After 33 years in business, Norfrost went into receivership in May 2005 with more than 70 employees losing their jobs. The business was subsequently taken over by John G. Russell (Transport) Ltd under the trading name Icetech Freezers Ltd.
In April 2008 more than 20 jobs were shed following a downturn in orders. That reduced the payroll to 85.
But the business never recovered from the loss of a major order from electrical retailer Comet, which went into administration last year owing Icetech £900,000.
Icetech tried to find other outlets but was unable to compensate for the loss and went into liquidation.
An Irish firm was interested in taking over the Castletown factory but was unable to agree terms with Russell’s which had invested around £8 million in the business.
The plant and equipment was then sold to Ebac. The Icetech building remains empty although the Murrayfield site is used as a base by other companies.
