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Key Project

Our advanced indemnified design allowing for the accurate and automated means for monitoring and mapping temperature in blood storage and blood processing areas was pivotal  in ACE Refrigeration securing the contract for the West of  Scotland Blood Transfusion Centre at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow.

Expertise

Established in Glasgow in 1951, our knowledge, breadth of experience and professional indemnity set us apart from others and enable us to have a very flexible approach to projects and working partnerships. Our previous experience in the design and installation of specialist laboratory rooms for the NHS, pharmaceutical companies and universities was also crucial in securing this contract in 2001, for 33 refrigeration and air conditioning installations including 14 cold rooms, freezer rooms and an incubation room.

Standards

The requirement for refrigerated storage comprised of eight +4°C rooms, four -30°C rooms with -20°C ante rooms and two -40°C rooms with -20°C ante rooms. Given the delicate nature of the blood products stored here, temperature control was paramount so the design incorporated security of operation with 100% standby plant.

Service & Maintenance

Since 2001, ACE Refrigeration has also been responsible for the service and maintenance of the West of Scotland Blood Transfusion Centre, the result being only one compressor failure out of the 33 separate systems installed in more than 10 years.  The support provided to maintain the cold rooms at their optimum performance has been tailored to meet the Blood Transfusion Service Quality Management Systems. Four preventative maintenance visits are completed each year with corresponding documentation reflecting the works performed also completed at each visit.

In addition, emergency support is available at all times. Also included at the Gartnavel facility are

-80°C freezer cabinets, an ice flaker and a plasma freezer, all requiring planned maintenance at a level of two visits per annum. Again emergency support is also available.

What the Customer Has To Say…

Robert Howieson, National Engineering Services Contract Manager for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, said “The objective of ensuring there is continuity of operation with respect to refrigeration has been met unequivocally.

“Obviously there have been benefits in contracting the maintenance work to the company that completed the original installation but this does not detract from the fact that the company is well managed and the engineers are competent and experienced.”