12/12/2025 - Pickstock, Telford


I had the great pleasure of speaking with Nick and Joe to ask questions about how our thermal insulative curtains have been performing since they were installed at their site in Pickstock, Telford.

Nick & Joe had both worked in the past with SMI and were so happy with the product, they continued business with SMI for just under a decade! 

When I asked about energy savings, internal monitoring at each installation site showed significant and immediate improvements to energy efficiency and usage. 

"You can see results in minutes!" Said Engineering manager, Nick Insull.

This saving was not just in energy saved for keeping cold but was also useful back at Walkers Chocolates Limited where temperatures needed to be kept warm enough to keep the chocolate warm and malleable enough to shape and form inside the factory without cooling. 
As energy costs are expected to still rise, the savings accrued will likely compound and provide increasing returns as time goes on. 

A concern of mine was how well the windows resisted frost and humidity from preventing a clear view to the other side but I was glad to hear that this was not an issue experienced across the installed curtains. 

Towards the end of the interview, we discussed a major concern for industrial abattoirs and food storage facilities: meeting FSA (Food Standards Agency) approval requirements. When stock loses its temperature, even for a short period, this can impact the rating the FSA assigns to the quality of the stored meat and, by extension, the price at which it can be sold.

One misstep could affect £100k+ worth of stored product, causing it to drop in value if its temperature shifts during storage. In an increasingly monitored industry, our curtains help to minimise this risk, allowing abattoirs to trust that their product will maintain its FSA rating and achieve the best possible price when sold.

Luke Seymour: Administrative Assistant
Nick Insull: Engineering Manager
Joe Szpalek: Technical Manager