Question:

Can the ceda membership recommend a small fleet vehicle insurer that they find both at reasonable cost and easy to deal with. We have 10 vehicles and our insurance has more than doubled in the last year.

Replies:

1. Marsh Commercial – ceda Associate – Marsh Commercial – ceda
2. We use NFU and have used them for many years with no complaints although I appreciate that this is not a small vehicle fleet insurer.
3. We use Marsh Commercial for our fleet insurance, but we only have 4 cars.
4. We find these really competitive – https://thompson.insure/
5. We use Marsh Commercial. Speak to Leah Gregory via leah.gregory@marshcommercial.co.uk
6. They can try this one – https://www.bluedropservices.co.uk/
7. We use a company called Ascot Insurance Brokers, they look after us from all our insurance aspects. Contact Jamie Ingham via jamie@aibrokers.co.uk 
8. We use Borland Insurance (Brokers) Edinburgh – AssuredPartners UK now Assured Partners. We have found them very reasonable over the past three years, our premium for this year did increase but it was less than £200.

Question:

I am trying to find a UK supplier for POLIN equipment.

Replies:

1. Brook Food and Bakery Equipment – https://www.brookfood.co.uk/#/
2. Contact ‘Millers Catering Equipment’.

Question:

I am trying to source a fan assisted oven, for education catering, similar to the old Moorwood Vulcan electric ovens.

• 900mm wide
• 230V 6KW, power rating
• 4 x 2/1 GN capacity
• Fan assisted

It is a plain top oven only. Critically needs to be 230V 6KW maximum loading.

Replies:

1. Contact ‘Millers Catering Equipment’.
2. I’m sure Blue Seal do a very similar model from memory.
3. Contact ‘Acme Facilities Group Limited’.
4. Falcon do one the E2102. Spec sheet that includes the E2102 below – E2112-Spec-Sheet.pdf
5. I would definitely recommend a Falcon E3101OTC.

Question:

We have a project on the islands of Turks and Caicos.

We need to purchase equipment, specifically prime cooking equipment.
Single phase 120 volt 60 hz.
Three phase 208 volt 60 hz

We are looking for suppliers that we can place an order with in the UK and have the equipment delivered to our warehouse.

Replies:

1. Contact: Millers Catering Equipment
2. I believe MKN maybe an option
3. Contact: Space Group
4. Contact: Grey Simmonds Food Service Equipment Limited

Question:

I have a request for an under- counter refrigerator, 600mm x 600mm x 750mm high( max height). Stainless steel door, left or right-hand hinge.
This is an unusual height, can anyone supply these – delivery to Manchester?

Replies:

1. Osborne will help with this.
2. Coincidentally I had the same kind of requirement early on in the year – a search which I failed with miserably.
   I couldn’t find one anywhere and ended up using a refrigerated base from Adande which wasn’t ideal but did the job to a certain degree.
3. ceda Member ‘Roland Allen Catering Equipment’ have said ‘You won’t be able to get a 750mm high in UK but we may be able to help.
4. ceda Member ‘Grey Simmonds Food Service Equipment Limited’ may be able to help.

Question:

We’ve been asked by two different clients to provide a CapEx report on their catering equipment; to include depreciation costs as this will help them with their net zero sustainability projections. One area I’m struggling with is determining the life expectancy of various equipment, as I understand this might vary across different manufacturers and I can’t seem to find anything concrete online.

My question being Is, is there a recognised industry standard for the life expectancy of the following equipment.

• Combination ovens, gas/elec
• Fryers, gas,elec
• Fridges/freezers
• Solid top/ open top ranges
• Food processing equipment
• Servery/hotcupboards
• Etc, etc ,etc

Any guidance or resources you can provide would be greatly appreciated, especially in relation to how this might impact sustainability planning.

Replies:

1. There is no known industry standard because there are too many factors that affect life expectancy to generalise.  The following are the factors and some comments.
   • Type of establishment – for example, a school only uses equipment for 3 or 4 hours a day for 5 days a week and is not used for 13 weeks of the year, whereas, a hospital or hotel is using equipment for 3 meals a day and can be in use for 12 or more hours 365 days a year.
   • The brand of equipment – cheaper brands tend to need replacing in as little as 5 years whereas good quality equipment can last 10 or 12 years.
   • The staff – school meals staff are usually well trained and treat the equipment with respect, whereas many restaurant and hotel staff do not respect the equipment.
   • Maintenance – if equipment is regularly checked and maintained, it will last longer than equipment that gets no maintenance other than breakdown repairs.
2. There is work being done to introduce catering equipment into the CICSE TM65 scheme and this will require manufacturers to declare life expectancy amongst other things, however, it is still fairly early in the process.
3. The chairwoman of the TM65 introduction of catering equipment group is Lauren Hunter, and she is happy to have a conversation with you.  She can be contacted at lauren@impact-loop.com

Question:

Are you able to point me in the direction of a company that can supply marine spec bain marie units? Voltages varying from 110/120v 60hz to 415v 3ph 60hz no neutral we have also been asked for 480v in the past.

Replies:

1. This seems like Marine spec. I would get in touch with Moffat or Victor.
2. Try Stuart Russell of CED or Stuart Brereton of MKN.
3. Electrolux Professional – https://www.electroluxprofessional.com/your-business/marine/
4. Marine Bain Marie
   W Christie & Co Ltd is our dedicated marine supply business.
   Bespoke manufacturing is done by R H Morton & Co Ltd RH Morton & Co Ltd – ceda & includes servery counters, hot cupboards & full range of marine stainless steel fabrication.
   This is well represented on rhmorton.com website in the Marine section. We supply commercial supply vessels, ferries, cable layers, dredgers, fishing vessels. –  pretty much anything for the offshore oil & gas industry galleys but not cruise ships.
   We have been undertaking marine work for almost 50 years.
   Enquiries to either our Sales Director – Mark Rodden E: mark@rhmorton.com or Managing Director – Judith Tatham E:  judith.tatham@ntlworld.com

Question:

We are looking for recommendations towards either businesses and/or independent(s), for BIM resource, that provide full turnkey BIM models, and COBIE data for large multi-level projects. Working alongside a leading main contractor, to a set BEP, upon large co-corporate projects, to provide the full BIM, modelled design for the catering aspect. (i.e., various commercial catering appliances, bespoke fabrication, bespoke counters, ventilation canopies, walk-in cold rooms).

Replies:

1. Contact Scobie McIntosh.
2. I have successfully worked with this company on a large project that required Bim and Cobie acad-services.com My contact was Greg Coleman.

Question:

I am looking specifically for a 10-grid gas steamer – a general atmospheric steamer, not a combi. Please can you advise if anyone in the community happens to know something of this description.

Replies:

1. Closest to it would be Falcon and Lincat, I’m not sure there is a 10 available on the market.
2. I would try Falcon or Blue Seal
3. If it’s an atmospheric steamer then Falcon make one.
4. Contact Retigo as they produce a brilliant oven with a decent warranty.
5. Falcon are the only company that still make these, model number G3478.

Question:

We are after an individual or a company who specialise in design and CAD. This would include being involved from the design stage visiting customers premises to measure up and discuss requirements alongside us. This cover would be for the South of England.

Replies:

1. Stangard Design Solutions – contact Mark Harris via mharris@stangard.com
2. Catercall – contact Richard Jeffryes via richard.j@catercall.co.uk
3. Square One Group Ltd t/a Square One Commercial Interiors – contact Lee Martin via lmartin@squone.co.uk
4. Advantage Catering Equipment – contact Nick Plaice ​​​​via nick@advantagecateringequipment.co.uk
5. Space Group – contact Sally Carpenter via scarpenter@spacegroupuk.com