Release No: 5/06

COUNTERFEIT COLD STOP IS NOT THE ANSWER TO THE MAIDEN’S
ENERGY REDUCTION PRAYER

From recent reports in the business and computer press one might assume that product piracy is restricted to the computer market – Microsoft estimates that over half of Microsoft Office users in the UK are using illegal copies and is now suing one software reseller a week in Britain. However, the practice is more widespread than that. For instance, the engineering and motor spares business has been inundated with counterfeit components for years.  But in the food chain?

Feedback from the marketplace has indicated to Seymour Manufacturing that there are illicit versions of its innovative Cold Stop Tempro insulated curtains for chilled store and freezer room doorways being advertised.

Back in the 70’s Brian Seymour, the present company’s Chairman, formulated Tempro®, the first, most thermally efficient thin and flexible insulating material in the world. From it he developed a family of food chain products including pallet covers, containers, cold stores and inflatable cold stores and in the early nineties drew up the first thermal strip curtain.  After 10 years extensive development Cold Stop and it’s associated suspension system reached a marketable stage and was accepted by a leading supermarket as the solution to its issues of heat losses from chilled stores. Subsequently it has installed Cold Stop in all its outlets.  Companies in the food processing and food manufacturing sector are also purchasing in quantities mainly due to the energy savings that can be achieved from their chilled and frozen store operation with Cold Stop’s use but also as a solution to some health and safety issues. 

Brian Seymour has always been plagued by imitators to the point where he now shreds any original sketches of existing and potential new products after receiving reports of two people going through the company waste at night.  More serious still is the fact that evidence exists of somebody trying to hack into the company’s computer server recently.  Fortunately, they could not beat the security system.

“When you see your own products on somebody else’s website, and outrageous claims being made, it is extremely annoying” says Brian Seymour.  “I know that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but……….!  Failing counterfeits give the concept a bad name and do not achieve Cold Stop’s savings of up to 25% in chill stores and up to 35% in freezers.”

“SMI spends large amounts of money on research and development and ensures that all thermal claims are validated by leading research authorities, typically the Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association and the Building Research Institute.  We also develop products in ‘partnership’ with the food industry” he added.

SMI’s Cold Stop is the original Tempro® insulated strip door curtain and patented suspension system for cold rooms and freezer stores and was nominated as Food Processing’s Product of the Year in 5005.  Due to its high thermal efficiency, Cold Stop dramatically reduces cold room energy consumption by allowing optimum settings on evaporator equipment to achieve the internal working temperature for less energy.  This is why the system, the modern alternative to transparent plastic strips, is the only one accepted by the Carbon Trust and is a designated product under the Government’s Enhanced Capital Allowances Scheme where it qualifies for 100% tax relief.

Thermal Protection Perfection.                             Beware the claims of imitators.