Osborne Refrigerators
Ltd - A Brief History
1960s
The company is founded on 5th February
1960 and incorporated on 2nd March 1961. Situated in Merchant
Street and later West Street, Bognor Regis, Osborne
Refrigeration and Engineering Ltd starts producing specialist
refrigerators for fish storage and chilled bottle shelf units
for the licensed trade. The decision to use polystyrene panels
for insulation as opposed to polyurethane foam is made, which
will have far reaching consequences in later decades when
polyurethane foams are shown to have serious environmental
implications. In March 1966, the factory is relocated to the
current site, an old wood yard in Rose Green Road. |
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1970s
The range of refrigerators expands to
include units for general storage of food and drink. Towards the
end of the decade, the company is the first to introduce the
idea of glass door refrigerators to the UK. The display of
chilled bottled beer in pubs and bars is born. In 1976 the
company name is shortened to the simpler Osborne Refrigeration
Ltd to stress the nature of the company as a manufacturer. |
1980s
Budweiser arrives in the UK, helping to
revitalise the British chilled beer industry. Osborne are
perfectly placed to supply specialist screen printed
refrigerators for Budweiser and the new glass doored
refrigerators for the likes of Bass. The company earns a well
deserved reputation for the exceptional build quality,
reliability and performance of it’s products.
The resulting boom in sales requires
greater production capacity and a series of extensions to the
factory is begun. Over the next two decades the factory
floorspace is increased fourfold, with huge investments in new
plant and machinery. The fleet of delivery vehicles is increased
to cope with the demand and separate office facilities are also
constructed within the site. |
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1990s
The company continues to expand, exporting
units across the world to markets including Europe, South
America, Australia and New Zealand. In August 1991 Osborne
introduce the new “ozone friendly” refrigerant, R134a, and by
December become the first company in the UK to roll it out
across the entire range. The rest of the industry are soon
forced to catch up. In 1994 the company name is altered to
Osborne Refrigerators Ltd. The change, although subtle, is
designed to highlight the company’s role as a manufacturer
rather than refrigeration engineers. The increased requirement
for storage space leads to the purchase of adjoining land to
provide an increased warehousing facility. On the main site, the
offices are relocated to their current position, providing an
improved office environment, a proper product showroom and an
open plan area to the rear which can be utilised for exhibition
planning and product photography as well as storage. This new
building also incorporates a purpose-built test room, used for
research and development of new products and comparative testing
of competitor’s products. |
2000 – 2008
With the increasing prevalence of cheap,
low-quality imports, Osborne continue to concentrate on quality
and value for money rather than cheapness. The company’s
excellent reputation is further enhanced by the longevity of
it’s products. It’s clear that large numbers of refrigerators
originally supplied in the mid eighties and early nineties are
still going strong, a record frequently not met by the rest of
the industry. As the decade rattles on, the company continues to
invest in research and development as it seeks new areas for
expansion. Osborne Refrigerators Ltd remains as one of the few
“British” manufacturers still actually wholly based in the UK
and are proud to be so. |
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2008
Those shrewd property investments over the
preceding decades pay off dividends. The sale of part of the
site allows for the construction of a completely new factory and
offices and investment in cutting edge manufacturing plant.
Designed with the environment in mind, the new offices make best
use of natural light, cutting the lighting bill alone by some
80%. The most important decision was to keep the new investment
here in the UK. Osborne Refrigerators have no plans to go the
way of so many "British" companies and maintain only a shell
sales presence in the UK whilst moving all production abroad.
That, somehow, wouldn't be British! |
2010
50 years ago this year, Osborne
Refrigerators was born. We have big plans for for our Golden
Anniversary year, particularly on the low-energy cabinet front
so, watch this space.... |
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