On November 8, 2021, we welcomed Hydropac as part of Coolpack and De Ridder BV. Since September this year with a new General Manager at the helm: Stephen Fieldhouse. Together with the passionate team in the United Kingdom and of course the Coolpack colleagues in Assendelft, he has the mission to continue the growth of Hydropac.
Hydropac: a company that keeps on going
Hydropac was founded in 2001. The background of the company lies in engineering and machine construction: the self-developed and optimized machines at Hydropac’s site produce ice packs with a unique sealing method. Initially, the company focused on retail products such as custom wine and bottle coolers, beverage coolers and ice packs for the food and medical markets. The company has grown and now tens of millions of ice packs roll out of the machines on a yearly base.
When you enter the building in High Wycombe, near London, you immediately notice the lab where R&D work is done. Here, products are tested every day under various conditions and new products are being developed. Think of the innovative EasiFreeze ice packs, which have a melting point of -16 degrees Celsius. Or accurately measuring the insulation values of different packaging boxes. Furthermore, the team, no matter how busy they are, will always take time to answer your questions with a smile. Whether you are a customer or a colleague, the service level is sky-high.
Collaborations between the Coolpack and Hydropac teams
Since the addition of Hydropac to the De Ridder group, just over a year ago, great collaborations have arisen. There is a lot of contact between colleagues and the transfer of knowledge is enormous. This is reflected, for example, in the field of Phase Change Material product solutions, insight into sustainability factors and combined forces in the field of marketing. “I am very happy and proud with the addition of this beautiful, successful company with wonderful customers. By combining expertise and experience, we can continue to grow together and serve the cold chain market even better,” Hans Baars, Managing Director of De Ridder BV, tells.
General Manager Stephen Fieldhouse
Stephen Fieldhouse will continue building the success of the business together with a great team. “I already knew Bunzl and I admire the business model, in which there is a lot of room for entrepreneurship. In my opinion, Hydropac is unique due to the growth market in which the company operates and the enormous added value that we provide with our products in terms of quality retention of products during transport,” says Stephen.
When we ask him what benefits he experiences from being part of the De Ridder group and Bunzl group, he doesn’t hesitate for a second. “For me, it’s the people that make it a success. They made me feel so welcome from the start and give me the freedom to drive Hydropac’s growth together. I receive support from highly respected entrepreneurs. There is a can-do mentality in our team and values such as integrity, which are also in line with my personal values, are important.”
A promising future
Stephen wants to work with the team to ensure that Hydropac becomes and remains the very best at what they do. He firmly believes in the power of teamwork and sees many opportunities in data-driven methods. We are very happy with the arrival of Stephen and look forward to a promising future and further expansion of internal collaborations. Would you like to know more about Hydropac? Have a look at the website.
