09 May 2024
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The site of the new Airedale manufacturing plant in Bradford
Critical cooling specialist Airedale by Modine has bought a 14.6 acre site in Bradford to open a third UK manufacturing plant alongside its existing sites in Leeds and Consett.
The company says the move is in response to industry demand for sustainable, high-quality data centre cooling systems across Europe and beyond. The new site, on the outskirts of Bradford, will deliver increased production, test, office and storage capabilities. The purchase includes 29,000m2 of existing manufacturing space, with additional land offering opportunity for future expansion.
The addition of the site to Airedale’s UK manufacturing footprint will see the Bradford site specialising in the production and testing of precision air conditioning equipment, like computer room air handlers and fan walls. The existing Leeds facility will focus on chiller production, with the move set to increase the company’s data centre cooling production capability in the UK by 150%.
The Bradford site is currently in use as a distribution centre. Under the terms of a 6-month license arrangement, the previous owner will continue to operate from there until the end of September 2024. Production of the first Airedale units in Bradford is estimated to commence in December 2024, once the site has been re-configured.
The increase in production and testing will lead to new jobs in the area. Early forecasts project that over 200 highly skilled production and support roles will be created over a 3 to 5 year period, with approximately 10% of these being apprenticeship roles.
As part of a global expansion strategy, Airedale by Modine has invested in its production facilities and now operates out of Leeds (UK), Consett (UK), Guadalajara (Spain), Rockbridge, VA (US), Grenada, MS (US), Allen, TX (US) and Calgary (Canada).
Adrian Trevelyan, Managing Director, said: “I am extremely proud to lead this business as we continue Airedale by Modine’s strong tradition of boldness and innovation. Having available plant capacity is crucial as data centre operators are looking to secure production slots in advance as their development plans grow. Although we are in a comfortable position now across Europe and the US, we are receiving strong signals that more capacity will be needed as the demand for digital applications grows.
“The new site increases our production and testing capacity, bringing recruitment and training opportunities to Bradford, replicating what we have done already in Leeds. The support we have received from Bradford City Council from initial enquiry to completing the purchase has been invaluable.”
A video showing the new facility is available on YouTube and Vimeo.
