VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd
VMS Refrigeration Ltd is a UK specialist in transport refrigeration and vehicle air conditioning for commercial vans, acting as the sole UK distributor of ALEX ORIGINAL products. The 12-person company supplies, installs, and services refrigeration units across fleet and single-vehicle customers in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical transport.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersBury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd does
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd is a UK-based specialist in transport refrigeration systems and vehicle air conditioning solutions for commercial vehicles, founded in 2010 and operating as a subsidiary within the VMS Group alongside VMS Global and VMS Fleet Rental. The company distributes, installs, and services refrigeration units across four vehicle categories — small, medium, and large panel vans, and box body vans — through a portfolio of more than 20 SKU variants (TRCR, TRCSB, TRCSBR, TRCSBWR, and TRCW series) primarily sourced from ALEX ORIGINAL, for which VMS serves as the sole UK distributor.
The business runs a sales-led, field-service model with 12 employees and a UK-wide network of qualified refrigeration technicians who perform on-site installation and maintenance at customer premises. Revenue is generated through three streams: hardware sales of refrigeration units and A/C systems, professional installation services covering single vehicles to entire fleets, and recurring annual service plans in Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers that bundle scheduled maintenance, parts, labour, calibration, and varying levels of breakdown cover. The company complements its product range with supplementary partnerships with GAH, Hubbard, and Thermo King, and offers temperature recording equipment and telematics systems as part of its service delivery.
VMS Refrigeration Ltd is a private limited company incorporated in England, with a registered office in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and a primary phone presence in Heathfield, East Sussex. Its end customers are UK commercial vehicle operators transporting temperature-sensitive goods including food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. Go-to-market relies on the company website, direct phone contact, and email newsletter signup, with no evidence of public-company reporting, external funding, or institutional investors.
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd
- Legal name
- VMS Refrigeration Ltd
- Website
- https://vmsrefrigeration.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- VMS Refrigeration Ltd is a UK specialist in transport refrigeration and vehicle air conditioning for commercial vans, acting as the sole UK distributor of ALEX ORIGINAL products. The 12-person company supplies, installs, and services refrigeration units across fleet and single-vehicle customers in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical transport.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Transport Refrigeration Systems
- NAICS
- Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740)
- SIC
- Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refrigerated Truck/Bus Systems Service (Transport Refrigeration Units) (TLAKABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Refrigeration & Cold-Chain Equipment MRO (Transport Reefers, Refrigerated Containers) (TLAKAHAH)
Keywords
Where VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bury St. Edmunds
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Refrigeration Unit Sales: Sale and supply of ALEX ORIGINAL transport refrigeration units and air conditioning systems for commercial vehicles of all sizes including panel vans (small, medium, large) and box body vans.
- Service Plans (Gold, Silver, Bronze): Three-tiered service and maintenance packages providing planned and unplanned assistance for refrigerated vehicles. Gold Plan includes all service and breakdown work, two services per year, parts, labour, travel costs, and 24/7 breakdown cover. Silver Plan includes service and breakdown work in normal hours with extra charges for out-of-hours. Bronze Plan covers on-site work in normal hours with additional fees for all services.
- Installation Services: Professional installation of refrigeration units on commercial vehicles. The team can install on single vehicles or entire fleets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Gold Plan - Premium full-coverage service plan |
| Subscription | Annual | Silver Plan - Standard coverage with pay-as-you-go extras |
| Subscription | Annual | Bronze Plan - Basic on-site coverage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VMS Refrigeration supplies, installs, maintains, and services transport refrigeration systems and vehicle air conditioning solutions for commercial vans and trucks across the UK. As the sole UK distributor of ALEX ORIGINAL products, the company offers a portfolio of refrigeration units sized for small, medium, and large panel vans as well as box body vans, complemented by three-tiered annual service plans (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and on-site installation and breakdown support delivered by a national network of qualified technicians.
Product overview
VMS Refrigeration is a provider of transport refrigeration systems and vehicle air conditioning solutions, acting as the sole UK distributor of ALEX ORIGINAL products. The product portfolio consists of refrigeration units across four vehicle categories: Small Panel Vans (TRCR 121, TRCSB 1000, TRCR 124), Medium Panel Vans (TRCSBR 221/224, TRCSBWR 221/224, TRCR 221/224), Large Panel Vans (TRCR 321/324, TRCSBR 321/324, TRCSBWR 321/324), and Box Body Vans (TRCW 324/424, TRCSBW 321/324/424). The company also offers three tiered service plans (Gold, Silver, Bronze) for maintenance and servicing, covering planned and unplanned assistance. Installation and maintenance services are provided by a national network of fully-qualified refrigeration technicians.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Small Panel Van Refrigeration Units
- Medium Panel Van Refrigeration Units
- Large Panel Van Refrigeration Units
- Box Body Van Refrigeration Units
- ALEX ORIGINAL Transport Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems
- Gold Service Plan
- Silver Service Plan
- Bronze Service Plan
- Refrigeration Unit Installation Services
Companies that use VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ALEX ORIGINALcoreVMS Refrigeration is the sole UK distributor of ALEX ORIGINAL transport refrigeration and air conditioning products. ALEX ORIGINAL, established in 1959, is a leading automotive air-conditioning and transport refrigeration manufacturer with over 60 years of experience, providing wall and roof, underfloor and multi-temperature systems.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Polar Refrigeration Ltd: UK-based provider of transport refrigeration sales, installation, and servicing for commercial vehicles. Directly comparable to VMS in product category (vehicle refrigeration units), customer base (UK commercial fleets), and business model (distribution plus mobile service).
- GAH Refrigeration: UK supplier of transport refrigeration and air conditioning products (one of VMS's listed supplier partners). Directly comparable as a UK-based provider of vehicle refrigeration solutions for commercial fleets, competing for similar installation and service business.
- Hubbard Refrigeration: UK-based supplier of transport refrigeration equipment (also a VMS supplier partner). Comparable in that it serves the same UK commercial vehicle market with refrigeration installation and service offerings, though operating from a different supplier base.
- Marshall Fleet Solutions: UK-based transport refrigeration specialist providing sales, service, and parts across commercial vehicle refrigeration. Directly comparable to VMS as a UK-focused installer/servicer of refrigeration units on commercial vehicles, with a similar technician-based service model.
Regional players
- Petit Forestier: European leader in refrigerated vehicle rental and temperature-controlled logistics solutions, with UK operations. Comparable as a competitor in the broader UK/European cold chain commercial vehicle market, but primarily rental-focused rather than refrigeration installation/service.
- Dawsongroup | refrigerated vehicles: UK provider of refrigerated commercial vehicle rental and associated temperature-controlled transport solutions. Comparable to VMS's UK commercial vehicle cold chain focus but operating on the rental/lease side rather than as a refrigeration installer/servicer — making it both a potential channel partner and adjacent competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Thermo King (Trane Technologies): Global market leader in transport refrigeration for trucks, trailers, and vans. Directly comparable to VMS as a manufacturer and supplier of transport refrigeration units (also listed as one of VMS's supplier partners), but operates at far greater scale and through a direct dealer network rather than via a small UK distributor.
- Carrier Transicold: Major manufacturer of transport refrigeration systems for trucks, trailers, rail, and containers, with direct service networks across Europe. Comparable to VMS in product category and customer base (commercial vehicle fleets transporting temperature-sensitive goods), but operates at global scale with proprietary technology.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd social profiles
Digital presenceVMS (Refrigeration) Ltd financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd
What does VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd do?
VMS Refrigeration supplies, installs, maintains, and services transport refrigeration systems and vehicle air conditioning solutions for commercial vans and trucks across the UK. As the sole UK distributor of ALEX ORIGINAL products, the company offers a portfolio of refrigeration units sized for small, medium, and large panel vans as well as box body vans, complemented by three-tiered annual service plans (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and on-site installation and breakdown support delivered by a national network of qualified technicians.
Is VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd a public or private company?
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd founded?
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd based?
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd is headquartered in Bury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Refrigeration Unit Sales are the primary driver. The others are service Plans (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and installation Services.
Who are VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Polar Refrigeration Ltd, GAH Refrigeration, Hubbard Refrigeration and Marshall Fleet Solutions. Regional players are Petit Forestier and Dawsongroup | refrigerated vehicles. Broad incumbents are Thermo King (Trane Technologies) and Carrier Transicold.
Does VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd have an API?
No public API is recorded for VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd.
What industry is VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd in?
VMS (Refrigeration) Ltd's product category is Transport Refrigeration Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKABAI, Refrigerated Truck/Bus Systems Service (Transport Refrigeration Units), with a secondary code of TLAKAHAH, Refrigeration & Cold-Chain Equipment MRO (Transport Reefers, Refrigerated Containers). Its NAICS code is 423740 and its SIC code is 3585.