Phase One of the new £2.2bn Barracks at Colchester, became fully operational on 26 September 2006.

The PFI contract with RMPA Services Plc has delivered a complete redevelopment of the existing
garrison, parts of which are listed for special architectural interest and some of which date back to the nineteenth century.

The Project will also re-develop the site of the existing barracks into a mix of 2600
residential units and relevant social infrastructure. One of the unique aspects of the Colchester CPU, apart from its sheer size, has been the requirement to fuse together catering and food manufacturing techniques to create a working kitchen that can deliver up to 35 000 meals a week.

Ivan Baverstock, Director of Foodesco explains: “Williams Refrigeration is a great example of how we had to ask suppliers to stretch their capability to deliver what was needed. Once Williams understood what we were after, their flexibility was first class.

A good illustration of this is the provision in the unit for blast chillers as part of the cook chill procedure. Traditionally these are stand alone pieces of equipment, standard units banked together to provide a variable sized facility.  But the CPU required a bespoke solution, a challenge that required flexibility, dedication and enthusiasm. Another challenge for Williams was to introduce insulation with up to 30 minutes fire integrity, which is a requirement for food manufacturing but not currently in catering. Williams took this on board and, for this installation, has used rigid PIR (polyisocyanurate) foam which met Loss Prevention Council requirements for the CPU.

Concludes Ivan: “The project has proved both challenging and stimulating for everyone involved and, after 2½ years under construction, it is exciting to see it commissioned and fulfilling its promise.”