Adande Refrigeration is a UK-based manufacturer known for its patented refrigerated drawer systems innovative “hold-the-cold” technology used by chefs, foodservice operators, and retailers worldwide.
Their products combine precision engineering, reliability, and energy efficiency which means every custom part and manufacturing service must meet strict quality standards.
Wayne, part of Adande’s engineering and procurement team, works with design engineers to take new prototypes and investigate the possibilities for mass production. Adande has been using Qimtek since 2005, with Wayne personally sourcing through the platform for several years.
The Challenge
Bringing new product designs to life requires a variety of outsourced components from sheet metal assemblies and CNC machined components to fabricated frames, plastic parts, and more.
Finding suitable, responsive suppliers for each new project used to take significant time and effort.
“Without Qimtek, I’d be searching the internet, going through trade shows, sending countless emails, and chasing quotes. It would take hours every week.”
Wayne needed a quicker, more reliable way to connect with capable UK suppliers for a wide range of manufacturing services.
The Solution
Using Qimtek’s free sourcing platform, Wayne can upload drawings and receive multiple competitive quotes from trusted UK suppliers, all in one place.
“Having several quotes lets me see an average market price and choose the best supplier for the job. Whilst being competitive is important, the cheapest isn’t always the best; I look for good communication, high quality parts and reliability.”
When projects are urgent, Wayne sends details straight to his Qimtek account manager for support.
“If I can’t upload it myself, I just send it to Aaron. He gets it out to the right suppliers and advises who’s best suited. That kind of help really saves time.”
The Results
Through Qimtek, Adande has connected with several high-quality UK suppliers. One worth mentioning is Saiston Sheet Metal who now manufacture parts and assemblies for ongoing production.
“Once we find a supplier through Qimtek and they do a great job, we onboard them into our supply chain and work with them directly. Saiston Sheet Metal, for example, now handles multiple repeat projects and offers a great all-round service with great communication.”
Karl from Saiston Sheet Metal adds: “We get a lot of leads coming from Qimtek, some are one off orders whilst others, like Adande go on to be long-term customers. We first found Adande through Qimtek. After quoting a live project and speaking with Wayne, we’ve built a lasting working relationship and now supply them directly.”
Summary
By using Qimtek’s free sourcing platform, Adande has:
Saved hours of time researching and chasing suppliers
Gained access to quality UK manufacturers for custom parts
Found new long-term partners for sheet metal, machining, and fabrication work
Benefited from expert support from a dedicated Qimtek sourcing advisor
“Qimtek makes sourcing simple. I just upload my drawings and within a day or two, I’ve got quotes from quality UK suppliers ready to review. It saves so much time – I’d highly recommend it to any buyer.”
