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Penmann Delivers Advanced Air Conditioning Upgrade for Hotel Chocolat’s Hadley Park Facility
Penmann has successfully completed a major air conditioning upgrade at Hotel Chocolat’s Hadley Park site in Huntingdon, supporting the expansion of production capacity across the West Wing, Velvetiser and Despatch areas. The project was commissioned following a detailed site assessment and the requirement for a high-performance cooling and ventilation solution tailored to the operational needs of the facility.
The new system was designed to provide precise temperature control across several production zones, each with its own set of environmental requirements. The West Wing areas required controlled conditions ranging from 18 to 25°C, the Velvetiser floors needed stable temperatures to support process consistency, and the Despatch area required effective cooling and air movement to protect product quality and improve operator comfort.
To meet these varied demands, Penmann designed and installed a complete air handling and chilled water system built around a high-efficiency air-cooled chiller operating with low-GWP refrigerant. The chiller delivers glycol at 1°C to a network of air handling units positioned on a purpose-built steelwork platform above the Despatch area. The platform provided a dedicated external location for plant equipment and ensured safe, accessible maintenance space while preserving valuable internal floor area.
The system incorporates three large air handling units fitted with G4 and F7 filtration, chilled water coils and full economiser sections. This configuration enables the site to take advantage of free cooling throughout much of the year by using lower external temperatures to reduce mechanical cooling demand. Fresh air and recirculation modes are automatically controlled by the building management system, with dampers and fans coordinated to maintain consistent airflow and stable room conditions.
To distribute air efficiently in the production areas, Penmann installed textile air socks, which offer uniform air movement, low air velocities and an easy-clean hygienic surface well suited to food manufacturing. A dedicated hygienic fan coil serves the Despatch zone, providing additional cooling capacity where required.
The installation also included extensive insulated supply and return ductwork, a chilled glycol circuit, control panel integration and a full electrical package. All system components were commissioned and performance tested to ensure temperature requirements were achieved across all occupied and process areas.
The project provides Hotel Chocolat with a flexible, energy-efficient air conditioning solution that supports product handling, operator welfare and long-term operational reliability. By combining free cooling capability, a high-efficiency plant and modern air distribution methods, the upgraded system delivers improved environmental control with reduced energy consumption.
This installation marks another successful collaboration between Penmann and the food manufacturing sector, reinforcing our reputation for engineered climate control solutions designed around real-world production demands.