Seward Refrigeration

Client: Seward Refrigeration

Sector: Refrigeration

Geographic location: Urmston, Manchester

Qualifying R&D expenditure included costs for:

  • Staff costings
  • Sub-contracted services
  • Travel
  • Technology services
  • Utilities

The Company

Seward specialises in the design, installation, service and maintenance of industrial and heavy commercial refrigeration systems for market-leading clients around the world. The company’s activities are diverse and forward-thinking, primarily serving industries including food processing, cold storage, breweries and pharmaceuticals.

Its directors, Brian and Bob Seward, have more than 94 years of combined industry experience and work to ensure the team representing its design-and-build organisation is highly committed to product quality and personal safety. It uses only industry-leading equipment to provide bespoke systems which are reliable, energy-efficient and robust.

To-date, Seward Refrigeration has designed, installed and commissioned single projects worth more than £4million by providing full consultation services in the development of Ammonia, CO2, HFO, HC and HFC refrigerants.

The Solution

Having been ineligible for most other Government schemes, Seward Refrigeration’s owners had dismissed the possibility of successfully claiming R&D tax relief.

When a former Champion employee joined the Seward Refrigeration team, she was able to shine a new perspective on the operations that would qualify for relief. For example, it uses innovative technology to make its systems as energy-efficient as possible to meet regulations, while each of its design and commissioning projects lasts around 12 months.

Champion’s R&D specialists were invited in to assess which areas of the business should be included in the application, with support provided throughout the entire process. By claiming against staff costs, technology services, global travel, sub-contracted services and utilities, we were able to identify capital which will be used to grow the Seward Refrigeration brand.

“We have grown considerably over recent years and the extra cashflow boost provided by the R&D claim will enable us to take on new staff members including an apprentice, engineer, welder and more.

“It’s been a key part of enabling us to grow the business by having the extra funding to put behind more salaries.”

Jenny Hatfield, finance manager for Seward Refrigeration

To see what you could claim, contact David Herd on:

E: david.herd@championgroup.co.uk

T: 0161 703 2500

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