A HAMPSHIRE business specialising in temperature control could double its staff numbers in the next three years after securing a multi-million pound investment.

Fareham-based Aqua has confirmed two new investors as part of a large-scale growth plan.

Investors Philip Wilson and Russell Wilson join the board alongside the company’s founders, Kevin Lancaster and Simon Davis.

Philip Wilson is taking on a consultative role as a non-executive director, while Russell Wilson will be active in the hire side of the business.

Aqua was founded in 2001, focusing mainly on industrial and process cooling across the UK and overseas. The service side of the business was formed five years later and Aqua acquired Stadco Cooling from the Stadco Automotive Group in 2010. Aqua won a Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2015 and launched a hire division in 2018.

Simon Davis said: “Aqua has established itself as a market leader for technically led cooling solutions but Kevin and I recognised we needed capital investment to move to the next level. We have a great team with an over-arching belief that we can be number one in our industry.

“Phil and Russell joining us will be key to delivering that aspiration. This is such an exciting time for Aqua. I’m really thrilled about where we will go next.”

Initially the new investment will be directed towards rental equipment, new premises, and personnel.

The company has 50 staff at the moment and expects that to double over two to three years, in roles from senior management to apprentices studying refrigeration at college locally There will also be progression opportunities for existing staff.

Russell Wilson said: “We aim to combine Aqua’s 20-year legacy and reputation with our industry experience, to create something really quite special for the marketplace.

“From a hire perspective, Aqua is now positioned to offer customers technical expertise, site-specific hire solutions and a technically innovative fleet of equipment. Just because a customer hires it shouldn’t mean they have to compromise on quality of equipment, installation, or technical resource. We have exciting plans.”

Aqua’s product range includes chillers, cooling towers, adiabatic and air blast coolers, with operating ranges form minus 45 Celsius to 120 degrees Celsius.