Not many refrigeration installations require a police escort, but that was the case at an Alma Supermarket in Lommel, Belgium.
The store underwent a remodeling that began in March and included the installation of medium-temperature cabinets and a transcritical CO2 refrigeration system supplied by Carrier Commercial Refrigeration (CCR) Benelux, the Belgium-based division of Carrier Commercial Refrigeration Europe, according to a case study on Carrier’s website.
The Carrier cabinets comprised the Methos multideck for fruits and vegetables, as well as the closed version; Mirado and Morea semi-verticals; and Danaos counters for gourmet goods. The refrigeration system included Carrier’s CO2OLtec rack and a gas cooler.
Two weeks prior to the start of the project, Carrier faced an unforeseen challenge. Road construction in the center of Lommel meant that the Alma supermarket could only be reached via a detour, making it impossible for large trailers to reach the store. “The team was tasked to reorganize everything at the last minute,” said Carrier.
The refrigeration equipment, including the gas cooler and CO2 rack, had to be delivered via small trucks, accompanied by a crane truck. Delivery was arranged in consultation with the local police department.
On March 15, the transport convoy was met by the police. The gas cooler and the CO2 rack – which had to be brought in through a window on the first floor of the store – were installed on that day, along with the main pipeline, said Carrier.
In the evening of March 26, the Alma supermarket closed at 7 pm, after which all of the new cabinets were brought in to avoid traffic restrictions and “ensure safety on the street during the day,” Carrier said. The installations were handled by the subcontractor, Fridge-Bi, which “worked all night to ensure successful completion of the project.”
The refrigeration cabinets were connected to the rack that week, including final equipment checks and testing. By the end of the week, the rack was charged with CO2 “in time for the food products to be placed in the cabinets by noon the following Monday,” said Carrier.
The grand reopening was held May 6.
“You are a great team,” said Peter Helsen, Managing Director of Alma supermarket, addressing Carrier. “I am very grateful.”
“The team was tasked to reorganize everything at the last minute.”
Carrier
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