Turnkey solutions provider for refrigeration applications Glacier is working on a project for a client in Johannesburg, which will see it supply and install insulation panels to regulate fluctuating temperatures in the client’s factory. The client is using Glacier’s solutions at its other factories for insulation purposes, says Glacier divisional sales manager Marius Kitching.

The company’s scope for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) retailer, therefore, also includes cold storage solutions for meat, beverages, fruit and other stock that require refrigeration or freezing.

“This is significant for us because the client has quite a few factories and is in different stages of having panels installed, for example, to prevent butter from melting or cream from spoiling.”

Glacier offers refrigeration door solutions that are manufactured in-house, and in line with client specifications and application requirements. The glass door solutions include the “close-the-case” option, which is the company’s flagship Airshield solution that is used for fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables, at supermarkets and/or retail stores. The solution not only reduces electricity consumption but also has aesthetic appeal, complementing in-store décor.

Kitching also highlights the company’s freezer or chiller door solutions that are sealed onto the refrigerator frame to ensure that products remain frozen.

Glacier’s solutions also drive down production costs for factory applications that require insulated panels, as perishable items last longer in insulated cold rooms.

The opening of new FMCG stores is cause for optimism, as the company is a leader in the refrigeration market because it produces all its products locally, importing only a few raw materials.

Glacier is the only local company that produces custom-built, interlocking panels according to drawings of the insulated room.

Kitching adds that, “given the state of the economy”, the fact that “we are still getting projects like that of the client in Johannesburg”, speaks to the quality of the company’s products.

Prior to implementing its solutions, the company receives a layout of the client’s facility and meets with the client to discuss any structural changes at the project site.

Thereafter, the site or structure upon which the glass doors or panels will be installed or fitted is physically measured, with a team of project and drawing experts gaining a more precise understanding of the size and scale of the project on site.

Once the measurements have been captured and applied to Glacier’s in-house drawings, it is sent to the client for approval, after which it goes through final drawing stages ahead of production and installation.

Kitching stresses that “it is not simply a matter of installing glass doors,” as there are temperature systems that must be calibrated based on client requirements.

Glacier also offers “strong” aftermarket and maintenance services on all its products, with a dedicated team of experts that focus on research and development to address specific problems or challenges when products are used.

“We have a very strong problem-solving production and management team that looks at resolving issues that we know exist in our product . . . [and] issues that exist within the market, specifically with competitors’ products. So, we are continuously looking at changing hardware to make installation easier, but also to extend component life.”

New technological developments being implemented in the European market suggests that more retail stores, mass supermarkets and commercial refrigeration companies will become more energy efficient, and “close more cases for fresh products”, he concludes.