Vol. 9, No. 2 • April 2008
This Issue
2
BROWN NAMED NEW CHAIN ACCOUNTS
MANAGER
3
PRODUCT SCENE:
GOING GREEN WITH ENERGY SAVERS
6
PARTNERS IN SUCCESS:
RODEM, INC.
Reading, Writing And Refrigeration: Walk-ins
And School Foodservice
Technology and innovations must keep up
with the growing changes in our society,
including our school foodservice facilities.
No more than 50 years ago, a typical school
kitchen contained equipment and ingredients to make students’ lunches from scratch.
Mixers, potato peelers and stack bake ovens
were essential. Today, quick and easy prepared foods, including frozen foods, make
up a majority of school lunches. The vital
tools have changed and proper refrigeration
equipment is more important than ever.
Cooler/freezer walk-in combinations
have evolved into one of the most commonly-used pieces of equipment in the school
foodservice kitchen. Today’s school budgets typically don’t allow for fresh prepared
meals and the school foodservice industry
must turn to quick, bulk options. Most of
these convenient and pre-made foods must
be stored in reliable coolers and freezers,
making walk-ins an indispensible component of the school foodservice kitchen.
There are a number of things to consider
when purchasing or updating a walk-in
cooler or freezer. The major aspects to keep
in mind are accessibility, durability, reliability and efficiency.
The door is a major component affecting
the accessibility of the walk-in. At any given
time, there is a substantial amount of traffic going in and out of the walk-in during
preparation, serving and clean-up. For this
reason, the door must be of heavy-duty con-
struction, and freezer doors must have heat
in the door or jamb to prevent frost or ice
build-up. Almost all schools require a deadbolt lock on the walk-in door, and viewports
are commonly installed in the doors as well.
Another beneficial option is to utilize a
strip curtain to contain the cold air in the
walk in. The strip curtain helps to compensate for the door being open for any longer
time than just going in and out.
The door is not the only consideration
when thinking about accessibility to a
walk-in cooler or freezer. With most school
foodservice departments, purchasing large
quantities of food for cost savings measures, the walk-ins must be able to handle
the bulk coming in on carts or dollies. To
accommodate these deliveries, a walk in
must have an accessible ramp or have its
flooring at ground level.
If a walk-in is being installed in a new
kitchen, many times the floor panels will
go in a 4-inch pit. This allows the general
contractor to run the tile from the kitchen
through the door of the walk-in and keep
the floor at an equal level. Carts or dollies
that are used by kitchen staff can easily go
in and out of the walk-in when this construction is used.
Ramps can be installed when a walk-in
is placed into a pre-existing kitchen where
there’s no pit and the walk in has a foamedContinued on page 2
2
COOL IT! • Vol. 9, No. 2
Reading, Writing And Refrigeration (cont.)
in-place floor. In this case, the walk-in
floor needs plywood underlayment and a
foamed-in-place heavy interior floor
metal to support the weight of carts
and dollies.
Another option when purchasing a
new walk-in is installing a pre-assembled unit that can simply be delivered
to the job site by truck and set in place
with a crane, boom-lift or forklift. This
eliminates the need for field installation or buying a unit that needs to
be custom built. Factory-made units
are a very easy add-on to a school
kitchen. They are also portable, so if a
school system buys one and needs to
relocate it to a different school, it can
be picked up and moved.
No matter the quantity of food being served, durability is a key component of a walk-in. In situations
where the delivery volume is so high
that a pallet jack is used, it is imperaRamps, available as interior (top) or
tive to have a durable structural floor
exterior, make it easier to get in and
with internal support. Such floors are
out of with-floor walk-ins that sit on
typically able to support jacks or othtop of an existing kitchen floor.
er transports carrying 5000 lbs. supported evenly over all four wheels.
Due to the high amount of in-andout traffic, and the costly inventory
that is housed in them, walk-in coolers must be reliable and able to hold
their temperature. Look for a walkin that is equipped with an electronic
controller system that includes an
Ready-Bilt pre-assembled walk-ins
alarm. These alarms will alert the
are simply set in place at the job site
kitchen personnel for either a high or
and can be relocated to another site
if needed.
low temperature condition. This not
only saves energy, but could potentially prevent an entire cooler or freezer of food from
being spoiled. Alarms can alert staff if a light
is left on or a door left open, both of which
can waste a significant amount of energy.
Convenient, quick and pre-made foods are
just one trend in school foodservice that has
made walk-in coolers and freezers essential
in the kitchen. Another major concern in
today’s contemporary society is the push
towards efficiency and “green” equipment.
This is no different for schools, as they are
operating on a tight budget and must work
as efficiently as possible. Walk-in refrigerators and freezers in particular can run up an
electric bill if they are not efficient.
Master-Bilt has answered the call for energy efficient technologies by expanding
the list of walk-in features and options. The
Master Controller with reverse cycle defrost, ASM-115 anti-sweat control module
for glass door walk-ins and MBWA alarm/
light management system are just a few of
the options available. In addition, MasterBilt is one of few manufacturers to offer
both a five-inch and six-inch thick panel.
These thicknesses provide a higher R-value
and allow schools to meet California Energy Code requirements.
Over the past 50 years, schools have gone
from made-from-scratch lunches to quick,
easy and often refrigerated or frozen meals.
Today, walk-in coolers and freezers must
keep up with these changes and future
trends in the ever-evolving school foodservice kitchen. Keeping a wide range of features and options will help them meet the
challenge.
Brown Named New Chain Accounts Manager
In January Dea Brown joined Master-Bilt in
the newly-created position of Foodservice
Chain Accounts Manager. Dea has 10 years
of walk-in sales experience with previous
duties including inside sales engineer/
project coordinator, regional manager and
national accounts manager.
“Dea’s experience brings a new dimension
to Master-Bilt and her product and market
knowledge will be a big plus for our customers,” said Bill Huffman, Master-Bilt’s
vice president of sales and marketing.
3
Product Scene
Going Green With Energy Savers
From fryers to freezers, everything’s going “green”
these days. Businesses are searching for every way possible to cut
rising energy costs and equipment manufacturers are doing all
they can to help. Master-Bilt has
a number of features and options
to aid the cause of energy savings
and we’ve grouped them all to-
gether in our new Energy Saver program.
The chart below summarizes the major savers and
is also available online at www.
master-bilt.com/pdfs/energy_
saver_chart.pdf.
For additional information
on energy efficient equipment,
consult your local Master-Bilt
sales representative or call us at
800-647-1284.
Feature
Energy-Saving Function
Where Used
Demand defrost
Initiates electric defrost heaters only as needed
Electric expansion valve
Highly efficient valve eliminates need to maintain a high
head pressure (head pressure control valve eliminated also)
allowing a lower head pressure and condensing temperature. A compressor operating at a lower condensing temperature yields higher capacity with less energy input.
A reverse cycle valve reverses the flow of high temperature
refrigerant through evaporator coil, heating along its entire
length and eliminating frost buildup. Results in an 80% decrease in defrost energy usage as well as a major reduction
in defrost time.
T8 lighting with electronic ballasts uses less electricity than
electromagnetic ballasts. Electronic lamps and ballasts run
cooler reducing heat buildup in the refrigerated space.
Modulates glass door and frame heaters that evaporate condensation. Heaters are only energized as needed.
Door open alarm prevents door from being left open.
Optional light management system automatically turns off
lights after a programmed interval.
Amount of torque and current required to start PSC motors
is low, making them more efficient. PSC motors run cooler,
reducing heat load to refrigerated space which makes the
compressor run less.
Thickness of panels produces a higher R-factor and energy
efficiency required by California Energy Code
Since these systems are remote, the heat produced by multiple condensing units is removed from the kitchen or sales
space reducing the air conditioning load and energy bill
As part of the optional
Master Controller electronic
control system on walk-ins
As an integrated part of the
optional Master Controller
system for walk-ins
Reverse cycle defrost
Electronic lighting
ASM-115 anti-sweat module
MBWA-1 digital alarm/light
management system
Permanent Split Capacitor
(PSC) Fan Motors
5" and 6" thick panels
MRS & DRS multi-compressor
remote refrigeration systems
An option used in conjunction with the Master Controller on walk-ins
Numerous cabinets and glass
door walk-in freezers
An option on glass door
walk-in freezers
An option on walk-in coolers
and freezers
Optional on single phase
walk-in unit coolers and
standard on condensing units
An option on walk-in coolers
and freezers
Walk-ins and cabinets with
remote refrigeration systems
In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It
goes on.
—Robert Frost
4
COOL IT! • Vol. 9, No. 2
Some Things About Life …
Take a few moments to ponder some of the wonderful mysteries of life:
• How can you tell when you’ve run out of invisible ink?
• If practice makes perfect, and nobody’s perfect, why practice?
• If swimming is so good for your figure, why are whales so fat?
• If you eat pasta and antipasto, will you still be hungry?
• What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
• If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
• When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
• Why isn’t there mouse-flavored cat food?
• If it’s true that we’re here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
• What is a free gift? Aren’t all gifts free?
• How come you never hear about gruntled employees?
• What should you do if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?
• Do cemetery workers prefer the graveyard shift?
• If you are a complete pessimist, does it mean you are positively negative?
• Why do people with closed minds always open their mouths?
• Is there such a thing as a closet claustrophobic?
• Before the invention of drawing boards, what did people go back to?
• Why does your nose run and your feet smell?
• How can there be self-help groups?
—adapted from The Mammoth Book of Humor, edited by Geoff Tibballs
The Similarities Between Teenagers And Cats
• No matter how many times you call them they won’t turn their heads to acknowledge you.
• They can both lie on the couch for hours without moving.
• They both display attitudes of complete and utter boredom no matter what you do
or what you buy for them.
• Try as you might, you can never make a teenager or a cat happy.
• As far as they are concerned, you are there merely to feed them. Otherwise, you
should stay out of their way and quit interfering with their lives.
• They both wreck your furniture without apology.
• Both of them like to wander off at night in search of action.
• Cats have nine lives; teenagers behave as if they do.
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COOL IT! • Vol. 9, No. 2
New Key Customers
Thanks to these companies for joining the Key Customer network:
Arctic Refrigeration
Hamilton, Ontario
Bay Equipment Co.
Tampa, FL
Cool King Refrigeration
Ltd.
Vancouver,
British Columbia
Hong’s
Portland, OR
Specialty Distributors
Louisville, KY
D.A. Berther, Inc.
West Allis, WI
Upcoming
• New England Foodservice &
Lodging Expo
April 6-8, 2008 • Boston, MA
• School Nutrition Association
2008 Annual National Conference
July 20-23, 2008 • Philadelphia, PA
• Northwest Foodservice Show
April 27-28, 2008 • Seattle, WA
• Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo
August 23-25, 2008 • Los Angeles, CA
• NRA Show
May 18-21, 2008 • Chicago, IL
• National Ice Cream Retailers Association
Convention
November 12-15, 2008 • St. Petersburg, FL
See The Energy Savers At NRA
Visit booth 7213 at the NRA Show and get some ideas
on cooling down energy bills. The award-winning Master Controller with reverse cycle defrost and Energy Star
and CEC certified BSD series solid door reach-ins are just
a couple of items that will be on display.
Look for this logo on the
latest energy efficient
equipment
6
Partners In Success
Rodem, Inc.
Cincinnati, OH
Human blood plasma is in increasing demand due, in
part, to pharmaceutical companies developing life-saving
medications derived from plasma protein. Blood plasma
donation centers are popping up all over the country to
keep up with demand. But what most people don’t realize is how valuable of a commodity blood plasma is and
how its storage can make all the difference.
Chris Diener, president of Rodem Inc., a family-owned
equipment distributor to the sanitary processing industry, has been selling Master-Bilt blood plasma walk-ins
for over 30 years and knows how critical it is that collected plasma be stored in the most reliable freezers. “One
freezer could be holding a quarter million dollars worth
of plasma at any given time,” says Diener.
Blood plasma center freezers are highly regulated by
the FDA. To protect the plasma, it must be frozen very
quickly. In fact, proposed European standards require
blood plasma have a temperature of -25°C (13°F) within a
12-hour period. This rapid temperature drop requires an
ultra-cold environment.
“When we first started selling blood plasma freezers in
the early 1970s, the temperature requirement was -20°F,”
says Diener. “When the standard dropped to -30°F there
was a shakeout in the freezer supplier industry as manufacturers couldn’t consistently hit the -30°F requirement.
Master-Bilt, however, could do it.”
Actually, Master-Bilt has surpassed the -30°F requirement and is cornering the market with a freezer box that
hits -40°F. “The real validation is during the defrost cycle,”
says Diener. “Master-Bilt is designing boxes for -40°F so
they should never go higher than -37°F during defrost.”
Diener has worked closely with Master-Bilt to make
sure their blood plasma freezers withstand the rigors of
such cold temperatures. For example, they had to make
sure the strip curtains and door gaskets wouldn’t shatter. “Every time the FDA changed regulations it was a
learning curve,” says Diener. “It’s been the school of
hard knocks because it’s never been done before but
Master-Bilt has come up with all the right answers.”
One of Master-Bilt’s solutions is their acclaimed Master Controller with reverse cycle defrost in which a
valve switches the flow of high temperature refrigerant
back through the evaporator coil during defrost. “This
hot gas results in a complete defrost, the cycle is shortened and the equipment works more efficiently,” says
Diener.
Another idea for a successful blood plasma freezer is
to have a zero degree ante-room adjacent to it. “If you
open the door on a -40°F freezer to room temperature,
you have a 110 degree temperature difference. Humidity is sucked in and it almost starts snowing. Inevitably,
things start to break down,” states Diener.
Diener sells a package consisting of the ante-room, a
plasma freezer and a storage freezer. The ante-room has
its own refrigeration system to reduce moisture problems. Both the plasma and storage freezers are designed
for -40°F and two-stage compressors allow R-404A refrigerant to work at this low temperature.
Diener sets up blood plasma centers nationwide but,
once they are up and running, they need local service
professionals available 24/7. “It’s critical that every center have a knowledgeable service company who can be
there within 30 minutes,” states Diener. Master-Bilt can
help find service agents if needed and has developed
an in-factory blood plasma freezer training program for
service professionals.
“Master-Bilt has always listened and responded to
our needs to make the best blood plasma freezer in the
country,” says Diener. “I would never work with any
other refrigeration company.
We need your help!
To make Cool It! a better publication for all, we need your questions, comments and story suggestions.
Send in your ideas to Lynn Burge at [email protected] or fax them to 800-232-3966.
Published quarterly by the
Master-Bilt Sales & Marketing Department
Lynn Burge, editor
908 Hwy 15 North • New Albany, MS 38652
800-647-1284 • Fax: 800-232-3966
www.master-bilt.com