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By: Editorial Team Reading time: 2 Minutes
◤ INTERVIEW
Guaranteed frozen in the professional kitchen
An interview with Árpád Kolek, Logistics Manager at METRO in Székesfehérvár, Hungary.
How did you learn about the Siber system?
About five years ago, Messer first presented the technology to us at a trade fair for the food and beverage industry. Then in 2019, we started a pilot project in our store in Székesfehérvár. It delivers products to the restaurant operations on Lake Balaton and Lake Velence, which have their high season every summer.
What do you find especially beneficial about dry ice cooling?
In Székesfehérvár, we prepare the packages for the individual customer operations and deliver them in refrigerated trucks. Our conventional freezing capacity for the storage and delivery of those packages was limited and often inadequate during the high season. Sometimes, the last packages delivered were no longer cold enough. There were also problems with temperature fluctuations, especially with sugary products such as ice cream and frozen fruit. We urgently needed additional capacity.
METRO
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The expertise and the positive attitude of the specialists from Messer are extremely satisfactory.
Árpád Kolek, Logistics Manager at METRO in Székesfehérvár, Hungary
How do you use the Siber system today?
We use it for the delivery of all frozen products, even for fish, meat, and delicatessen products. Its versatile applicability is one of its main advantages.
How did you make the conversion?
We didn’t want to discard our existing cold containers, but rather to convert from operation with freezer packs to Siber technology. With the help of Messer, we were able to overcome the technical challenge of the conversion. The main thing was to build in the Siber boxes for dry ice in place of the freezer pack containers. We planned that together with Messer. Then, the solution was tested over several months and optimized for fluctuating ambient temperatures. Our Quality Assurance was also involved to ensure compliance with strict food safety regulations at all times.
METRO
What is your experience so far?
It was so positive that after the pilot introduction in Székesfehérvár, we are already using the system in several other stores that also make direct deliveries. We started with the largest locations and are in the process of expanding this process throughout the country. Our drivers report that the customers are very satisfied – even in extreme summer heat, products arrive as cold as if they had just been removed from the freezer. Moreover, we can transport dry, chilled, and frozen products in the same vehicle. In Hungary, that’s a unique selling point and, therefore, a competitive advantage.
How would you rate your collaboration with Messer?
The expertise and the positive attitude of the specialists from Messer are extremely satisfactory. We can call them even at night, if it’s urgent, and they’re helping us with the implementation in the individual stores in every respect. Sometimes, of course, there can be problems obtaining spare parts due to the current delays in the global supply chains. But the human side is absolutely great. This partnership makes us feel really secure.
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Siber system
The Siber system was developed by Messer together with OLIVO, a leading manufacturer of refrigerated containers. The cold comes from a dry ice filling that takes place right in the container: Liquid carbon dioxide is injected into the reservoir of the refrigerated container, where expansion produces dry ice. Depending on specific needs, the same container can be used to transport either chilled or frozen products. As a general rule, the cooling effect is guaranteed to last at least 24 hours.