CANTON, MA - When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were all forced to make changes. NRM, a refrigeration optimization solutions partner, worked to support fresh produce operators throughout these challenges, empowering businesses of all sizes to monitor, manage, and control their refrigerated facilities remotely and safely, online, 24/7. To discuss what made this possible, I sat down with Emre Schveighoffer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and Dan McCormick, Director of Controls and Automation.

“NRM’s solutions cut energy costs between 30 to 40 percent and allow total visibility into refrigeration operations, allowing facility managers to be proactive rather than reactive, and to address operational issues before there is a temperature out of range or a lost product event. During the pandemic, one of our partnering distributor’s business was down nearly 30 percent, so the company elected to install our controls to manage its 19 refrigeration systems without losing product,” Emre told me. “Now, that partner is almost back to normal as schools and other clients begin operating.”

NRM’s cutting-edge controls and monitoring systems allows refrigerated facilities to slash operating costs, manage their facilities remotely, and to change and adapt instantly and on the fly. The company’s top priority was to provide the ability to implement strategies outside the norm as many businesses (mostly restaurant operations) and schools were forced to shut down. The company’s installed control systems allowed K-12 and higher education facilities to remotely monitor for food safety and equipment supervision. It also enabled them to turn units off when not in use, saving significant labor hours.

In addition to suppliers, several food banks on the system got very busy and, despite a limited number of volunteers, they were still able to provide meals to thousands of individuals. In one case, the system sent a notification for a cooler that went down for a day, which could have been much worse if the warehouse operator had not been notified.

“Refrigeration has never had a ‘check engine light’ to let users know there is a problem, which eventually results in catastrophic equipment failure or product loss,” Dan added. “NRM controls are installed in over 50,000 walk-in coolers and freezers across North America, in Fortune 500 companies and neighborhood businesses alike, helping to keep America’s perishables safe, stable, and sustainable.”

NRM began installing smart refrigeration controls 27 years ago, with a focus on enabling users to gain a better understanding of how refrigeration works and what they can do to stay on top of performance.

How else might NRM’s innovative solutions protect fresh produce? ANUK will be sure to report as we learn more.

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