Product Spotlight
Bohn® condensers and Beacon II™ system prove fit for a king
When you’re a distributor for the “King of Beers,” you have to achieve the highest possible standards of quality and reliability. So, in late 2004, when Hodgen Distributing planned a warehouse expansion to meet growing demand for Budweiser and other Anheuser-Busch products, they turned to Heatcraft Refrigeration Products (HRP), the most trusted name in commercial refrigeration.
Russ Strandholm, manager of the Portland distributing company, worked closely with contractor/engineer Mike Ledbetter of Ledbetter Refrigeration and HRP representatives to convert the 18,000-sq.-ft. facility to a 43,000-sq.-ft. Controlled Environment Warehouse (CEW), which means every can, case and keg of beer must be maintained at a constant temperature to preserve the distinct freshness and flavor for which Anheuser-Busch products are renowned. The CEW also had to meet Anheuser-Busch’s strict specifications for systems control and integration.
For Ledbetter, the Hodgen CEW was the largest project he had ever tackled, so he counted on HRP to provide technical guidance in the selection and installation of equipment. Together, they chose a combination of Bohn® condensers and the Beacon II™ smart control system for a 13,000-sq.-ft. package cooler (maintained at 39°F) and a 4,000-sq.-ft. draught cooler (held at 34°F).
Bohn condensers are designed for high-efficiency heat transfer over a wide range of ambient temperatures. The Beacon II microprocessor system ties all the equipment together, allowing Hodgen warehouse managers to monitor and control temperatures of both coolers from a single location, onsite or offsite. The system also enhances efficiency by minimizing unnecessary defrost cycles.
After the equipment was selected, HRP hosted a one-day seminar to train contractors and engineers on how to properly install the Beacon II system. Ledbetter attended the seminar and felt that it was a tremendous help. “Being a small company and getting a job of this magnitude was pretty overwhelming. The seminar helped me feel more at ease and confident during installation.”
The installation of the condensers and Beacon II system was completed within a couple of months. Part of what made the process so smooth was the fact that the Beacon II system is delivered preassembled and preprogrammed, making configuration the only requirement for implementation.
Strandholm is very pleased with the new equipment, particularly the Beacon II system. He appreciates the convenience of being able to monitor warehouse climate conditions from a personal computer. As an added bonus, the system has resulted in substantial operational and energy savings. Strandholm noted that, while the new facility is three times larger than the old one, it is also three times more cost-effective and efficient.
Citing his enthusiasm for the system, Strandholm said, “I would recommend the Beacon II to any small company looking to do larger-scale jobs. It was a great experience. I enjoyed putting it together and making it work, and I am definitely sold on this great piece of equipment.”