Retail
Powerprofile
Customer: Major UK supermarket chain
Location: UK nationwide, Northern Ireland
Customer requirement: Caterpillar generator sets
Services: Mobile & standby generators
Service Backup
POWER NEED
This firm has consistently set the pace on Britain’s supermarket scene, and
established a clear lead as one of the nation’s biggest retailer.
The UK retail market is fiercely competitive, the fight for market share
unrelenting, with success and failures widely reported in the media.
Within this environment customer loyalty is hard won and never taken for
granted, and so every aspect of successful retail operation is geared for consistency of service and product availability.
Their operations are carefully planned in every detail, and wherever possible
risks anticipated and eliminated.
Clearly the availability of a consistent electricity supply is vital—a mains
power-cut brings the potential for operational difficulties. And beyond failures
in the primary supply, there is particular vulnerability in rural locations where
power is delivered by overhead lines.
Potential problems relating to power failure include:
• Shoppers plunged into darkness, checkout systems inoperative.
• At distribution centres, the loss of temperature and systems presents
an obvious risk. And with perhaps millions of pounds worth of frozen
foods located on one site—uninsurable for damage resulting from
power loss—the economics are clear.
SOLUTIONS
In line with a strategy geared to minimising risk, this supermarket chain has
an active programme installing standby power systems in all critical locations—stores and distribution networks.
In a rationalisation leading up to the new millennium, the project was put
out to tender.
The decision was made to standardise on Caterpillar standby diesel generating sets. The deal was won by Finning’s Aldershot dealer Standby Power
Systems (SPS).
Initially 50 generators were supplied to provide contingency cover to
eliminate any potential problems associated with Y2K—although in the event
not required for that purpose.
Since then, the programme has been rolled out to ensure facilities are power
protected, and Caterpillar generators are installed in most new builds and store
refurbishments.
These retail outlets use standby diesel generator sets in the range 110
– 350kVA, primarily fitted into close-fit sound-attenuated enclosures. These are
located outside the store or in plant rooms. Where space is particularly tight, a
roof may be utilised.
The aim is to provide adequate power to keep the store’s lighting operating to comply with Health and Safety considerations, maintain computer
systems—and keep the all-important checkouts running.
Chilled and frozen stock is clearly at risk in the event of a prolonged power
cut, so SPS undertake to have a trailer-mounted 1500kVA Caterpillar generator
on site within four hours to provide electricity.
Generators installed in distribution centres are in the range 1000
– 2000kVA.
RESULTS
The criteria for this project throughout
has been for well-supported, dependable systems. The result was an ongoing
contract with SPS, with Caterpillar as the
specified manufacturer of generators. The
impressive resource and capability of
the UK’s Caterpillar dealer Finning, who
supplied the generators, helped clinch the
deal. Caterpillar products are supported
with, training, technical expertise, parts
and service.
The firm also insist on having 24 hour
callout cover, and a preventative maintenance package. This consists of two
visits a year, where the generator is subject to a live site test. Also—because
generators are specified at 50% higher than the anticipated capacity to provide a
margin for future heavier store demands—a 100% load bank test is performed,
which exercises a generator to its full extent.
Says SPS director Peter Jesse: ‘We have worked with our client for 22 years,
and do our utmost to meet and exceed their expectations. Most certainly a
major consideration in their choice of equipment was the strong reputation that
Caterpillar have won.
‘This point is illustrated by the fact that we service around 60 different
makes and types of generator that our client has had installed in its stores over
the years. Keeping these operational can be a challenge—one manufacturer
recently went out of business, and we are now unable to supply parts for a
generator just eight years old.
He continues: ‘Contrast this with Finning, who—with Caterpillar—long
term spares availability, together with a 24 hour service on parts. For them,
support is a total commitment.
‘Without doubt Caterpillar is the strongest name in the business, and Finning
has provided a highly competitive package’.
The last word comes from the retailer: ‘Standby power provision is an
important strand of our operational strategy. The Caterpillar systems installed
and maintained by Standby Power Systems and backed by Finning deliver the
security we require.’
Finning is the sole supplier of Caterpillar in the UK, backing product sales with a high level of service through their 25 branches and 1500 engineers.
As UK market leaders in Electrical Power Generation, Finning offers the full range of Caterpillar diesel and gaseous fuelled generator sets.
In addition, they supply the Olympian range of ‘ready to install’ generators.
Finning (UK) Ltd | 688 Stirling Road | Slough | SL1 4ST
|
F
01753
497301
| standbypower@finning.co.uk | www.finning.co.uk
T 0870 609 3269