‘I really want to keep our refrigeration technicians on hand so they can respond quickly. This ensures we aren’t dependent on third parties and our customers don’t have to wait in line when demand is high. Our quick response prevents “waste” and contributes to the sustainability of the entire operation,’ said Basteleus. This is also how we minimise leaks with our cooling systems. ‘The refrigerant leakage rate for larger retailers in Flanders is about 10% per year. It may even be higher for small independent operations that check systems less, which means they have no leakage figures available. We limit leaks to 3%’ How does the HVAC service manage this? First, we have specialists and second, we completely standardise our processes and systems. Refrigeration technicians are divided across two separate departments. The first has about 20 people and takes care of the systems in shop branches. The second has a dozen or so people and looks after the ‘big buildings’. These include computer rooms, distribution centres, and factories, such as for meat processing.

‘In shops, we have a completely standardised way of working. We keep everything in-house from start to finish,’ said Basteleus. Designers and project engineers follow strict specifications to ensure that every shop has basically the same system. For example, you will usually find the same sensor in the same place on a PCB. ‘Today, it’s very usual to have the system as a separate unit next to the shop.’ Automation, i.e. the software programming, is done by our own programmers. The department also handles purchases. This standardisation means our technicians receive focused training that makes them experts in their field. ‘Any employee who wants to take evening classes can get their refrigeration certificate at their own pace in two, three or four years.’ Standardising also reduces the number of different spare parts, making a huge warehouse unnecessary. ‘It also meant we could develop our own leak detection system,’ said Basteleus. The machine learning software collects data from temperature and pressure sensors, power meters, etc. It automatically sets off a leakage alarm when it detects a deviation among certain parameters. ‘If we lose just 1% of refrigerant gas, we know about it,’ he said.

‘We are seeing the climate change,’ said Basteleus. The design of our cooling systems has been adapted to the higher outdoor temperatures. In summer, our technicians monitor systems closely during heat waves. A control room shows all the systems on a screen. ‘We remotely monitor and adjust our systems. We only need to send out a technician when there are problems.’ We also have a post-summer evaluation. Which systems experienced difficulties? Why? If a system runs too hot, there is the risk it will fail under pressure. If it is too humid, it risks creating condensation in the shop. According to Basteleus, Colruyt Group gets through the hot summer without a hitch entirely because of its pared-down organisation. ‘Our designers know the customer – Colruyt Group – really well. If it has an idea, it tests it with us and we figure it out together. Ease of use and easy maintenance are also a core concern of our designers. Once a system is operational, the engineers give their feedback to the project technicians.’ So, the learning circle closes very quickly. We also take the information gleaned from all of the data and provides feedback to its suppliers about their machine systems and components. ‘We have an open relationship where we discuss things and they learn along with us.’