Morrisons...

Knottingley store
Destratification Fan Systems

Morrisons, the fifth largest supermarket chain in the UK is always looking for ways to reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint, as well as ways to improve customer comfort. Mitton Mechanical approached Airius in 2007 to conduct a trial in the Morrisons Knottingley store. The trial was hugely successful and now 100’s of stores all across the country have been retrofitted with Airius unit.

Supermarket operators and HVAC consultants have been trying to resolve the problem of customer discomfort in cold chiller and freezer aisles for many years. This problem is compounded when temperatures throughout the rest of the store can be uncomfortably warm in comparison. Costly and inefficient ducting systems, under cabinet heaters and heat retrieval systems have failed to solve the problem to date.

Mitton Mechanical, a Morrisons contractor, approached Airius to conduct a trial in the Morrisons Knottingley store in Wakefield. Airius units were placed at 4 metre intervals in three chiller aisles, reducing stratification from 6-8ºC to 1-2ºC, thus making the chiller aisles more comfortable (without affecting the chiller units). This increased customer browse time and aisle spend, as comfortable shoppers browse for longer and spend more. The system also helps dry spills quickly through evaporation and eliminates glass “fogging”, keeping cabinet products clearly on display.