July 26, 2016 Cold is Hot

Volume 8 | Issue 5

Refrigeracion Ojeda’s turnkey operations provide quick access to refrigeration solutions of any need, as Carlos Ponce reports.

It is said that challenging circumstances are oftentimes messengers of opportunity. This has been true in the case of Refrigeracion Ojeda, since despite all the ups and downs of the Mexican economy, the company has maintained, and even expanded, its client base, and competition has added a touch of dynamism to the industry. Such is the belief of Edel Ojeda Jr., president. “We are convinced that if refrigeration equipment is to compete successfully, it must prove that functionality, cost-effectiveness and style can be brought together in one,” says Ojeda.The company’s modest beginnings go back to the time when Edel Ojeda Malpica, an engineer who started out by fixing home appliances in a small workshop, could only imagine how far his tinkering would take him. In 1948, he narrowed down his scope, servicing the food preservation marketplace. Refrigeracion Ojeda formally initiated operations in 1958 as a corporation that serviced and repaired refrigeration units, and 11 years later, it began manufacturing highly specialized coolers and freezers for the supermarket segment with great success. Diversification of its product line increased sales, sparking the interest in 1969 of Tyler Refrigeration International to manufacture refrigerated merchandisers, freezers and other refrigeration systems in a joint venture named Ojeda-Tyler Company. Tyler Refrigeration International withdrew from Mexican operations 10 years later, leaving Refrigeracion Ojeda with the entire Mexican market to be served.

To date, the company manufactures 70 different refrigeration products and models. Continuous enhancements have made its products and proprietary technology rated internationally as highly energy-efficient. Comprehensive training programs, first-rate raw materials and stringent quality control measures make Refrigeracion Ojeda’s products practically defect-free.

Facilities measuring 300,000 square feet include four buildings that house manufacturing plants, office space and warehouses, where approximately 4,500 commercial refrigeration units and cooling merchandisers are produced each month. A fifth building in Toluca is where walk-in freezers and two- and three-door refrigerators are manufactured. All installations are the workplace of almost 740 employees that specialize in specific areas of competence by undergoing continuing skill enhancement programs. Refrigeracion Ojeda works in close collaboration with ICAMI and IPADE, two leading business institutes created in 1968 with the purpose of empowering companies with high-level management and entrepreneurial skills.

The company’s manufacturing tools include Danobat steel manipulation technologies, rollers, punch presses, riveting equipment, numerically controlled spot welders, injection molds, spectrometers, foam injection machines and high-voltage systems for electric performance verification to prevent power surges.

Partnering efforts abroad

Recently, Refrigeracion Ojeda signed a distribution agreement in the United States with one of Maytag’s affiliates, Dixie-Narco, a manufacturer of famous brand name cold drink vending machines. Amana, a part of the family of Maytag Appliances and another division of Maytag Corporation, has also partnered with Refrigeracion Ojeda in the distribution of its refrigeration equipment, facilitating market penetration into the U.S. and Canada. High-caliber international corporations such as Nestle, Unilever, Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola, and Cerveceria Modelo, have rated the company as their top supplier of refrigeration equipment and merchandisers for their Mexican operations.

Domestic distribution is carried out through a network of 180 distributors across the country. Distribution through Maytag represents an additional 11,000 outlets for sales and service in North America, a major stepping-stone towards widespread coverage. In addition a commercial agreement has been signed between Refrigeracion Ojeda and Costan SPA, Italy, for distributing in Mexico the Costan supermarket cases.

Refrigeracion Ojeda possesses readily available, high-efficiency assembly lines for bunker freezers, dairy display cases and beverage coolers to fulfill any order. “Pricing definitely sets our company apart from competitors,” mentions Ojeda. “Our company’s service plus nearly maintenance-free designs empower us to fully guarantee that cold will always be present when and where needed, for a fraction of the cost.”

For the design and quality control of commercial cold beverage merchandisers, the company installed a specialized testing laboratory where temperatures and humidity ambient conditions from any region in the world are simulated. Electronic sensors connected to the cooling units and the products themselves through a computer system feed information related to their behavior and performance for further analysis and application. The company uses an environmentally safe, CF-free blowing agent CO2 for injection of high-density polyurethane.

Cool flagship products

The contemporary styling of Refrigeracion Ojeda’s flagship products improve their cleanability, durability and energy efficiency while incorporating features to promote excellence in product presentation. Tintoretto, a forced air model for the preservation and exhibition of fresh products, features swing curved front for cleaning purposes. The Cima merchandiser is a traditional open unit for exhibit and sale of cold cuts, dairy products and delicatessen items. Cima 12-14 models allow for great flexibility and distribution in assisted shopping and self-service. Its small curved front glass and its panoramic side glasses allow for great product visibility and aesthetics.

The Rondo model, available in a low temperature version for the exhibit of chilled and frozen products, features a dual low or medium temperature control system that also permits preservation of fresh products, such as dairy and packed cold cuts. The Polyphony model is an open refrigerated unit with normal and low dual temperature settings. Allegro, with its compact design, allows for stable positioning or it can be moved around on its own wheel cart. This model is ideal for the exhibit and transportation of products to the most convenient location and is easy to install, clean and maintain. The Lyric model is a refrigerated display cabinet with flat or curved glass, with or without refrigerated compartments on the back, and powered by R404, a single component HCFC refrigerant with low ozone depletion potential.

The high-end technology of walk-in freezers combine performance, versatility and cost-reduction, and are manufactured with modular prefabricated panels that offer various heights, and any length in three-, four- or six-inch-widths. Polyurethane foam injection systems, aside from optimal insulation, offer long-lasting rigidity, and low weight facilitates maneuvering. Other commercial refrigerated merchandisers feature sliding condensing units with an evaporating tray, inner lighting, multi-position trays, and perfect-sealing gasket. They also have triple-glass doors with fog-proof features that allow for perfect product visibility, and a sliding condensing unit of quick and easy maintenance. A self-sealing system with a magnetic seal on the door prevents cold from leaking out. Refrigeracion Ojeda also manufactures refrigerated product merchandisers with a forced-air system that prolongs their life and reduces energy consumption up to 50 percent. A static refrigeration system with a heat-condensing unit guarantees an excellent, maintenance-free performance, and is insulated with CFC-free polyurethane foam.

Throughout 57 years in business, Refrigeracion Ojeda has become a trusted name among supermarkets, entrepreneurs and large industrials seeking to obtain the finest refrigeration equipment, presenting them with unequalled service and always keying in on their specific refrigeration needs.

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