The time has finally come to take a look at how KeepRite Refrigeration has thrived since opening its doors in 1945 and looking ahead to a bright future as we celebrate our 75th anniversary. From 1945 to 1993 we saw a lot of facility expansions and a lot of innovative products and technologies come to fruition.

As we continue our journey into 1994, we begin with the purchase of KeepRite Refrigeration by National Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Corp from Inter-City Products Corporation which led to 59 new employees within the refrigeration division.

During the late 90s we saw some excitement building online as we launched our first website, keepriterefrigeration.com.

To celebrate the new millennium, KeepRite Refrigeration decided to install a brand new, state-of-the-art “Finn Power” shear/punch press in the press shop. We then went on to expand our plant by another 58,000 square feet bringing our total floor space to 140,000 square feet!

Throughout 2005 we celebrated our 60th anniversary and added a new fin press, hairpin machine and vertical expander allowing us to increase our staff even further to 162 employees. Taking our online game one step further, we officially launched our NROES online calculation, design, quotation and ordering system in 2006. We later released our Design Tools suite of software tools which became available for all members online for free (and still is to this day!).

As we stepped in the next decade of the millennium, we really started to see traction with our innovative technologies after receiving the AHR Expo Innovation Award for Refrigeration with an Honourable Mention for our SmartSpeed and Quiet Condensing Units.

In 2014, we were awarded a US patent for our SmartSpeed Fan Motor Technology which was then followed up another AHR Expo Innovation Award in 2015. By this time the Refrigeration Category had become highly competitive and the prestigious award we received recognized KeepRite Refrigeration for innovation and excellence in bringing Limitrol+ Head Pressure Control System to market.

While receiving all of these awards was definitely a highlight of the company throughout our entire 75 years, we did also rack up some pretty impressive (or weird, we leave that up to you) stats by 2015 including:

• 10,600,000 sq. ft. of aluminum foil was used in 2014 which is 1.6 times the floor space of the largest office in the world, the Pentagon
• Used over 8,000,000 screws and fasteners… each year!
• Used 38,000 fans in 2014 which is enough to provide 1 fan for each citizen in Pacifica, CA.
• Used 5,000,000 lbs of sheet metal in 2014 which is more weight than the space shuttle’s launch mass.
• Used 10.7 million feet of copper tube in one year which is nearly enough to wrap around the moon at its equator.

And this all brings us to the year 2020 and our 75th anniversary. We think we can speak for everyone when we say that this year has been unpredictable but through it all KeepRite Refrigeration has not only managed to survive but has thrived thanks to our amazing staff and loyal consumers. Here’s to 75 more years folks!

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While the new energy efficiency rules, commonly referred to as “AWEF”, have been in place since January 1, 2020, we are still receiving numerous questions surrounding the new regulations including whether the rules apply to new or retrofit installs.

Staying true to Our Continued Commitment to the Refrigeration Professional, we are here to answer any and all of your AWEF questions.

We have already established how to achieve compliance through AWEF standards and who is responsible for ensuring products and equipment are compliant, but what about the equipment that is used for either new or retrofit installations? Is there a difference between the two when it comes to the effects of the AWEF regulations?

What equipment has to be compliant?

According to NRCAN and DOE’s WICF ruling, the AWEF regulations apply to anyone manufacturing, producing, assembling or importing certified walk-in cooler and freezer components.

In terms of commercial refrigeration, compliant components refer to dedicated and packaged condensing units, both indoor and outdoor, used in (and this is the important part) both new and retrofit applications. This includes the following:

• Condensing units that are assembled to construct a new walk-in cooler and freezer
• Condensing units to replace an existing, previously installed walk-in cooler and freezer component, otherwise known as a retrofit
• Condensing units used within packaged systems

In addition to the condensing units, unit coolers (evaporators), doors, panels and lighting are also considered to be within the authority of the new AWEF regulations.

Does the date apply to the date of install, sale, or manufacture of affected equipment?

The new regulations came into effect January 1, 2020. Therefore, the date applies to the manufacturing of the equipment, not the date of the sale or installation.

While impacted parties must meet the applicable standards based on the date of manufacture, contractors and wholesalers can still use and stock condensing units that were manufactured before January 1, 2020. Any condensing units manufactured after January 1, 2020, whether it’s a new or retrofit installation, must comply with the new AWEF standards.

So, does it matter if it’s a new install or retrofit?

The answer is no, it doesn’t matter because ultimately compliance is required on all new equipment for both retrofits and for new installations.

The AWEF regulations have had broad impacts throughout the industry, from OEMs and wholesalers to contractors and end-users. Because the new standards impact both new and retrofit equipment, every segment of the commercial refrigeration supply chain has needed to understand its implications, including us.

Whether you’re gearing up for a new or retrofit commercial refrigeration installation, make sure that all of your equipment is compliant under the 2020 AWEF regulations.

If you’re unsure how to proceed with these new regulations and ensuring your commercial refrigeration equipment is AWEF compliant, KeepRite Refrigeration can help guide you in a number of ways. First off, be sure to check out our AWEF FAQ page for answers to other questions surrounding AWEF. In addition, feel free to call your local sales representative or our Small Condensing Units product specialists at 1-844-893-3222 ext. 521.

With a wide range of compliant products to choose from along with over 75 years of expertise, you can count on KeepRite Refrigeration to help you achieve compliance on all of your commercial refrigeration installations.

The post What You Need to Know About AWEF: New and Retrofit Installs appeared first on KeepRite Refrigeration.

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As we’re all well aware of by now, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) implemented new energy efficiency rules, regularly referred to as “AWEF.” Since coming into effect on January 1, 2020 we have received a number of frequently asked questions surrounding these new regulations, especially questions in regard to compliance.

Staying true to Our Continued Commitment to the Refrigeration Professional, we are here to answer any and all of your AWEF questions.

Achieving Compliance Through AWEF Standards

To evaluate the energy efficiency of a complete walk-in cooler and freezer (WICF) system, the DOE uses a metric called the Annual Walk-In Energy Factor (AWEF) created by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).

According to AHRI, this calculation is based on “a ratio of the total heat, not including the heat generated by the operation of refrigeration systems, removed, in Btu, from a walk-in box during a one-year period of usage for refrigeration to the total energy input of refrigeration systems, in watt-hours, during the same period.”

As mentioned in previous articles, these regulations apply to WICFs smaller than 3,000 square feet. This includes a number of WICF product types that must meet or exceed the minimum AWEF ratings based on capacity and application.

We know this is a lot to keep track of which is why we have put together the following table detailing the minimum AWEF rating per product type.

* q_net is net capacity as determined in accordance with Section 431.304 of Title 10 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations.

**Resource: NRCAN (https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/walk-coolers-and-freezers/19543?wbdisable=true#wb-cont)

Who’s Responsible for Making Sure Products and Equipment Are Compliant?

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to certify its equipment to be manufactured and sold as compliant. It is the responsibility of those assembling/installing the system to use certified equipment for retrofitting existing jobs and/or for new installations. This includes:

• Wholesalers/Salesperson/OEM: to ensure correct equipment is selected
• Contractors: to ensure equipment supplied is compliant

How is KeepRite Refrigeration Helping Wholesalers/OEMs/Contractors?

There are a variety of ways we are helping members within the WICF supply chain achieve compliance.

As a manufacturer of condensing units for a wide range of commercial refrigeration applications, we are producing certified WICF condensing units that meet and exceed the DOE’s minimum AWEF requirements.

Where Do I Find Specifications on KeepRite Refrigeration’s Compliant Products?

Our website always provides the most up-to-date product information available:

• KEH “Generation D” Hermetic Air-cooled Condensing Units:
  • Website: k-rp.com/keh   Product Specifications: https://docs.k-rp.com/1108864.pdf

• KEZ “Generation D” Scroll Air-cooled Condensing Units:
  • Website: k-rp.com/kez Product Specifications: https://docs.k-rp.com/1108861.pdf

• KES “Generation D” Semi-hermetic Air-cooled Condensing Units:
  • Website: k-rp.com/kes Product Specifications: https://docs.k-rp.com/1108867.pdf

In addition, our KQ Quiet Condensing Units, KMS/KMD and KVS/KVD Condensing Units can also be used in applications requiring compliance:

• KQ “Quiet” Scroll Condensing Units:
  • Website: k-rp.com/kq Product Specifications: https://docs.k-rp.com/1090650.pdf

• KMS/KMD Air-cooled Condensing Units:
  • Website: k-rp.com/km Product Specifications: https://docs.k-rp.com/1092981.pdf

• KVS/KVD Air-cooled Condensing Units:
  • Website: k-rp.com/kv Product Specifications: https://docs.k-rp.com/1073950.pdf

Can I Get Non-Compliant Equipment for an Exempted Application?

We will continue to offer legacy models for use where the new regulations are not required (subject to change based on market dynamics). Follow the links below to legacy model literature:

• KEH “C-Generation” Hermetic Air-cooled Condensing Units: https://docs.k-rp.com/1106701.pdf
• KEZ “C-Generation” Scroll Air-cooled Condensing Units: https://docs.k-rp.com/1106738.pdf
• KES “C-Generation” Semi-hermetic Air-cooled Condensing Units: https://docs.k-rp.com/1106704.pdf

Do I Have to Be Compliant?

To sum up all of this information into one word, the answer is, yes. Yes, you do have to be compliant.

If you’re unsure or think that you may be exempted from these regulations, we highly suggest purchasing a compliant unit anyways since they are more up-to-date and will perform better overall for your commercial refrigeration application.

If you’re unsure how to proceed with these new regulations and ensuring your commercial refrigeration equipment is AWEF compliant, KeepRite Refrigeration can help guide you in a number of ways. First off, be sure to check out our AWEF FAQ page for answers to other questions surrounding AWEF.

In addition, feel free to call your local sales representative or our Small Condensing Units product specialists at 1-844-893-3222 ext. 521.

With a wide range of compliant products to choose from along with over 75 years of expertise, you can count on KeepRite Refrigeration to help you achieve compliance.

The post What You Need to Know About AWEF: Compliance appeared first on KeepRite Refrigeration.

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“Once the reality of COVID-19 set in, we heard an overwhelming desire from employees in our plant and office, our Social Committee and the Union to do what we could to support our local community. We pulled together and established a process to collect donations, and to say the response was fantastic is an understatement.” (Dave Teeter, President – KeepRite Refrigeration)

KeepRite Refrigeration has been a part of the Brantford community for 75 years and we have seen firsthand how strong a community is when everyone comes together, especially during critical times like the present. Not only does our workforce include your neighbours and friends, it also includes 2^nd and even 3^rd generation employees! We have members on our team whose parents and grandparents also worked at KeepRite Refrigeration and have helped us to become the company we are today.

As active and connected members of our Brantford society, our employees are community leaders, and many use their spare time to volunteer at various local organizations. We understand that what affects our local community, affects us not only as a company but our families, our friends, and our neighbours.

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has been felt on a global level. Although KeepRite Refrigeration has been affected by this pandemic, since we sell our products across North America, we continue to keep our doors open as an essential service to support our frontline workers in the healthcare and food industries. As such, we feel very fortunate to continue working during these times and believe it’s important to share that good fortune with our community. While our products are sold throughout the continent, our home is Brantford.

KeepRite Refrigeration designs and builds commercial refrigeration equipment that is imperative to food safety and a critical part of the food industry supply chain. Brantford Food Bank is also part of that chain, which is why our KeepRite Refrigeration team came together to donate $10,000 to the organization.

“We face a number of challenges,” says Heather Vanner, Executive Director. “We have seen food donations decrease, and many of our volunteers have rightly chosen to self-isolate. This creates manpower challenges. Our staff have committed to meeting the needs of individuals needing help and are working hard to ensure our services continue to operate. We anticipate the number of people using our services will rise as the economic impacts of the pandemic take hold.”

We want to help the Brantford Food Bank to not just face, but to conquer the challenges that they and many other organizations are facing at this time.

To say it was a team effort is an understatement. The company set things in motion by setting up the infrastructure required for employees to make individual contributions through payroll. KeepRite Refrigeration’s Social Committee and KeepRite Workers Independent Union also stepped up with generous contributions.

“This isn’t really about work. This is about supporting our families, friends and neighbours through a tough time. As an essential service, we are still working. And we wanted to support those in our community who need a hand.” (Paul Pritchard, President – KeepRite Workers Independent Union)

”So many people working here are community leaders – they’re active and doing their part whether they volunteer in service groups, coach their kids’ sports teams, help out at a local shelter… this just seemed like an extension of that community mindset.” (Dave Tayler, Chair – KeepRite Refrigeration Social Committee)

We know that if we continue to come together as a community, supporting our local businesses and one another while remaining positive, that we will get through this. #BrantfordTogether

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“With a flexible and innovative approach, coupled with a commitment to quality and continuous improvement, we strive to satisfy our customers, develop long term profitable partnerships, and provide market leadership.”

This is KeepRite Refrigeration’s corporate mission statement that we have stood by and honoured for 75 years.

These words illustrate our commitment to not only unparalleled service, but to also continually drive forward in developing new and emerging technologies that meet industry needs at the pace they demand them. By combining what we have learned over 75 years and applying new technology, we have come up with the best solutions for today’s refrigeration professional.

As we continue to celebrate our 75^th anniversary, we want to look back at the technologies that we developed over the past 20 years that have continued to hold us accountable to our reputation of innovation through experience.

This includes our Smart³ suite of Systems Savings Solutions which are commercial refrigeration products that deliver what today’s refrigeration professional demands: innovative products, energy efficiency, responsive technology and leading-edge customizable solutions. An evolution in commercial equipment and technologies, Smart³ is the culmination of decades of experience and expertise.

A full suite of products, Smart³ is an innovative approach to offering you the help you need to meet your clients’ needs for commercial refrigeration systems, products, and services. This suite of smart systems savings solutions meets the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s refrigeration professional and includes the following innovative technologies:

KQ Line Quiet Refrigeration Duty Condensing Unit

Featuring scroll compressors in a unit that is quiet, compact and energy-efficient, the KQ Line is ideally suited for applications where space limitations, energy efficiency or sound levels are of concern.

Just how quiet is KeepRite Refrigeration’s Quiet Unit?

EC Shafted Motor Technology

EC motors offer tremendous gains in efficiency but have previously been part of a complex assembly. KeepRite Refrigeration’s shafted EC motors offer the best of both worlds – industry leading energy efficiency in a lightweight, modular design, that allows for unprecedented serviceability and retrofit opportunities.

KeepRite Refrigeration offers the key benefits of EC motor technology – efficiency, reliability and soft starts – in a lightweight, convenient package for high horsepower applications.

SmartSpeed^TM Fan Motor Technology

Utilizing KeepRite Refrigeration’s patented SmartSpeed technology, customers can benefit from reduced energy consumption and reduced system refrigerant charges. SmartSpeed offers a simplified, economical solution in order to meet the increasingly stringent efficiency levels being mandated across North America.

The innovative feature behind the SmartSpeed technology is the two speed EC fan motor that changes speed according to system operation and ambient conditions.

How much energy can you save with SmartSpeed?

LINK/LINK+ Multi-Compressor Refrigeration System

LINK and LINK+ systems redefine flexibility in commercial refrigeration solutions.

Each system is custom designed from the ground up to meet your specific application’s needs. This allows for the delivery of a ruggedly constructed design that maximizes system performance, energy savings and serviceability.

LIMITROL+ Floating Head Pressure Control System

LIMITROL+ combines various technologies into a responsive system that floats head pressure, saving energy and reducing environmental impact.

Unlike competitive systems, LIMITROL+ combines variable speed EC motor technology, condenser portioning and various systems modifications to provide the ultimate in performance and control. As a result, LIMITROL+ functions in much colder ambient where previous systems have proven ineffective.

See below for your estimated energy savings or use our handy Energy Savings Calculator to find out how much Limitrol+ can save you!

* The above is a BIN Hour Analysis. Weather data was used from ASHRAE Weather Data Viewer and electrical rates for each city are based on June 2013 data from EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration).

** Above numbers do not include refrigerant savings, and further cost savings can be expected.

ESP+ Intuitive Evaporator Control Technology

KeepRite Refrigeration’s newest technology, our ESP+ intuitive evaporator control, is designed to replace traditional electro-mechanical refrigeration controls typically used on medium and low temperature applications.

With ESP+ you get precise temperature control, minimizing product loss due to excessive frost and improving product shelf life – plus significant energy savings.

Other technologies that are included in our Smart3 systems savings solutions include:

• Alternative Refrigerants: the equipment and expertise you need to respond to the needs of the ever-changing industry.
• Demand Defrost Technology: delivers trues “defrost on demand” evaporator control that provides energy savings by significantly increasing system efficiently over mechanically controlled systems.
• Distributed Refrigeration Systems: a customized line of commercial refrigeration equipment ideally suited for applications that require systems to be strategically placed.

As we mark our 75^th anniversary and celebrate the technologies that we have developed throughout the 2000’s we can’t help but reminisce on the various awards our company has achieved including:

• 2015 – The AHR Expo Innovation Award in a highly competitive Refrigeration Category. This prestigious award recognized KeepRite Refrigeration for innovation and excellence in bringing Limitrol+ Head Pressure Control System to market.
• 2014 – US Patent awarded for our SmartSpeed Fan Motor Technology.
• 2010 – The AHR Expo Innovation Award for Refrigeration with honourable mention for our SmartSpeed and Quiet Condensing Units technologies.

While KeepRite Refrigeration has developed even more technologies than those listed above, such as the Energy Calculator, our Design Tools suite of software applications, etc. that is a story for another day.

As we look back on the technologies that we’ve developed and we look ahead to the opportunities in front of us, one thing remains that same and that is how we will continue to innovate through experience to maintain our position as The Right Choice For The Refrigeration Professional.

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It’s amazing how fast the world moves in times of crisis. Just a few weeks ago we were gearing up for the 2020 CMPX Tradeshow and within a matter of days those plans changed drastically.

As we continue monitoring the COVID-19 situation, KeepRite Refrigeration remains open as an essential service to provide grocery stores and healthcare facilities with the commercial refrigeration equipment they need to continue operating during these uncertain times.

While we continue to build up our library of online tools during this time, we do have a few materials that can be accessed digitally from the comfort of your own home. The best part – they are all completely free to use.

Check out KeepRite Refrigeration’s Isolation Playlist below for the refrigeration professional to keep busy during COVID-19.

Track #1: Design Tools

This track could be considered an entire playlist on its own! KeepRite Refrigeration Design Tools is a suite of software applications created to help refrigeration professionals make accurate calculations, access product information, choose components and print technical drawings.

While many of you know that we offer these very resourceful tools for free, some of you may not have had the time to familiarize yourself with this content. Well now is your chance!

What does the Design Tools Software include?

• Load Calculator – generate a load estimate for a refrigerated walk-in or warehouse and to select sufficient refrigeration equipment to handle the load.
• Air-Cooled Condenser Designer – select a condenser based on supplied design criteria or select an existing model to see specification. This is suitable for single or multiple compressor applications.
• PiCoil Fluid Cooler Designer – configure a single circuit Dry Fluid Cooler for free cooling or process cooling applications.
• PiCoil Glycol Coil Designer – configure a single circuit Glycol Coil for use in walk-in coolers, refrigerated warehouses and docks.
• Certified Print Generator – generate one-off certified prints, approval drawings and specifications for all models in the equipment catalog.
• Service Parts List – generate parts lists for specified models or usage lists for specified parts.
• Document Browser – gain streamlined access to latest product support resources including specifications, installation, technical bulletins and promotional materials.

Getting started is so quick and very easy. Download this suite of commercial refrigeration tools today!

Track #2: Energy Calculator and Tutorials

KeepRite Refrigeration’s desktop and mobile Energy Calculator helps you make informed decisions by allowing you to input your equipment selections to give you meaningful energy consumption data and operating cost estimates based on your location.

This Energy Calculator can help you with your ROI calculations based on your equipment selections. Adding options from our Smart³ suite of energy saving technologies can enhance these savings even more.

In addition to having access to the Energy Calculator online, we have also put together tutorial videos to help you easily get started. Ready to give the Energy Calculator a try? Start calculating!

Track #3: ESP+ Instructional Videos

KeepRite Refrigeration’s latest innovation, ESP+ intuitive evaporator control technology, is designed to replace traditional electro-mechanical refrigeration controls typically used on medium and low temperature applications.

With a remote monitoring and control system in place, our ESP+ technology allows you to maintain your commercial refrigeration temperatures from anywhere at any time.

While you may already have your ESP+ unit all set up, it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the technology and learn the ins and outs of it. That is why we have put together an ESP+ instructional video playlist to show you everything you need to know from how to change the basic and advanced settings to connecting your ESP+ using a Wi-Fi service tool.

Track #4: AWEF Regulations

On January 1, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) implemented new energy efficiency rules that are regularly referred to as “AWEF”. While many are aware of these new regulations, some haven’t had the opportunity to learn the specifics and how exactly they are affected by them.

From all the various acronyms (WICF, AWEF, DOE, etc.) to what products are most affected versus which ones are exempted from the policies, we have been asked a lot of questions on the matter.

That’s why we put together an AWEF FAQ page where you can find the answers to all of your questions. Learn how to find AWEF numbers on equipment, the difference between indoor and outdoor units, whether having a new install or retrofit matters and so much more.

Track #5: Product Manuals and Specs

Did you know that you have access to manuals and specifications for almost all of our products through our website? Whether you’re looking for a new condensing unit, evaporator, air handler or other piece of commercial refrigeration equipment, you can find everything you need to know about a product right on their product page.

For example, if you’re looking for a two-way low-profile evaporator, our KTL product page includes support materials such as product data and installation manuals, defrost kit and fuse package selection guide, a general product specification, our evaporators price book, and so much more!

Everything you need to learn more about any of our products can easily be found right on our website.

Track #6: Online Videos

While we do offer many training and tutorial videos for free online, we also have technology videos that can be found throughout our website as well. These short and simple videos offer you a fast and easy way to learn more about the technology you’re interested in.

Want to learn more about LIMITROL+ technology but don’t feel like reading much? Easy! Check out the short 2-minute video we’ve put together that can be found on the technology’s webpage.

These videos can be found for all of our technologies.

Track #7: External Resources

While we do consider ourselves the go-to source for all things commercial refrigeration, we understand that sometimes you need further information, especially when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it’s affecting our industry.

That’s why we’ve put together these external resources that you can continuously check back on to get updates as often as you’d like.

HRAI – https://www.hrai.ca/covid-19

ASHRAE – https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/resources

Department of Energy (DOE) – https://www.energy.gov/covid-19-hub

—

None of us truly know how long these quarantined days are going to last, but what we do know is that KeepRite Refrigeration will continue to combine experience and innovation to provide industry-leading commercial refrigeration solutions and continue to support our frontline workers to the best of our capability.

The post Commercial Refrigeration Isolation Playlist appeared first on Keeprite Refrigeration.

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As we continue to celebrate our 75^th anniversary and look towards the future, it’s important to reflect on our past and where we have come including the changes we experienced and the challenges we overcame. During our first 25 years of business we experienced many facility expansions along with growing our number of employees. One thing that always remained the same during those years and continued over the next 23 years was our main focus on our customers.

From the early 1970’s until the mid-1970’s, we went through many facility expansions starting in 1972 when we began receiving return from aggressive pursuit of the overseas market. That led to acquiring an adjacent property to our Brantford facility adding 35,000 square feet of manufacturing space. During that time, we also started our Electrostatic Epoxy Powder Paint setup in Brantford which was the first automatic setup in North America!

From 1973 to 1976, the Brantford facility completed a 25,000 square foot pressroom which included the installation of two 400-ton presses in addition to acquiring another adjacent property adding a further 24,000 square feet of warehousing space bringing the Brantford plant to a total of 302,000 square feet. This wasn’t the size for long because in 1976 we added another 70,000 square feet of manufacturing space to the facility.

At the same time, Unifin’s London plant added 20,000 square feet of manufacturing space bringing that plant to a total of 78,000 square feet. Meanwhile, in Western Canada, we opened a sales office in Calgary, Alberta which brought our total staff to 707 employees.

During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, we underwent some pretty large company changes including buying Cardinal Development Corporation in Ohio in 1977. In 1979, the Odette Group Limited purchased the controlling block of shares of the company from the McMillen family. After that, the name of the company changed from KeepRite Products Limited to KeepRite Inc.

In 1980, KeepRite Inc. made the decision to purchase a second plant in Brantford, providing an additional 82,000 square feet of floor space. In 1981, Inter-City Gas Corporation of Winnipeg purchased the controlling block of KeepRite shares. During this same year we acquired ZoneAire Corporation of Johnson, City, Tenn.

In 1983, we made a big decision to buy two divisions from our parent company, Inter-City Gas Corporation, to add commercial and residential heating and ventilating equipment to our product lines. By 1984, we employed over 900 people.

From 1990 to 1993 KeepRite Refrigeration only continued to grow as we formed a business unit division under the Inter-City Products Corporation and moved production into a 25,000 square foot facility. After that, we moved into an existing 82,000 square foot manufacturing facility.

A lot happened during our first 50 years of business but wait until you hear what happened after 1993! Stay tuned for Part 3 of the series to hear all about it. Until then, be sure to enter our 75th anniversary throwback contest on Facebook for your chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card!

The post Celebrating 75 Years of Commercial Refrigeration Innovation Part 2: KeepRite Refrigeration Flourishes (1971 – 1993) appeared first on Keeprite Refrigeration.

The post Celebrating 75 Years of Commercial Refrigeration Innovation Part 2: KeepRite Refrigeration Flourishes (1971 – 1993) appeared first on KeepRite Refrigeration.

KeepRite Refrigeration is known for being The Right Choice for the Refrigeration Professional and how we came to be known as that is by continuously innovating new technologies and products for the commercial refrigeration industry. This is seen firsthand when we combined award-winning adaptive technology along with an electronic expansion valve to create the ESP+ Intuitive Evaporator Control Technology.

As mentioned in previous posts, one of the major benefits of our ESP+ technology is its quick and simple installation. While the technological side of the innovation may seem daunting at first, through our instructional video series, we have broken down each step for getting your ESP+ up and running.

At this point, we have reached our final destination with our final tutorial about how to connect to your ESP+ using Wi-Fi service tool.

How to Connect ESP+ Using Wi-Fi Service Tool

Simply start by using the ethernet cable to connect the Wi-Fi service tool to the ESP+ controller. Make sure that you turn the service tool on and be aware it may take a few minutes for the unit to fully boot up.

Once the unit is up and running you will need to click on the wireless connection icon on your computer or the Wi-Fi settings on your smartphone. It will open a list of available networks. Make sure that you select the “KE2WIFIST” wireless network and click connect.

After you have connected to the device, you will need to launch the browser of your choice and then enter either of these addresses into the address bar:

• 192.168.50.1
• https://KE2LDA

Once you open this page you will see a list of connected controllers. Click on the “ESP+ controller” that you have just connected. The ESP+ controller homepage should then appear.

If you wish to make any changes to passwords or unit settings, you must first login to the dashboard.

If you have already accessed the controller use the username and password that you already set or that you were supplied with. If this is your first time accessing the controller use the following login info:

Username: ke2admin

Password: ke2admin

Now you have access to change the unit settings through the connected controller.

If you ever experience any technical issues with your ESP+ contact your IT department and if they have any questions you can always contact our Product Specialists through email at evaps@k-rp.com.

Offering so many benefits to all parties involved, our ESP+ technology continues to prove how KeepRite Refrigeration is The Right Choice For The Refrigeration Professional. Plus, ESP+ is now available in our Energy Calculator. Find out how much you can save today!

And now you know how to set up the technological side of your new ESP+ Intuitive Evaporator Control Technology. If you ever forget about how to set up a specific part, just visit KeepRite Refrigeration’s YouTube page where the full ESP+ Instructional Videos playlist is available.

Now offered on most KeepRite Refrigeration evaporators, to learn more about our ESP+ intuitive evaporator control technology, be sure to visit www.k-rp.com/esp for complete details. If you have any questions, check out our FAQ page or feel free to email evaps@k-rp.com or give us a call at 1-844-893-3222 ext. 520.

The post ESP+ Tutorial #7 – Connecting ESP+ Using Wi-Fi Service Tool appeared first on Keeprite Refrigeration.

The post ESP+ Tutorial #7 – Connecting ESP+ Using Wi-Fi Service Tool appeared first on KeepRite Refrigeration.

As many of you know by now, KeepRite Refrigeration is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year and we want you all to be a part of that celebration. That includes contests, meeting our team members, and of course, giving you an idea of what has happened over the past 75 years, what we have learned, and where we still want to go.

Let’s start at the beginning in 1945 when KeepRite Refrigeration opened the doors to a 20,000 square-foot facility where we started engineering and manufacturing high quality and highly reliable refrigeration products. Back in those days, we even manufactured kitchen cabinets, baseboard heaters, chimney liners, icemakers and golf carts.

With a staff of just nine people, KeepRite Refrigeration was founded in Brantford, Ontario which is where our headquarters is still located to this day. A big shout out to Ruddy Freeborn Co. Ltd. (later known as Hussmann Store Equipment Ltd.) for being our very first refrigeration customer!

In just 3 years our staff went from nine to over 100 employees with sales passing the $1 million mark shortly after in 1951. By 1953 we opened a sales branch in Montreal and later in 1959 we added another 13,500 square feet of manufacturing space to our Brantford plant.

In less than 20 years from opening our doors, KeepRite Refrigeration had sales offices in Montreal, QC., London, ON., Burlington ON., and Vancouver BC. Not to mention our Brantford plant had to add another 38,000 square feet to the manufacturing space, bringing us to a total of 118,000 square feet by 1964.

From 1965 to 1970, KeepRite Refrigeration’s number of employees continued to steadily grow from 300, to 400, to eventually more than 500 people by 1969. Sales branches in Halifax, NS., Ottawa, ON., and Winnipeg, MB. were opened throughout that span as well. KeepRite Refrigeration became a public company in 1967.

During that timeline, KeepRite Refrigeration also acquired assets of Unifin in London, ON. including an additional 52,000 square feet of warehousing space for the Brantford location. In 1969, another 36,000 square foot addition to the Brantford facility began.

By the end of the Sixties, we halted our manufacturing of non-refrigeration or air conditioning product to supplement the business as we poured all of our attention and focus into the area of the business we knew and continue to know best.

By the time we were celebrating our 25^th anniversary in 1970, our heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration manufacturing facility was the largest in the country which of course meant we needed to add another 10,000 square feet to our Brantford facility!

What happened over the next 25 years? Stay tuned and we would be happy to tell you the whole story of KeepRite Refrigeration’s 75 years as the right choice for the refrigeration professional. Until then, be sure to enter our 75^th anniversary throwback contest on Facebook for your chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card!

The post Celebrating 75 Years of Commercial Refrigeration Innovation Part 1: The Beginning (1945 – 1970) appeared first on Keeprite Refrigeration.

The post Celebrating 75 Years of Commercial Refrigeration Innovation Part 1: The Beginning (1945 – 1970) appeared first on KeepRite Refrigeration.

Available on most KeepRite Refrigeration evaporators, the ESP+ Intuitive Evaporator Control Technology is designed to replace traditional electro-mechanical refrigeration controls typically used on medium and low-temperature applications.

Among many other benefits, the ESP+ features a quick and simple installation including connecting it to a local-area network (LAN).

IP Address Sticker Available

To begin, connect your ethernet cable to the ESP+ control board as well as to an open port on the network switch or a router.

Following this, you will want to use the control display system on your ESP+ to enable the DHCP setpoint. To access the setpoint menu, press and hold the “back” button for three seconds and then use the “∧” and “∨” arrows to find the “dHC” setpoint.

Press and release “Enter” to display the current setting and use the “∧” and “∨” arrows again to find enable “EnA”. To confirm the setting and enable DHCP, simply press and hold “Enter” for three seconds. To return to the home screen repeatedly press the “Back” button.

Next, you will need to find and record the controller IP address which is a series of four numbers. The IP address is shown on a sticker on the Service Parts List on the access panel.

Once you have those four digits you will need to hop on a computer connected to the same network as the ESP+ controller and open a new browser, either wired or wireless. Enter the controller IP address into the address bar of your opened browser and press enter.

The ESP+ controller homepage should now be displayed. If for some reason the page does not load, additional setup or IT support may be required. If you wish to make any changes to passwords, unit settings, etc., you will need to first login into the dashboard.

If this is your first time accessing the controller be sure to use the default username of “ke2admin” and password “ke2admin”. Otherwise, you can use the username and password you previously set or were supplied with.

IP Address Sticker NOT Available

Even if you don’t have the IP address sticker, you can still connect your ESP+ to a LAN and the process is relatively the same as above but you will need to find and record the IP address for the controller to begin.

Use the “∧” and “∨” arrows to scroll through the controller variables until the IP settings are found. When you get to “iP1”, press “Enter”, and you will see three digits appear. These are the first digits of your IP address.

Once you have recorded these digits press “Enter” again and the “∨” arrow to get to “iP2”. Hit “Enter” once more and you will see your second set of digits of your IP address.

Continue this process until you have recorded the digits for all 4 IPs. Once this is complete, you now have your IP address for your ESP+ controller and can continue with the steps stated above starting with opening a browser on your computer that’s connected to the same network as your ESP+ controller.

Now that you have your ESP+ connected to a LAN you can change the superheat using the on-board display but that’s something to learn in our next blog! Ready to skip ahead? Be sure to visit KeepRite Refrigeration’s YouTube page where the full ESP+ Instructional Videos playlist is available.

Now offered on most KeepRite Refrigeration evaporators, to learn more about our ESP+ intuitive evaporator control technology, be sure to visit www.k-rp.com/esp for complete details.

If you have any questions, check out our FAQ page or feel free to email evaps@k-rp.com or give us a call at 1-844-893-3222 ext. 520.

The post ESP+ Tutorial #5 – Connect ESP+ to a LAN appeared first on Keeprite Refrigeration.

The post ESP+ Tutorial #5 – Connect ESP+ to a LAN appeared first on KeepRite Refrigeration.