Power Need
Mercatodo, SAS is a leading distribution company in the Dominican Republic that supplies consumer products within the supermarket segment. The company’s new distribution center in Santo Domingo provides goods to all nine La Cadena supermarkets. This 86,000-square-foot (8,000-square-meter) facility requires continuous electricity seven days a week to power storage and refrigeration areas, offices and a full bakery to ensure quick deliveries to all nine supermarkets.
Mercatodo is an environmentally conscientious company, and executives continually look for ways to become more energy efficient. One of the ways the company has cut energy costs was by installing light domes within the roof to help maximize natural sunlight received during the day. Automatic sensors regulate the lights so they only power on when necessary, always maintaining a steady illumination level.
Another way the company worked toward greater energy efficiency was by installing diesel generator sets that operate in standby as a backup power source for the entire complex. “When we started to look for a backup power supply, we had to consider reliability as well as efficiency,” explained José Fernández, maintenance manager at Mercatodo. But that wasn’t the only concern Fernández had. “We have a few million pesos in goods held in refrigeration storage that we absolutely cannot afford to lose. Failure to power up is not an option.”
Solution
For 13 years, Fernández has worked with numerous supermarkets in the area and was already familiar with Cat® power generation solutions. Mercatodo selected Caterpillar for its solid reputation throughout the Caribbean and began to work with Kelvin Martinez, a sales engineer for local Cat dealer IMCA, to outfit the distribution facility with two Cat 300 kW C9 diesel generator sets. “It was an easy decision to choose a brand that I could already trust and count on,” explained Fernández.
IMCA sells and rents Cat mining, construction and earth moving equipment, generators, forklifts and marine engines with three other locations throughout the Dominican Republic. It is one of the largest Cat distributors in the Caribbean, serving the area’s industries for the past 67 years. Headquartered in Santo Domingo, the company also offers financing solutions and even rental and used equipment.
Overall, ten other Cat and two Olympian™ generator sets have been installed at surrounding La Cadena supermarkets from 1988 to 2011 with the help of IMCA. The supermarkets chose to install these sets based on local dealer representation and the reliability and quality that come with Cat and Olympian generator sets.
Olympian generator sets offer a complete line of key-start and automatic-start control panels equipped with many operational and protection features not generally offered on comparably sized systems. Optional instrumentation, shutdowns, alarms and state-of-the-art communication for remote monitoring and control are also available. With similar dimensions and hardware, control panels offer modular flexibility for easy interchange.
Results
The Cat generator sets installed at the distribution center are covered under a basic warranty. This includes scheduled maintenance visits from IMCA, which help lower operating costs by ensuring that the sets continue running smoothly. Mercatodo employs its own maintenance personnel to regularly service the generators. “We receive immediate responses and resolutions from IMCA to any questions or concerns we have and, if parts are needed, they’re delivered immediately,” said Fernández. “I could not be happier with the level of customer support Martinez and his team provide.”
Like any other Caribbean city, Santo Domingo is subjected to hurricanes. Fernández explained that having these units gives him peace of mind and confidence that power will always be available in emergency situations. “Now that we have two Cat generator sets installed supplying quality backup power, I don’t have to worry about a thing,” said Fernández. “I know that the facility will always be covered no matter what.”
Currently, there is room to install a third generator set should the company expand. “We will always choose Cat and encourage other supermarkets to pick them too,” added Fernández. “Caterpillar is one of the best brands in the world with excellent technology and durable products.”