Champions of Specialty Refrigeration

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The company leaders see a light at the end of the dark economic tunnel we've all been through, and its engines are stoked and ready to run at full steam.

"As the recession subsides, we credit our refrigeration expertise for helping us bridge the economic gap," says Brian Hughes. "While business may not be gangbusters for some time to come, it's generally accepted that the worst is over. When the recession came, we stood on top of the wave, thanks to our refrigeration business."

That focus on refrigeration brings with it an absolute understanding of the importance of many low temperature projects. "We may have to be at a site all night, because food preservation is critical," says Brian Hughes. "You can't go home at 5 o'clock if a cooler repair isn't completed. Comfort cooling customers, on the other hand, aren't as demanding as food or pharmaceutical refrigeration customers. Many will tolerate lower levels of quality at time, in exchange for lower pricing."

And once they come through for a customer, Hughes's exceptional proficiency makes them a customer for good.

Frank Hughes hastens to give due credit to customer loyalty. "The business isn't driven solely by price. Many of our refrigeration maintenance contracts have lasted for decades. It's a continuing relationship," he says.

Tactical, Controls-Based Energy Savings
The team at Hughes promotes service and systems improvements as keys to energy conservation and equipment longevity.

"Customers are investing for the short term," Frank Hughes says. "Those investments include many improvements in controls, because of what controls mean to energy efficiency. Today's food processors need to demonstrate to their customers the temperatures that are maintained throughout the plant: loading dock, holding coolers, production areas, shipping coolers, and more. It's on a computer and is part of the control system."

Hughes Environmental Engineering's exceptional expertise in refrigeration controls technology is due to the wizardry of Bill Way, manager of automation and special projects, in cooperation with Wayne Lehr, vice president of engineering, Steve Westcott, Design/Build sales engineer, and Brian Glynn, P.E. Through its understanding of peak rate costing, they design systems that provide precise temperature control and help customers shed huge numbers of kilowatt usage.

"The highest demand rates are, of course, during the day, so we do our best to shed daily equipment running time as much as possible," Frank explains. If meat grinders need to run, you use demand meters to ensure the corresponding refrigeration unit will shut down for that area for a short period of time. When the demand cost is 30% of the electric bill, and you knock off 20% or 30% of demand, you've reduced 10% of their bill. It's an economic sale. You must demonstrate the savings. They won't do it just to 'go green"

Bill Way points to electronic controls as the biggest leap forward in the refrigeration business that he's seen in 40 years. And he should know, having worked on the original Andover systems of the 1980s, and many others since.

"Electronic controls are so accurate, you can design the system to do anything you want it to do, from reading pressures and temperatures, to sending alarms to pagers," Way says.

"They're the 'perfect' service tools. I can diagnose 50% of the problems on a site before the technician ever goes to the job."

Brian Glynn, P.E., most enjoys the relationship building that starts with customers as friends, which makes helping them that much more worthwhile. "You've got a personal relationship as a cornerstone of a project, and you add to that the financial benefits that come from upgrading their equipment," he says. "And I build it as if it were going into my home."

Wayne Lehr, vice president of engineering, has served the company for 34 years. He's more into the HVAC side of things, but has helped with his fair share of low temperature ice plants, DDC controls, and chiller projects. He likes being close to the action, and working with technicians and customers.

"I find that technicians have insight you can never gain by sitting in the office. We hire quality people who are easy to talk with. We have good rapport here."

Wind it Up and Let it Go
Bill Glynn started at Hughes in 1971 as an administrative assistant, and has worn just about every hat in the place. He's responsible for overseeing daily project fulfillment — from keeping maintenance promises, to time and material service, to the most complex construction jobs.

Glynn says the best part of his day is watching from a distance as the work always gets done, and he gives full credit to the entire Hughes team. "We've taken a great deal of time to assemble a staff that I think is the best in the industry," he says. The most fulfilling moments for me are helping to put together a game plan, doing the prep work, and watching it happen. These people have tremendous dedication, and the personal pride to want to do it right. They don't need me to make the end result the best that it can be. It makes my job easier when we can exchange information and work in a common way to solve problems."

Exceptional Training
Hughes's field technicians are among the industry's best-trained service professionals. New technicians enter the United Association's five-year apprenticeship program, which includes classroom learning with paid employment and practical field experience. It's an ideal combination of refrigeration and HVAC theory with practical hands-on learning.

Manufacturers' technical training is also provided, and up to 80% of Hughes technicians will take advantage of opportunities to learn from trainers from Sporlan, Kramer, Heatcraft, DuPont, and other major manufacturers.

Hughes Environmental Engineering has shown a strong commitment to improving its sales and marketing expertise, through involvement in industry associations and professional service organizations. As a member of the Linc Group, from 1994 to 2004, the team became a vastly improved sales organization, with an enhanced approach to pricing, sales and marketing, human resource management, and marketing. They joined the Excellence Alliance in 2000, and the Mechanical Service Contractors Association (MSCA) and the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of New Jersey in 2001. Brian Hughes currently serves on the MSCA national board of directors, and Frank serves on the board of MCA New Jersey. They also belong to ACCA. In 2004, the Hughes company became members of the Service Professionals Group, an international association of independent, commercial mechanical service providers.