Matelex case study spotlights early leak detection for grocery retail

Matelex is bringing a new U.S. grocery case study to the FMI Energy & Store Development Conference in Orlando, where it says automatic leak detection helped a New York retailer find a persistent refrigerant leak that regular checks missed. The example is meant to show how continuous monitoring can cut refrigerant loss, avoid repeat refill costs and give operators earlier warning on maintenance issues.

Why it matters: - Refrigerant leaks can raise operating costs, trigger refill purchases and add avoidable maintenance work for grocery retailers. - Earlier leak detection can help facilities intervene before a small leak becomes a bigger financial and operational problem. - Continuous monitoring can also improve visibility into leaks that are not easy to find during routine checks.

What happened: - Matelex is presenting a U.S. grocery case study at the FMI Energy & Store Development Conference, held Sept. 28-30 in Orlando. - Ming Yong, Matelex’s U.S. business development lead, is on-site at Table 64 to discuss the application. - The case study centers on a New York grocery retailer and a small, persistent refrigerant leak. - The leak was detected after Matelex’s automatic leak detection system was installed at a 59,000-square-foot store using R407A refrigerant. - Facility staff began receiving leak alarms through the PolarVisor web application shortly after installation. - Trend data showed a small but persistent leak. - Multiple leak checks by the retailer’s regular maintenance team did not initially find the source.

The details: - Matelex’s system combines PolarBox, a device that gathers refrigeration system data, with the PolarVisor web application for 24/7 monitoring. - Using INFICON’s D-TEK Pro portable leak detector, technicians eventually traced the leak to an old capped pipe from a cooling shelf. - The retailer said the repair would have prevented higher operating costs and increased refill purchases over time. - The retailer also said it now monitors its systems on PolarVisor because earlier interventions can improve maintenance decisions. - Matelex’s indirect automatic leak detection worked alongside direct leak detection by technicians in this case. - Matelex also offers an Impact Simulator on its website that estimates the financial and environmental impact of a retailer’s leak management system based on refrigerant type, refrigerant cost, leak rate and number of sites. - Matelex says its solutions are designed to help contractors and facility operators save refrigerant, reduce energy consumption, optimize technician resources and maintain regulatory compliance through remote centralized supervision.

Between the lines: - The case study suggests value in pairing automated alerts with hands-on troubleshooting. - Historical trend data appears to have mattered as much as the alarm itself, because it confirmed the leak was real and ongoing even when technicians could not find it right away. - The example also frames leak detection as a maintenance and cost-control tool, not just a compliance or safety function.

What's next: - Matelex is using the conference to show how the approach works in a live retail setting. - Yong is available at Table 64 to walk attendees through the application. - The company’s broader pitch is that more retailers can use continuous monitoring to spot leaks earlier and reduce waste.

The bottom line: - Matelex is positioning automatic leak detection as a practical way for grocery retailers to catch hard-to-find refrigerant leaks before they become expensive.