In today’s competitive retail landscape, efficiency and sustainability are non-negotiable. For grocery and convenience stores, one of the most impactful upgrades is retrofitting open refrigerated cases with glass doors, a process often referred to as Close the Case (CTC). But for large, multi-state chains, managing this transformation can quickly turn into a logistical nightmare of sourcing, scheduling, and contractor coordination.

This is where the Hillphoenix® AMS Group excels, turning a daunting multi-vendor project into a single, seamless, turnkey solution.

In a landmark demonstration of operational scale and program reliability, our team has successfully deployed over 10,000 linear feet of our cutting-edge CTC solution across three major customer accounts just this year in 219 locations across a wide geographic and operational footprint.

This achievement is particularly significant as it proves that our CTC program is not a single-client success story, but a robust, scalable solution capable of supporting diverse operational needs in both our AMS services and doors business segments.

The Retailer’s Challenge: Too Many Moving Parts

One major national retailer with a presence in 20 different states faced the typical hurdle of managing numerous vendors for their CTC initiative. Their goal was clear: implement doors across 67 locations, totaling over 3,200 linear feet of new refrigeration doors and frames. Their primary challenge? The need for a turnkey option to replace the high costs and complexity of coordinating and managing multiple vendors across various regions.

The AMS Group Solution: Precision, Speed, and Scale

The AMS Group’s CTC solution stood out by taking full ownership of the entire process:

• Surveying and Quoting: Accurate assessment of existing cases and project scope.
• Procurement and Logistics: Sourcing materials and managing complex, multi-regional delivery logistics via regional warehouses.
• Installation and Scheduling: Flawless execution across all locations.

The most impressive logistical feat? Every single project was a single night install. Our teams handled the complete material transport, bringing all equipment to the store each evening. This critical step eliminated the need for the store to receive and store the equipment, minimizing clutter, potential damage, and disruption to daily operations. The stores remained open throughout the entire transition.

Beyond the Doors: Refrigeration System Peace of Mind

A common concern when adding doors is the impact on the existing refrigeration rack system. Adding doors significantly reduces the necessary BTU load, which can require system adjustments.

The AMS Group addresses this upfront. Modifications to the refrigeration system are often recommended or required to ensure proper operation and maximize efficiency post-retrofit. Crucially, the AMS Group has internal resources to manage and perform this necessary engineering and modification, guaranteeing system integrity and performance. This holistic approach provided the retailer with the necessary flexibility to meet their strict timelines and ultimately gave them peace of mind months after the installation.

The Benefits: More Than Just Energy Savings

After several months, the benefits extended beyond the successful physical implementation:

• Energy Savings: A significant reduction in BTU loads, directly resulting in lower utility bills.
• Increased Capacity: Expanded capacity to the existing rack system, improving its operational life and efficiency.
• Operational Simplicity: A single point of contact for a large-scale project, saving time and management resources.

Scalability is Key

A critical highlight of this program is its proven ability to scale dynamically to meet varied store requirements. The AMS Group successfully executed installations ranging from smaller needs of 40 linear feet in a single location to substantial deployments of 200+ linear feet per store.

This flexibility assures potential retail partners that our CTC program can integrate seamlessly, whether they require targeted, small-scale upgrades or a comprehensive rollout across hundreds of large-format sites.

By combining the success across these three customers, we establish a strong competitive edge that signals to the industry: this is a solid, repeatable, and highly effective program ready for immediate adoption.

The AMS Group’s CTC program provides that end-to-end expertise, proving that with the right partner, complex, multi-state challenges can be executed with speed, precision, and ultimate success.

Learn more about the AMS Groups Close the Case program: Close The Case