Project Speedy Cool-zales: The BOC Spiral Freezer
Redesign
Presented by the Minus 40 Project Team:
Suzanne Mutz-Darwell, Damian Bucovsky, Robert Cain, Thomas
D’Eletto, Shakeel Munshi
Amidst today’s growing concerns about e.coli, salmonella,
and other outbreaks of food-borne illnesses, our 2007
Student Project of the Year winner, Project Speedy
Cool-zales, takes on special significance. The project
involved a re-design of BOC’s cornerstone product, the
cryogenic spiral freezer, used in the food services
industry. Driven by market demands, modifications had
to be made to the current freezer design such that it would
meet more stringent sanitation requirements imposed by new
legislation, while offering improved operational
efficiencies and maintaining or increasing
market-share. The Minus 40 team analyzed all aspects
of the project, from the business plan to the “triple”
constraint, as well as application of the softer skills such
as team-building, management styles, and
communications. Not only did the project face
technological challenges, but there was an added layer of
risk as the BOC Group is in the process of being acquired by
the Linde Group, a leader in industrial gases.
This project was one of many submitted by Dr. Aaron Shenhar
as part of his Project Management and Leadership course at
Stevens Institute of Technology. The nominated entries
were reviewed by a team of PMI NJ board members and
associates, and Project Speedy Cool-zales was chosen as the
one that most thoroughly analyzed all dimensions of the
project and provided insight into successes and
failures. The Minus 40 Team will present their
assessment and recommendations at the meeting.
