“This new Global Hub is an industry first. There is no other company that can bring together over 100 years of knowledge and experience into a hands-on, high-tech space with the goal of providing game changing solutions for our customers,” said Dennis Gipson, CEO of Hussmann Corp.

The structure of the hub, with thirteen individual venues and touch pad technology, is a strategic resource for creative and conceptual thinking to generate ideas and solutions for food retailing, said Hussmann. The Global Hub is designed to encourage participation and dialogue around:

• Evolving industry trends and events that affect the present and future of food retailing: Visitors can select topics of interest from Hussmann’s “Video Magazine” to learn more about industry news and new trends that are critical to their business.

• Futuristic displays and point-of-sale approaches to stimulate creative planning: Recently released products and future concepts will help push the limits of conventional thinking.

• New technologies that can help improve sales and operations: In addition to hands-on opportunities, guests can navigate through Hussmann’s newest equipment and technologies via the Hussmann App table. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn more about and collaborate with employees from Hussmann’s four plants in the United States and Mexico.

• Retail food strategies and attracting customers: In the Central Hub, retailers will have the opportunity to discuss their challenges, brainstorm solutions, and develop strategies for the future.

• Merchandising and design ideas from global retail outlets: A virtual tour of retail outlets around the world will be coupled with hands-on merchandising displays allowing retailers the opportunity to experience the influence of visual merchandising.

“The design strategy behind the Global Hub was to create an environment where we could bring food retailers, industry trend setters, and thought leaders together in an open, collaborative space to talk about issues, challenges, and opportunities,” said Mike Higgins, senior vice president, Marketing, Strategic Planning and Business Development. “Our goal is to build long lasting partnerships with food retailers enabling them to build strong, successful businesses for today and in the future.”

In addition to the 5,600-square-foot Global Hub, several areas of the existing building space on the first floor of the Hussmann facility underwent concurrent renovation including a new open layout for office space, conference rooms, training rooms, an innovation room, and Harry’s C-Store Cafeteria that utilizes Hussmann’s ISLA island, Freedom Line reach-in, Freedom Line multi-deck, and self-contained glass door cases.

For more information, visit www.hussmann.com.

Publication date: 10/8/2012