The blackout we experienced yesterday in Spain will go down in history. For many, it was a challenge at home. Imagine the impact on an agri-food company like Peris, where we rely on electricity to refrigerate tons of fruits and vegetables, and to manage all the logistics that move our products to our customers.
This is how we experienced it in Peris:
12:30 h – Foios. Central I range.
Our I Range division starts its activity very early in the morning and we usually finish around noon. This meant that when the power went out at around 12:30 p.m., most of the orders were already completed. Even without electricity, we managed to finish all the outstanding work.
We were also able to load shipments to the various food markets and supermarkets, except in the case of three supermarkets whose trucks could not arrive on time, and their products were left waiting.
The structure of our hall, with large ceiling lights, worked in our favor: even without artificial light, the natural light allowed us to continue working. We then turned to analog tasks, such as pumpkin triage. Our triers selected the pumpkins by hand, sorting them into size and quality categories – the advantages of keeping traditional processes alive!
12:30 h – Albuixech. Central of IV range.
In pre-prepared convenience food, the situation was more critical: here everything depends on automation. While the peeling and slicing of fruit is done by expert hands in the clean room, the conveyor belts, the sealing and labeling systems and, above all, the cold chambers, operate automatically. Without electricity, we had to stop immediately.
We activated the evacuation protocol, which was carried out with exemplary efficiency and coordination. We then moved all the product to the storage chambers, which remained closed to maintain the internal cold for as long as possible. And it worked! When we recovered the supply, the temperature in the chambers remained between 6 and 8°C, which allowed us to save the entire production.
The maintenance team shut down all systems to prevent damage from possible overloads. They were on standby all day, ready to reset the equipment as soon as possible. Finally, around 22:30 – 23:00 h, the power came back on and the equipment was reactivated without incident.
The day after: back to normality (almost)
Today, the situation has almost returned to normal. At this hour (9 a.m.) communications are still failing and there are access problems for some of the personnel, because many depend on trains and subway, services that are still affected.
In spite of everything, we overcame this challenge thanks to the organization, the responsiveness of all the teams and, above all, the exemplary collaboration of each and every one of the people who make up Peris.
Once again, we have demonstrated that, even in the most complicated moments, commitment and teamwork make the difference.
We would like to add something else.
This experience also brings to the table a reality that companies are well aware of: in the face of emergencies like this, we are the ones who must act quickly, protect our teams, safeguard the product and bear the resulting costs.
Although we understand that they are part of our responsibility, it is frustrating to see that on most occasions, and we will see if this is the case, we must be self-sufficient and get by without expecting too much (or even anything) in return.