Testimonials

PolarClad Tank Insulation customers not only rave about energy cost savings but also about PolarClad’s surprising ability to help them better control the winemaking process. Here what the experts say:

Gary Midyette, Director of Operations – Robert Mondavi Winery

“Our Winemaking Team has been very satisfied with the installation and performance of the PolarClad Tank Insulation. The installation on all of our tanks, ranging in size from 1,000 to 12,000 gallons, was excellent and is holding up well in the harsh environment of our outside Cellar.”

“The insulation on the tanks allows us to quickly chill and easily maintain the optimum wine temperature in any weather. Due to the fact that we insulated approximately 20% of our outside tanks each year, over the past five years we have experienced a noticeable reduction in our PG&E bill for the same time period.”

“Having our tanks insulated with PolarClad Tank Insulation is also allowing us to operate our glycol cooling system today at less than 50% of its capacity. With the system running less, we have a noticeable reduction in wear and tear on the equipment, allowing us to extend the intervals between scheduled maintenance. The life expectancy of our glycol system’s compressors has increased to a point where we are able to delay replacement projects by years.”

“My only regret is that I did not install PolarClad Tank Insulation to all of our tanks sooner.”

Leo Hansen, Winemaker – Stuhlmuller Vineyards

“From a winemaking perspective, it has been great to have our tanks insulated with PolarClad Tank Insulation. I didn’t realize how much I had been relying on my glycol heater to control the temperature of my tanks. Once I figured out how much the insulation stabilized the temperature inside the tanks, it was easy.  Now I don’t necessarily use the glycol heater anymore. We are in the process of adding more tanks, and the expansion will be more than covered with our current refrigeration unit.”

“After three years of using and bumping into our tanks, they still look really good. They are easy to sanitize – a bucket of water and a brush, and they’re clean.”

Dave Rosenthal, General Manager and Director of Winemaking – Yokayo Wine Company

“The kind of operation we have here requires storing some wine in outside tanks through the hot summer months, and I have to have them insulated. With August temperatures frequently in the 100s, the tops of our tanks would really overheat, not only from ambient temperatures, but from the sun’s direct rays as well.”

“The insulated tanks look very nice, almost like stainless steel. Anodized aluminum was the obvious pick as the color looks natural, much like our other tanks, and it is a pretty close match to our aluminum catwalks.”
“Everything worked out really well with PolarClad. The crews did a good job keeping the area neat, which was a tough job. If I had any questions, the lead guy was always happy to talk to me and we would go over it with the crew. There is no question I would use PolarClad Tank Insulation again.”

Adam Mettler, Winemaker – Michael-David Family of Wines

“By installing PolarClad Tank Insulation we have benefited in multiple ways. The most important benefits have been temperature control and the gain in chiller capacity. The heat generated from fermentation disappears much slower in tanks with the insulation. This has improved our speed of malolactic fermentations immensely. In the warm time of year the tanks are easier to cool and keep a more even temperature within the tank due to the reduction of direct sunlight. Cold stabilization is much easier. Not only does the system have to work less, but the tank can drop down to a lower temperature faster than tanks without the insulation. Another big factor is that the efficiency of the insulation took a huge demand off our chillers allowing us to further expand without again upgrading our chilling tonnage. For a company growing as fast as us, benefits like this are important.”

“In a time where everyone is trying to get greener and cut back on their energy needs, the reduction of energy use is important. By working with PolarClad in conjunction with PG&E, we have received rebates through PG&E averaging about 30% of the cost of installation. The aluminum shell is easy to clean and the insulation can’t be damaged by birds or other environmental elements.”

“The PolarClad team never gave me any reason to be unhappy, and the managers are very personable and easy to work with. They have been onsite multiple times and have never been hard to reach when needed. The installation team was friendly and always finished ahead of schedule. Any changes in plans or concerns along the way, they were happy to resolve. My first project with PolarClad Tank Insulation was for roughly 13 tanks, the second for 30 and a current project this December 2008 for 31 tanks. Year after year, we are continuing to use PolarClad as our tank insulation company and I would recommend them to any winery.”

John Pritchard, Director of Operations – Simi Winery

“Wine tank insulation from PolarClad is always a thing of beauty.  Their workmanship is beyond the ordinary and more toward the extraordinary.  Every tank we had insulated from PolarClad has been done with extreme care and their craftsmanship is excellent.  We had several tanks done in stainless steel so that they wouldn’t stick out from our other tanks.  They look exactly like our other stainless steel tanks.”

“Wine tank insulation is great if you are going to use your tanks for cold stabilization or for long periods of time where you need to keep the tank cold. When we cold soak red fermenters our temperatures stay consistent and we save enormous amounts of energy from heat loss. We also insulated a tank where we need to keep the tank warm for long periods of time.  On that particular tank PG&E gave us a rebate that was close to a third the price of the insulation.”

“Working with the PolarClad team has been a dream. They listen extremely well and take all our concerns to heart.  They work around our schedule.  The quality of their installations is extremely good.  When they finish a job they have us go over the installation and make sure it is satisfactory to our needs before they leave the job site.

I would recommend PolarClad Tank Insulation to any winery that is in need of insulating their tanks. Their employees are friendly and very courteous.”

Randy Meyer, Winemaker and Corporate Wine Business Analyst – F.Korbel & Bros., Inc.

“The PolarClad product is certainly a more environmentally conscious approach to tank insulation compared to traditional Spray-On applications.  Also, the aluminum covering provides years of maintenance free benefits.”

“With the assistance of the PolarClad staff, filing for a PG&E rebate is a breeze.  The rebates have a huge impact on your ROI calculations.”

“Our experience with the PolarClad team has been very positive.  For that reason, we will continue our relationship on future projects.”

Randall Lange, Principal and Co-Founder – LangeTwins Family Winery & Vineyards

“LangeTwins is always looking for ways to reduce the amount of energy required to operate the winery. One step to do this is insulating the outdoor tanks. Obvious benefits for insulating our outdoor tanks are the energy savings produced by reducing temperature loss while cooling stored wine.”

“Direct financial benefit is the PG&E rebate when installing the tank insulation. The kWh savings per year are impressive and depending on the electrical rate at the time, the energy cost savings are quite good. Also, we selected a neutral off white/beige color which actually blends in with the rural landscape, muting the amount of stainless reflections. We considered other insulating opportunities but the choice of PolarClad Tank Insulation was made because of the appearance of the product. It can be repaired and cleaned easily.”

“We found the installation crew to be professional and responsive to our schedules. The sales manager was very professional and a pleasure to work with during the entire project timeframe. I would not hesitate to continue to ask for insulation installation from PolarClad.”

Brian J. Hemphill, Director of Operations – Clos du Bois Winery

“Adequate tank insulation reduces the heat load on our refrigeration system, reduces the fluctuations in wine temperature, and allows us to keep bottle ready wines at their proper temperature.”

“We have used PolarClad Tank Insulation on indoor and outdoor tanks.  The smooth clad surface and rigid texture allows for easy cleaning and makes the outdoor tanks resistant to damage from birds and other pests.”

“The PolarClad team has stood behind its work and has worked with our team to find solutions to challenging installations.  We have over 25 tanks insulated with PolarClad and we plan to do more.”