APPENDIX 12A: PRELIMINARY MANUFACTURER INTERVIEW GUIDE
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

12A.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 12A-1 

12A.2 WALK-IN COOLERS AND FREEZERS PRELIMINARY MANUFACTURER 

INTERVIEW GUIDE..................................................................................... 12A-1 

12A-i 
12A.1 INTRODUCTION 

This appendix presents an example of the interview guide used during the 

preliminary manufacturer interviews. The interview guide details the questions the 

Department of Energy (DOE) used as the basis for the discussions with manufacturers of 

walk-in cooler and freezer (WICF or walk-in) equipment. The results of the manufacturer 

interviews were aggregated and incorporated into the preliminary manufacturer impact 

analysis (see chapter 12 of the preliminary TSD). 

12A.2 WALK-IN COOLERS AND FREEZERS PRELIMINARY 

MANUFACTURER INTERVIEW GUIDE 

The following section consists of the general questions regarding key issues and 

industry information that DOE asked while interviewing WICF equipment manufacturers. 

1 KEY ISSUES 

1.1	 What are the key issues for your company regarding DOE’s walk-in coolers and 

freezers rulemaking? 

1.2	 Are there any patent, technology, or other issues that you are aware of that would 

prevent you or your competitors from implementing higher-efficiency designs? 

2 MARKET SHARES AND INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION 

2.1 What is your company’s approximate market share in each equipment class? 

Envelopes: 

Type Size Temperature Market Share 

Storage 

Small Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Medium Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Large Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Display 

Small Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Medium Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Large Refrigerator 

Freezer 

12A-1 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Refrigeration Systems: 

Type Location Temperature Market Share 

Outdoor Refrigerator 

Remote condensing Freezer 

Indoor Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Outdoor Refrigerator 

Self-contained Freezer 

Indoor Refrigerator 

Freezer 

2.2	 Would you expect your market share to change once standards become effective? 

2.3	 Does your outlook change with higher standard levels? 

2.4	 How would you expect shipments to change for the industry as a whole as a 

function of standards and why? 

2.5	 Looking at price/cost effects only, how would you expect shipments to change for a 

5%, 10%, 25% or 50% manufacturer price/cost increase? 

2.6	 Please provide estimations of your full production cost percentages for each 

equipment class below. 

Envelopes: 

Type Size Temperature Materials Labor Depreciation Overhead 

Storage 

Small Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Medium Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Large Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Display 

Small Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Medium Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Large Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Refrigeration Systems: 

Type Location Temperature Materials Labor Depreciation Overhead 

Remote 

condensing 

Outdoor Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Indoor Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Selfcontained 

Outdoor Refrigerator 

Freezer 

Indoor Refrigerator 

Freezer 

12A-2 
2.7	 In the absence of new standards, do you expect any industry consolidation? 

2.8	 How would new standards affect your ability to compete? 

2.9	 Could new standards disproportionately advance or harm the competitive positions 

of some firms? 

2.10	 Could new standards result in disproportionate economic or performance penalties 

for particular consumer/user subgroups? 

2.11	 Beyond price and energy efficiency, could new standards result in products that 

will be more or less desirable to consumers due to changes in product functionality, 

utility, or other features? 

3 CUMULATIVE REGULATORY BURDEN 

3.1	 Are there recent or impending regulations on your specific product or other 

products that impose a cumulative burden on the industry? 

3.2	 If so, what is the total expected impact of those other regulations? 

12A-3