United Silver Theaters

Customer Satisfaction From Start To Finish

The Challenge

United Silver Theaters (UST) is one of the world’s leading theatrical exhibition companies. They attribute their industry leading performance to, among many things, the quality of their theater sites and their focus on delivering the best customer experience. A crucial element of this goal is maintaining a comfortable environment for both moviegoers and the high-tech equipment that delivers the centerpiece of the experience. With hours of operation from 10AM to midnight, seven days a week, and with fluctuating occupancy, it can be challenging to keep up with facility maintenance effectively and not interrupt the customer experience.

Proactive planned maintenance contributes to the theaters’ operation by reducing unplanned major repairs, saving energy, and eliminating premature equipment replacement. Recently, however, UST‘s leadership had reviewed one particular theater’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) maintenance program. Due to over $25,000 in compressor replacements and the recent failure of cooling equipment serving a crucial projection room, UST approached Midwest Mechanical for a professional assessment of the system‘s condition and for maintenance recommendations to minimize financial and operational risks.

The Solution

Midwest Mechanical and United Silver Theaters have worked together for several years in the Chicagoland area. Midwest’s process starts with a thorough survey of each facility, identifying the equipment in place, and collecting detailed information on every component of the system (age, condition, operation, etc.). With pictures of current conditions (including coils, filters, and belts) to aid in their assessment, Midwest provides feedback to UST and partners with them to craft a revised maintenance program to reduce the financial and operational risk.

 When United Silver Theaters first approached Midwest to discuss this building’s mechanical system, Midwest went through this typically thorough process to understand what program was previously in place, what was working, and what additional needs this building had. Midwest’s immediate goal was to get all the equipment back into proper operating condition, and then take steps to maximize the whole system’s energy efficiency and prolong the life of the equipment. Among other issues, this theater’s system included coils that were plugged up with dirt and other debris such as cottonwood bloom from what appeared to be several seasons. Because these rooftop air conditioning units were fifteen years old, and are not slated to be replaced for several more years, Midwest’s initial concern was the potential for additional compressor failures due the plugged coils. Upon beginning a maintenance program at this theater, Midwest collected data taken before and after the first preventive maintenance appointment and thorough cleaning, and noted dramatically improved performance from the rooftop unit that cools a projector room.  Through Midwest’s corrective efforts, United Silver Theaters has eliminated significant financial and operational risks. The building has experienced a reduction in their total cost of operations through reduced energy consumption and fewer equipment repairs, as well as longer expected equipment life due to Midwest’s rigorous preventive maintenance program.

About the Client

As a leader in the movie exhibition industry, United Silver Theaters (real name has been hidden at client’s request) welcomes hundreds of millions of guests annually through the doors of its more than 100 locations. With amenities like dine-in theaters, IMAX, and ETX auditoriums and the UST customer loyalty program, UST is recognized as an industry leader, and an iconic institution. With over 90 years of movie entertainment experience, United Silver Theaters continue to be atop the list of customer satisfaction and experience providers.

How can we help your business grow?

Midwest Mechanical is an energy and mechanical services company proudly serving building owners and operators all over Chicagoland since 1974. Our business is helping our clients control the cost of owning and operating their facilities through maintenance programs, operations, and retrofit projects to help their mechanical systems operate more efficiently, reliably, and effectively.