Parallel-compressor systems for refrigeration made their debut in the grocery store industry in the late 1980s, providing an alternative to the traditional split systems, or individual condensing units, used throughout commercial and industrial applications. Today about 90 percent of food stores use them in new construction and as replacement systems in existing stores. There has not, however, been similar adoption in industrial refrigeration.

Despite their advantages, parallel-compressor systems are not as widely used for applications in the food processing and manufacturing industry as they could be. With a switch from individual condensing units to parallel-compressor systems, operators can realize lower installation costs, reduced energy consumption and improved preservation of food products, among other benefits.