Operating a cold storage warehouse is essential for any industry looking to store refrigerated and frozen items safely. However, many business owners struggle to achieve the ideal temperatures for their produce when finding the optimal balance between keeping goods cold and equipment warm enough to function.
The key to effective cold storage is maintaining a positive balance between throughput and temperature. While many industries, including pharmaceuticals, petro-chemicals and electronics, use cold storage solutions, the vast majority of cold storage facilities are used by food manufacturers, distributors and producers.
The global frozen food industry accounts for over $200bn annually, making demand for effective and safe cold storage solutions higher than ever before.
The good news is that as demand for commercial refrigeration increases, so too does the knowledge, advice and recommendations from professionals who have achieved the ideal solution. Here are the top tips, from experts who achieve the ideal cold storage environment.
Select the Correct Devices
In cold storage, much of the equipment is designed to withstand greater temperature fluctuations and still maintain optimal function. Psion suggests that exposure to the cold may affect battery life by up to 50%, which can impact performance and budget. Because of this, it’s important to select devices with seals designed to protect against fluctuations and maintain functionality.
Using a higher-voltage battery will improve run-time and prevent lift truck batteries from degrading in performance.
Consider Investing in a Modular Curtain Wall
If products need to be stored in multiple temperature zones or require different settings and levels dependent upon season, it can be costly to regulate the entire warehouse to accommodate specific products.
Modular curtain wall systems enable firms to apply a flexible low-cost solution, which can be moved as needed to ensure the ideal temperature without requiring whole-warehouse recalibration. According to commercial refrigeration experts Fridge Freezer Direct, this can be a highly cost-effective way of managing regulation in different areas to maintain the optimal temperature for products.
Provide Staff with the Right Equipment
These days, sensitive touchscreens and buttons on scanning devices mean that staff can wear warm, thick work gloves and still use responsive equipment. Provide PPE that will keep staff safe without reducing their ability to perform within the cold storage environment.