Keeping perishable foods, pharmaceutical products, and more at the right temperature can extend their shelf-life, improve profitability, and protect your consumers from food poisoning or other health risks. However, outfitting and maintaining a cold storage warehouse or truck to meet these needs can be costly and time-consuming.
Biological samples like tissue cultures, blood, cells, DNA, RNA, and vaccines require special cold storage conditions to preserve their viability and quality.
Refrigerated Warehouses vs Freezers
The two main types of thi cong kho lanh warehouses are refrigerated and frozen. Refrigerated warehouses, also known as chill stores, maintain temperatures of between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius to protect perishable goods from bacterial growth and prevent cold loss. They’re best for storing fresh produce and dairy products.
Frozen warehouses, on the other hand, maintain sub-zero temperatures, typically below -18 to -25 degrees Celsius, and are best for storing meats, seafood, and frozen desserts. Frozen warehouses can also store temperature sensitive medicines, vaccines, and blood plasma.
Many businesses opt to outsource their cold storage needs to third party logistics providers. For example, a large restaurant chain might use their cold storage facilities to hold the weekly delivery of all of its food ingredients temporarily until it’s time to distribute them to each individual location.
Costs of cold warehousing depend on factors like location, size, duration of storage, and additional services required. It’s important to choose a facility that is located close to transportation hubs to streamline logistics and reduce transit times.
Cold Storage Facilities for Perishable Goods
Cold storage facilities offer businesses the ability to extend the shelf life of perishable products and prevent inventory loss. They house and transport temperature-sensitive products, such as food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and other commodities.
Cold stores ensure that perishable products remain fresh, safe and hygienic for consumers. They also provide a one-stop solution for managing wholesale products and can make it easier to keep track of inventory.
To prevent contamination and product spoilage, cold storage warehouses should adhere to strict safety standards. They should include fire prevention measures, emergency backup power systems, security cameras and restricted access for unauthorized personnel. They should also have a variety of automated technologies for streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency and accuracy. These include automated storage and retrieval systems, robotic palletizing, and sorting technology. Additionally, cold stores should be energy-efficient and embrace green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines to minimize environmental impact and reduce operating costs. They should also explore blockchain technology to enhance traceability, transparency and accountability for stakeholders.
Temperature Sensitive Goods Storage
Many medicines require a specific atmosphere for storage and shipping, and it’s important that this air be maintained even when the products are at ambient temperatures. Medicinal items that don’t get the appropriate care can degrade in effectiveness or quality, which can affect their efficacy and safety when they finally reach patients.
Temperature controlled warehouses can help prevent these issues by providing insulated and temperature-controlled areas for perishable goods, including pharmaceuticals. In addition, these facilities have alarm systems that can notify staff when the product reaches the danger zone, so they can take corrective actions immediately before it’s too late.
For time-critical shipments, the cold chain logistics process may involve several legs (and transportation modes). For this reason, it’s critical that all facilities involved in the process offer temperature control capabilities, as well. This ensures that the products stay safe, cool and unbroken throughout their journey from the manufacturer to the end customer. Theft or damage can also wreak havoc on temperature-sensitive goods, so proper security and insurance are crucial.
Benefits of Refrigerated Warehouses and Freezers
The food and medical industries rely on cold storage to preserve the freshness, flavor, and safety of their products. These facilities have advanced refrigeration systems that create specific temperature levels and control. These warehouses also offer value-added services like repacking and consolidation to help their customers save on shipping costs.
Food waste is a huge concern in the food industry. Fortunately, cold storage warehouses can help reduce the amount of food thrown away by managing inventory on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis.
For example, a warehouse with automated cranes can store more pallets of food in the same space as a manually-operated facility. This means less energy is used per square foot, and it is easier to keep track of inventory. This is an excellent way to cut down on food costs and reduce waste in a business environment where profit margins are tight. Other benefits include a reduced building footprint since cold storage warehouses can be located closer to produce markets or food processing plants.
