As trade around the world developed, the need for cold storage of perishable goods increased. Nowadays, managing a cold storage warehouse is essential for running a successful commerce business. Having good cold storage management has many advantages, such as longer product life, cost reduction, and more available storage space. The need for cold storage is in demand, as many products from many industries require cold or freezing temperatures for their products. If you are ever in the need of air conditioned warehouse or want to know more information, here are some of the best practices for managing a cold storage warehouse.
Maintaining the right temperature is key for managing a cold storage warehouse
The biggest concern many cold storage owners have is the damage inadequate temperature settings can cause. This can pose a risk to products in the cold storage, employees, and even the equipment used in the warehouse. Many products in the food sector and pharmaceuticals require specific temperatures. Under these temperatures, products remain effective and safe for consumption. Any major temperature variation can cause the products to spoil, leading to high economical costs.
Divide the warehouse into sectors with different temperature ranges
As we’ve said, maintaining the right temperature will ensure that the products reach customers in the best shape possible. Many agricultural products require temperatures below 12°C. Dairy produce needs to be kept around 1°C, just above the freezing point. Meat and similar products should be stored around -2°C, while ice creams shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures higher than –23°C. There are also many other items that require climate controlled storage. However, the problem appears when a warehouse is filled with different products that require different temperatures to stay fresh and effective. This problem is common in cold storage warehouse management. The solution to this complication is the introduction of insulating barriers. Barriers are a relatively cheap way of separating goods in your cold storage and creating different temperature zones.
Keep the heat loss at the minimum
Minimizing heat loss is one of the hardest tasks of any cold storage warehouse. Preventing the air from going from higher-temperature spaces into lower-temperature ones can be quite a piece of work. This can cause the products to spoil, which is a constant possibility when managing a cold storage warehouse. One of the best solutions is to create high-density storage. This is easily done in freights and air cargo Bahrain, where products are cramped closely together creating a space in which heat loss is minimized. Another advantage of creating high-density storage is that a much smaller area is needed to cool.
A good idea to help keep heat loss at a minimum is to set up rapid doors in a warehouse. This will limit the amount of air entering cold storage when new goods are arriving. An alternative to rapid doors is strip doors, which are also effective as air barriers. Products themselves should be chilled or cooled down to a certain degree before entering the warehouse. The introduction of warm goods can create higher refrigeration costs.
Safety of the employees should be a priority
Keeping the people in your cold storage safe should always be a top priority. This means that every employee should have an adequate set of clothes, including:
- Insulated pants
- Coats
- Thick gloves
- Boots
- High visibility vest
When adequately dressed, employees can perform their work faster and more efficiently. Furthermore, when employees feel warm, they will be less inclined to stay in the doorway of the warehouse. That can cause higher energy costs. Enlisting employees in a training course can also minimize heat loss.
Use equipment suitable for cold storage warehouse
Any warehouse, not only cold storage ones, requires the use of many tools, machines, and equipment to keep everything well-organized and running. Managing a cold storage warehouse is no different when it comes to equipment. It also needs computers, sensors, pallet jacks, forklifts, scanners, and many other pieces of equipment. However, a major drawback to cold storage is that the lower temperature can pose a threat to the instruments. Upgrading and modifying the equipment is essential to make it work under the condition in cold warehouses. Employees are usually wearing thick gloves, so touchscreens need to be extra sensitive and buttons need to be large.
Electrical equipment is also at a risk. Constant shifting from places of varying temperatures can cause condensation to form, thus causing damage to the instruments. To combat this, many instruments come with seals that can help the instruments survive sudden temperature shifts. The battery life of any equipment is also at a risk. Cold temperatures can cause 40% to 50% degradation in the life of the battery. To keep your equipment running for longer, consider using higher voltage batteries.
Embrace automatization for your cold storage warehouse
The truth is that cold storage warehouses demand the highest investments. They also have higher costs than any other type of warehouse. So reducing the operating costs should be imperative to create a more successful business. A great way to increase cost savings is to adopt automation. Automation can decrease the need for human labor, thus creating great capital savings. Automated palletizers and depalletizers will make optimal use of any vertical space, creating a neatly functioning space with a small number of employees. Automation will also stop problems typical of human nature. It will log and record every action it takes, and it won’t forget to close the door.
Summary
When maintained and managed properly, cold storage warehouses can make certain goods and items traverse great physical lengths and still reach their destination in top form. In order to offer the best services, the national shipping company of Saudi Arabia employs top-notch and modern cold storage for its customers. Managing a cold storage warehouse is everything but an easy task, but with proper steps and practices, the process can go smoothly.
