Best practices of cold storage warehouse management

Operating a cold storage warehouse is challenging due to the need to constantly maintain a certain temperature for storage purposes, while keeping the equipment and personnel warm and able to function at optimum capacity.

Refrigerated and frozen foods account for the majority of products stored in cold storage warehouses. In fact, the international frozen foods market alone is expected to grow from an estimated $165.4 billion in 2015 to $199.5 billion by 2020. Cold storage is also vital for other industries as well such as pharmaceuticals, petro-chemicals and even high-tech electronics.

Here are some challenges impacting cold storage warehouse management:

• Food protection
• Maintaining product’s lifecycle
• Labeling product and racks
• Product traceability
• Fulfillment and courier shipments

Here are some best practices in cold storage warehouse management:

• Form a contingency plan. Even with the best monitoring technology, an unplanned delay or re-routing could jeopardize your shipment’s stability. Shippers must work with their transportation partners to develop contingency plans that clearly map out a strategy in the event of a delay.
• Guard against vulnerabilities. To manage cold chain shipments well, all parties involved must foster a strong partnership. Everyone involved needs a good working knowledge of the best practices for cold chain handling and transportation. Food products have to be moved as fast as possible to give consumers the most valuable, nutritious, wholesome products with as much shelf life as possible.
• Balance temperature changes. For warehouses that require multiple temperature zones according to the season, a modular curtain wall system is a flexible, low-risk option that can go up, come down and be moved from building to building. Refrigerated air is expensive, so a single change to a cold room will help you realize cost savings.
• Control heat loss. High-density storage creates a smaller area to cool and an environment that minimizes heat loss. Automated storage also minimizes the amount of warmer air that enters the temperature-controlled area. The warmer a product is upon entering, the more it draws on refrigeration cost.
• Install automatic palletizing solutions. Use new robot technology, seals, cables, energy supply and lubricants specifically designed for the harsh freezer environment. This technology enables palletizing to be done inside the freezer without the use of protective heating shrouds. This eliminates conveyors and ice buildups on the products while minimizing the handling of frozen goods by workers in sub-zero temperatures.

The PIMM™ Facility Management System provides our customers with a customized quality management solution for cold storage facilities. The system provides a user-friendly interface to enhance operational efficiencies for managing temperature, energy and quality control 24×7.

To learn more, please visit our website at www.Procuro.com or call TOLL FREE today 1-888-571-PIMM (1-888-571-7466)!