Benefits Of Temperature Controlled Warehousing

When your business deals with products that are sensitive to heat or cold, temperature controlled warehousing is a life-saver. Here’s what you need to know to keep your goods – in good shape!

When your business depends on stability, sourcing a specialized, temperature-controlled warehouse is an imperative. By definition, temperature controlled warehousing maintains a specific temperature by incorporating a method of cooling or heating.

Items such as perishable temperature-sensitive products require a stable environment to last for often extended periods. Without the services of such warehouse providers and their continuity across the chain of logistics, it becomes next to impossible to ship goods from one location to another.

Luckily, there are multitude temperature-controlled warehouses that excel at fulfilling this need. Third-party logistics companies and warehouse firms have worked together to offer various clients across the globe the ability to leverage temperature-controlled warehousing services.

Importance of Temperature Controlled Warehousing

Types of Products That Require Temperature Controlled Storage

Temperature-controlled warehousing is a mainstay for the following industry-specific product categories that need temperature-sensitive solutions for storing and shipping:

• Food and beverage. Perishables such as food lose their freshness, flavour and nutritious value if they’re not kept at a suitable refrigerated temperature.
• Cosmetic. Cosmetic products such as makeup are easily prone to breaking down in high temperatures.
• Pharmaceutical. Many components used to manufacture medications require constant cooling to maintain useful  properties as the damaging effects of high humidity and changes in temperature can alter their makeup.
• Chemical. For safety reasons, facilities dedicated to chemical warehousing are extremely strict when it comes to temperature and product control in general.

Most of these categories are among those that are directly related to our general good health. Without the benefit of temperature controlled facilities and constant monitoring, the cold chain itself would break.

What is a Temperature Controlled Facility?

A temperature controlled warehouse is a facility specifically designed for the storage, preparation, and dispatch of products that must be stored at a specific temperature.

According to a study from Allied Market Research, the cold chain logistics global market was valued at nearly $160 billion in 2018, and is expected to reach approximately $585.1 billion by 2026.

These in-demand temperature controlled facilities can operate at four different temperature ranges:

• Ambient: 59 °F to 86 °F
• Cool: 50 °F to 59 °F
• Refrigerated: 32 °F to 50 °F 
• Frozen: -22 °F to 32 °F

Temperature controlled warehousing systems are made up of storage space, handling equipment, and other elements such as pallet conveyor systems and cleanrooms.

Working together, they avoid breaking the cold chain by complying with safety standards and preserving the full quality of the stored goods.

How Temperature Controlled Warehousing Works

Temperature controlled warehouses are equipped with refrigeration equipment which his made up of components such as compressors, condensers, evaporators and expansion valves.

Strategically placed within the facility, their purpose is to control the difference in temperature inside and outside the cold store, and adapt to the conditions required for the time the product is in storage.

Additionally, these facilities must be built with insulating sandwich panels that prevent the transfer of cold air to the outside. 

These types of warehouses tend to use high-density pallet rack systems ideal option for lowering energy consumption. By optimizing storage space, these compact solutions provide the benefit of significant energy savings by reducing the square footage of the refrigerated space required.

Furthermore, secure airlock systems are installed to avoid sudden changes in temperature and to prevent condensation. Typically located at the entry point of the freezer warehouse, this airlock system is constructed of an anteroom with two doors that must never be open at the same time.

Benefits of Temperature Controlled Warehousing

If you’re a provider of temperature sensitive products that need controlled temperature storage, here are some points that highlight the benefits which these storehouses provide:

1. Increased Product Protection and Shelf Life: The global flow of temperature sensitive and perishable products throughout the cold chain would not be impossible without specialized cold storage warehouses. These storage facilities enable the stewing and stocking of goods even during unfavourable conditions. As mentioned, some medicinal products require a specific regulated temperatures and atmosphere to be stored and shipped properly. As with other sensitive products, they’re prone to degrade in effectiveness and quality as temperatures rise. Therefor the services offered by these specialized warehousing facilities ensure product quality does not suffer even during harsh conditions.

Just as heat can be considered the enemy, so can excessive cold. Therefor, other commodities that need higher temperatures for storage can also be accommodated in temperature controlled warehouses. Due to the nature of their construction, storage cells can also house goods that don’t need refrigeration. This resulting diversity of temperature-controlled warehousing makes it an essential element in the supply chain.

2. Trained Professional Operations and Safety: Qualified professionals that operate these temperature-controlled warehouses are specially trained. To fulfill sensitive storage and shipping requirements, they make use of the latest technology and related temperature controlling equipment. The conditions used to operate these warehouses are not always safe or ideal to work in. Therefor, these highly trained workers adhere to special measures to ensure optimum safety levels for themselves, the company, and for the products in their care.

3. Improved Air Quality: Though often overlooked, air quality plays a vital role in the overall quality of the final product delivered to the consumer – especially with food products. The atmosphere inside temperature controlled warehouses is controlled and monitored so that no dust or external pollutants can enter the facility. Products sensitive to these external elements benefit greatly, as do the the businesses that supply them as well as consumers.

4. Better Profits and Higher Customer Satisfaction: In a competitive marketplace, businesses that count on the quality of the goods produced is maintained at all times receive a better return on the investment, and consumers enjoy a better quality product. By maximizing profits, further efforts can be made to increase production.

With perishable commodities, consumers want complete satisfaction that the freshest products are delivered to them. Therefor time is a critical element that requires organized communication and diligence within the supply chain management system.

With the help of temperature-controlled warehousing suppliers can buy their products additional time without the worry of damages and spoilage. Through the use of state-of-the-art technology that ensures protective storage of products, the risk of incurring losses is significantly reduced.

Trust Brimich for Your Temperature Controlled Warehousing Needs