A freezer warehouse is a facility designed to store goods at temperatures below 0 °C, allowing various processes to maintain the quality of food, healthcare, or pharmaceutical products. Companies operating within the cold chain face challenges from a rapidly evolving supply chain and digitization due to Logistics 4.0, along with the inherent complexities of their sector. Common difficulties in cold storage include:
- Maximizing warehouse space
- Ensuring proper product management and traceability
- Minimizing energy consumption
While the term "industrial freezer store" can sometimes refer to smaller systems found in grocery stores or catering facilities, this discussion focuses on freezer warehouses on a larger scale. These facilities operate on the same principles as freezer rooms in retail environments, but with a much broader scope. We will explore common freezer warehouse solutions, their design, and ways to enhance personnel safety within these spaces.
Defining Freezer Warehouses
A freezer warehouse is a space where goods are maintained at temperatures below 0 °F. This freezing process preserves the products for extended periods, making these facilities particularly vital in the food industry. For frozen food businesses—especially those dealing in fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, sweets, and pastries—the priority is to store products under the right conditions to ensure quality, texture, nutritional value, and flavor.
Maintaining optimal storage conditions is essential to prevent breaking the cold chain. Exposure to unsuitable temperatures can cause food products to crystallize, develop a less appealing appearance, or deteriorate. When it comes to medical supplies or vaccines, the detrimental effects may be less visible, yet equally harmful.
Freezer Warehouse vs. Cold Storage Facility
The primary function of freezer warehouses is to preserve products for extended periods without risk of alteration or damage, while cold storage facilities aim to keep products (mainly food) at optimal temperatures for short-term consumption. The decision between these systems depends on the specific business needs and the types of products being handled.
Both freezer and cold storage warehouses should be constructed from sandwich panels, which act as insulating elements to prevent temperature transfer. The main difference lies in the flooring: freezer warehouse floors require insulation to prevent condensation, while cold storage facilities do not.
Essential components for both types of facilities include cooling equipment such as compressors, evaporators, condensers, and expansion valves. Their selection and placement depend on factors like the cubic footage to be cooled, the temperature difference between the inside and outside, and the duration of product storage.
Freezer warehouses and cold storage facilities typically employ similar storage systems. The choice will depend on the storage capacity and efficacy in managing goods.
Designing an Industrial Freezer Warehouse
Effective distribution of operations within a freezer warehouse enhances logistics efficiency. When designing such a facility, consider the following:
- Determine the operations to be performed (e.g., order preparation, which requires designated space).
- Allocate space for each operation: goods receipt, dispatch, storage, and picking.
Entries and Exits
For goods receipt and dispatch, most freezer warehouses feature a room for product quality control, which must be cooled. These systems often include secure airlock systems with interlocking doors—one leading to the freezer warehouse and the other to the outside—to prevent sudden temperature changes, cold loss, and condensation.
Storage and Order Preparation Area
The storage zone should be equipped with racks that adapt to available space, ensuring maximum throughput. Proper ventilation throughout the area is also essential.
Order processing can be challenging at freezing temperatures, so consider solutions to facilitate this task. For instance, pick stations may be established outside the freezing area but still cold enough to maintain the cold chain. Voice picking systems can also be beneficial, as they allow operators to keep their hands free while handling goods, especially since mobility is limited due to heavy jackets and personal protective equipment.
Storage Equipment and Systems in Freezer Warehouses
Here are the most common storage systems for freezer warehouses, categorized as automated and non-automated.
Non-Automated Systems
In non-automated facilities, operators manually deposit and retrieve goods from storage systems with the assistance of forklifts. Freezer warehouses can utilize any traditional storage system, with compact systems, such as drive-in pallet racking, live pallet racking, and push-back pallet racking, being particularly popular as they optimize space.
Automated Systems
Working in freezing temperatures can hinder operator throughput, which can be mitigated with an automated facility (without staff inside). Automated warehouses (AS/RS) are particularly efficient in leveraging available space and ensuring safe, controlled movement of goods.
Within freezer warehouses, AS/RS can include single- or double-deep pallet racking. A stacker crane automatically deposits or retrieves goods in each aisle. Single-deep racks are ideal for direct access to pallets, while double-deep racks enhance storage capacity.
Effective Logistics at Controlled Temperatures
Freezer warehouses are essential workspaces for many businesses in the food and pharmaceutical industries. To be effective, they should maximize storage capacity while optimizing energy consumption.