Do you have something perishable or sensitive to temperature that needs to be stored? Things like food, medicines and artwork are examples of what might be stored using “cold storage warehouses.” These types of warehouses are able to keep items at a specific temperature range, thereby maintaining their integrity, quality and/or shelf-life.
What Cold Storage Warehouses Are Used For
Specifically, cold storage warehouses might be used to store things like produce, meat, seafood, flowers, plants, vaccines, blood samples, paintings, cosmetics, chemicals, candles, organic textiles, etc. The cold storage market is huge– in the U.S. alone it’s a $31 billion industry that’s poised to grow and grow through 2030. The three states with the highest cold storage volume are California, Florida and Washington.
Moreover, cold storage warehouses are key players in the global supply chain. Without them, it would be nearly impossible to enjoy fresh fruits from South America in the winter or distribute life-saving medications around the world. These warehouses allow products to be stored and shipped across long distances while maintaining their quality, enabling businesses to reach broader markets and meet consumer demand year-round.
They also serve as staging points for goods in transit, helping to manage inventory levels and reduce waste by slowing down the natural degradation process.
How Cold Storage Warehouses Work
Thanks to a combination of great insulation and HVAC cooling systems, cold storage warehouses are able to regulate temperature in such a way that it benefits that which is being stored. Thanks to coolant, pipes, radiators and fans, hot air can be removed from a space and replaced with cooler air. Cold storage warehouses are generally about -10 to -20 degrees, though some can be colder depending on the need. Keep in mind that cold storage involves keeping a specific range in temperature– but this doesn’t include humidity– that’d be a “climate controlled warehouse.”
If you’re looking for refrigerated or frozen cold storage warehousing, Affiliated Warehouse Companies can help you find good options. When looking for a warehouse, consider the distance from your production and customer bases, as well as whether or not the warehouse has easy access to an airport, railway and/or highway. You might also ask about its storage capacity, what kind of energy source it utilizes (and how reliable it is) and what are its monitoring abilities to ensure the right temperature for their goods.
Affiliated Warehouse Companies can help you find the right cold storage warehouse to meet your needs. Please call 732-739-2323 for more information.
