Finding the Right Refrigerated Warehouse
Shipping is Changing, and So is the Importance of Refrigerated Warehouses
E-commerce is changing how we ship products. Online stores can have perishable items delivered to a customer's doorstep within a day or two, which means supply chains need to adapt to meet consumers' need for quick, safe shipping.
Here is a complete guide to choosing a cold storage facility, including the different types, what to look for, and how they work.
Types of Refrigerated Warehouses
- More of a temporary storage solution, refrigerated containers offer the benefit of immediate mobility, making them an important option in a pinch.
- Blast freezers are used to quickly freeze food for storage, but rarely for storage itself. Blast chillers are usually used for seafood that needs to travel long distances.
- A cold room is essentially a big refrigerator designed to keep food cold and fresh, but not frozen. They are intended for temporary storage, from a few days to a week, depending on the products to be stored there.
- These are highly specialized forms of long-term storage for biopharmaceuticals, blood, and certain vaccines. They usually feature state-of-the-art refrigeration, have failover plans for power outages, and can maintain precise temperatures for extended periods.
- Multi-temperature warehouses, such as our Kansas City location, can be used to store specific products for defined periods without loss of quality. These facilities contain energy-efficient cold storage rooms, typically coupled with customer service management systems to organize and expedite the shipment of customers' products.
How to Choose the Right Cold Storage for Your Needs
What Products are You Transporting and Storing?
Different types of cold products require different cold storage solutions. Many products don't need to stay cold or frozen but must be transported and stored to protect them from sudden temperature changes, prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures, or humidity.
Proximity to End Users
Cold storage is critical when you need to keep products near end users but don't have an immediate need for them. 3PL companies, like FW Warehousing, are critical for companies that don't have the capacity to store products in their own facilities. Our facilities are near where you need to distribute your products, even if delivery takes a few days.
How Easy is it to Access Your Products
Typically, the ideal cold storage facility will have easy access to major east-west and north-south transportation routes. Also, their facility should be designed to allow different types of refrigerated trucks to easily access their lot and loading docks.
Efficient Energy Use and Streamlined Design
Cutting costs is a top priority for manufacturers, which is why the most cost-effective cold storage facilities use the latest, most energy-efficient methods to reduce energy use. Responsible cold storage warehouse operators, like FW Warehousing, make sure sustainability is at the top of their list.
Fully-Integrated Logistics from Providers With a Proven Track Record
FW Warehousing takes efficiency and cost reduction a step further by combining storage, distribution, and other value-added services to present a full portfolio of 3PL services. You have full access to our team of experts who are ready to help you solve any refrigerated or temperature-controlled logistics issue.
For more information about our refrigerated warehouse and temperature-controlled transportation services, reach out to us today. We offer a wide range of industry-specific solutions, including inventory management and distribution controls. And by consolidating the distribution process into our service bundle, you'll benefit from lower storage and shipping costs.
Call us today to take advantage of more than 250,000 square feet of warehousing space and 17,000 unique fully racked pallet options.
