Cold Storage Trends that Cold Room Contractors Should Consider
The cold food storage and distribution industry have come a long way. Today, the industry plays an integral role in the cold supply chain. The development of the cold food industry can be attributed to strict guidelines and regulations imposed by the Australian Institute of Food Safety. As food processing and cold storage distribution centres try to keep up with the rules, freezer room construction contractors have their work cut out for them. Notably, cold room contractors can get good business by keeping up with the latest trends in cold food storage. This article provides more insight into cold storage trends that cold room construction contractors should explore.
Smooth Surface IMP Panels -- For a long time, cold food storage facilities have preferred stucco-embossed insulated metal panel (IMP) surface for their cold rooms. The preference is attributed to the material's excellent thermal conductivity and heat dissipation capabilities. However, the embossed patterns on the surface make cleaning a tedious process for cold food storage facilities. Therefore, it is possible to mistakenly leave dirt behind when cleaning thereby creating an environment for bacterial growth. It is for this reason that most cold food storage companies are opting for smoother IMP surfaces that have the same, or even higher, thermal conductivity levels. Smooth IMP surfaces are hygienic, and cleaning is a natural process.
Automated Pallet Retrieval -- While the rack system is still used in many cold storage facilities, retrieval of pallets can take longer than necessary, which can cause disruptions and lead to losses. While extraction of pallets can be sped up by hiring more personnel, doing so is an expensive strategy. Therefore, storage facilities are turning to automated pallet retrieval, and cold room construction contractors must take the cue. The automatic system reduces the amount of time it takes several employees to retrieve many pallets from the racks. By providing cold storage facilities with automated storage and retrieval options, you will be helping them to monitor inventory accurately, reduce labour costs by as much as 70%, and lower space requirements by 50%.
Touch Screen Technology -- The pervasiveness of touchscreen technology has not spared the cold food storage industry due to the technology's ability to increase usability and employee interaction. For example, nowadays cold storage distribution centres are increasingly taking up capacitive touch technology. The trend can be attributed to the technology's high brightness levels that make it easy for workers to operate freezer settings with ease regardless of the level of illumination inside a cold room. Moreover, since cold rooms are adopting a minimalistic look, multi-touch capacitive technology allows the accommodation of multiple user interfaces which takes up less space in a cold facility.