COLD STORES
Protecting the backbone of UK manufacturing
Used by a wide range of sectors to maintain produce integrity and shelf life, cold storage demand has had a rapid increase in recent years. Shaun Evers, managing director of Stonegate Instruments, discusses the increasing demand and need for cold storage and the continuing need for reliable safety measures.
E
ven though cold stores are most commonly associated with keeping food fresh that has a limited shelf life, they are a key element to all the associated businesses of food manufacturing, distribution facilities, supermarkets and grocery stores, and restaurants. There are many, sometimes forgotten industries that utilise cold stores for their businesses such as the textile industry where natural materials like fur, leather or wool need to be in a temperature-controlled environment, and florists who need to keep freshly picked flowers from wilting. One industry that is utilising cold stores more than ever right now in this current climate is the pharmaceutical industry, along with hospitals and clinics, research centres and laboratories. Covid-19 is a subject no one can avoid
right now. It’s not just impacting individuals but also manufacturers and supply chain businesses. Supermarkets, for example have been challenged to keep shelves stacked as customers buy as much as they can at one time so they can reduce the number of visits
20 July 2020
out. Because of this they need their food to be fresh and longer lasting.
The pressure is not just on the supermarkets though. All their suppliers feel the push as they work round the clock with skeletal workforces to ensure fresh and frozen food is available at the right time and in sufficient quantity. As these amazing people help support us all, their cold storage units are also being pushed to the limit. The supply chain for the pharmaceutical
industries has also become a crucial sector given the Covid-19 restrictions and health risks. Pharmaceutical cold stores are keeping medicines, vaccines and blood samples viable, storing these at the right temperature to avoid them becoming inert or generally unsuitable for use. This need extends throughout the health service from the first stages of research on drugs to eventual administration in hospitals and clinics.
It is obvious from the examples already
shown that many UK manufacturing systems rely on effective refrigeration systems.
Dairy produce manufacturers, bakeries, agricultural animal feed manufacturers, vaccine manufacturers, amongst many others, are all key right now and are all supported by reliable cold storage systems. In these tough times it is reassuring to
recognise the support given to the current national effort, and to appreciate the UK manufactured components in these refrigeration systems, such as the alarms and the warning devices that not only serve to protect employees but also other elements of the systems. The reliability and sustainability is a credit to UK manufacturing, not only now but in the long term. To maintain and ensure safe and correct storage, and to meet stringent industry legislation, all cold stores need to employ robust alert systems. This is not just in reference to the status of the produce being stored but also employee health and safety, and the environment. Avoiding production downtime and keeping your equipment in top working order has never been so important.
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