The cold chain industry covers a variety of products – from dairy and frozen foods to fresh produce. And while these products are essentials, they pose various challenges compared to dry goods and other non-perishable products, particularly regarding warehousing and storage. Specifically, cold chain storage requires precise temperature control, strict inventory management, and quick order fulfillment to ensure quality and safety.
Cold storage facilities serving supermarkets and restaurants deal with mixed, small-batch, fast-turnover inventory. Managing goods by expiry dates, best-before, and delivery info is crucial. This often involves constant pallet storage, retrieval, and picking operations.
Traditionally, such facilities relied on manual labor for tasks like picking, packing, and inventory management. While effective to an extent, manual labor in such settings is also often characterized by inefficiencies, increased costs, and human error. However, the rise of automation has led to more streamlined and optimized operations
As a leader in automation for the cold chain industry, Daifuku Intralogistics America said its systems can enhance and optimize cold chain storage operations.
Why cold chain storage is important
Cold storage plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and longevity of perishable goods. Maintaining precise temperature control is vital to prevent spoilage, protect consumers, and avoid costly product recalls.
Beyond safety, effective cold storage extends shelf life, preserves product quality, optimizes space, and enhances transportation efficiency.
With decades of experience, Daifuku Intralogistics America said it can transform cold chain storage through advanced automation and innovations. The Bollingbrook, Ill.-based company claimed that its tailored systems can ensure seamless, efficient, and scalable operations, helping businesses meet all the demands of the modern cold chain.
Daifuku offers systems for cold storage
Automation is set to be a transformative force across various industries, and cold chain storage is no exception. The right automation can streamline productivity, minimize human error, and drive cost savings while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, said the company.
Daifuku recommended the following products for cold chain storage operations:
Dainamics WES
• Dainamics warehouse execution system (WES): This software optimizes warehouse processes, ensuring smooth coordination between automated systems and workforce activities.
Daifuku ASRS
• Unit Load Pallet automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS): These advanced machines can automatically store and retrieve palletized goods single, double, and multiple pallets deep. They significantly increase storage density by allowing flexible placement of pallets in various locations and achieve up to 99.9% picking accuracy, reducing the reliance on manual labor while enhancing overall efficiency.
• Mini Load ASRS: This system is designed for handling smaller items such as cases and totes, offering improved efficiency and maximizing storage space without sacrificing accessibility.
• D3 High-Density Pallet Shuttle: Designed for high-density pallet storage, the D3 shuttle system optimizes retrieval processes, enabling efficient stacking and quick access to stored pallets, cases, and totes.
• Shuttle Rack M: Known for its flexibility, this system boosts both storage density and retrieval speed, making it suitable for fast-paced, dynamic operations in cold storage environments, said Daifuku.
Sorting Transfer Vehicles
• Sort Transfer Vehicles (STVs): These rail-guided vehicles are specialized in sorting and transporting heavy loads, such as pallets, within warehouse environments. STVs deliver cost-effective and efficient solutions for complex sorting applications, according to Daifuku. When integrated with ASRS, they can streamline workflows and increase productivity, said the company. In addition, freezer-rated STV’s are available, specifically designed to meet the demands of cold chain operations.
Additional systems for cold storage
• Robotic Layer Picking: This technology automates the process of selecting and stacking items onto pallets, further enhancing operational efficiency.
• IO-EYE MOS SCADA: This supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system provides real-time monitoring and control of warehouse operations, enhancing overall efficiency and compliance.
Key benefits of Daifuku’s automated cold chain solutions
Daifuku Intralogistics Americas said safety, efficiency, and sustainability are three of the key benefits from its automated systems for cold chain storage and warehousing.
• Safety: Automation can reduces manual labor in settings such as extremely cold environments, lowering injury risk.
• Enhanced efficiency: Daifuku asserted that its ASRS speeds processes, leading to quicker order fulfillment and better space utilization, which is especially important in cold environments.
• Sustainability: Optimized space use and energy reduction can decrease a facility’s carbon footprint, while precise inventory control cuts waste for a greener supply chain. Modern automation systems also tend to consume less energy than conventional methods, which can further support sustainability initiatives. Daifuku added that many of its products help support LEED accreditation.
• Quality: Ensuring quality throughout the cold chain is a must. Not only do these offerings enable users to do more than just streamline efficiency and productivity, but they also maintain a high level of quality, said Daifuku.
Transparency and visibility are other key benefits, said the company. Integrated systems offer an ecosystem that enhances visibility throughout the entire supply chain and can be managed through a central platform.
In transitioning from traditional manual distribution centers (DCs) to automated systems, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), and food production companies stand to gain significant advantages. In addition to reducing overhead costs, automation can enhance service levels and lower energy expenses, Daifuku said.
By using robotic stacker cranes, companies can achieve a footprint reduction of over 50%, as these cranes can access higher shelves, thus minimizing property costs and taxes, the company noted.
In addition, automation can contribute to substantial energy savings. A smaller roof area, necessitated by a reduced building footprint, helps mitigate heat gain—up to 70% in low-temperature facilities—thereby cutting cooling costs.
The adoption of low oxygen fire-suppression systems can further enhance safety by preventing fires rather than merely extinguishing them, thanks to the reduced ignition potential in a hypoxic environment.
Moreover, automation improves operational efficiency with features like smaller pallet doors and sensor-triggered freezer access control, which limit door openings and reduce refrigeration load. Dafuku said that automation enables greater flexibility, allowing companies to attract more contracts while maintaining a high level of service and cost-efficiency.
Blue Bell Creameries relies on Daifuku expertise
Daifuku Intralogistics America has partnered with Blue Bell Creameries to implement an ASRS in its new freezer warehouse, designed specifically for ice cream storage.
The system features five aisles, accommodating more than 8,500 storage locations and two STV loops to efficiently handle production inputs and shipping outputs.
The system also includes optional Daifuku receiving pallet conveyors for streamlined production flow, as well as inbound and shipping catwalks for enhanced efficiency. Not only will this system optimize Blue Bell’s cold storage capabilities, but it will also set a new standard for automation in the frozen food industry, the companies said.
About the author
Cecile Dick-Calmes is a content marketing strategist and creative leader with experience in B2B and B2C digital marketing. She is the marketing content manager at Daifuku Intralogistics America.
Dick-Calmes’ previous experience includes working at the Boeing Co. as a community manager and at Hainan Airlines as the digital marketing lead.
This article was syndicated from Daifuku’s blog with permission.
