While frozen products such as fish, pizza and ice cream have many advantages for consumers, they can pose a very big challenge for material handling and storage systems within distribution centres. The unique demands of low temperatures on the material handling equipment must not be underestimated during engineering and installation.

TGW technology enables companies to implement automated high performance solutions for totes, cartons and pallets across a wide range of operating conditions, including refrigerated and frozen environments. TGW's many years’ experience in designing, manufacturing and installing solutions means we have the technical know-how required to optimally adapt conveyor and storage systems to the prevailing temperatures.

The idea of an uninterrupted cold supply chain, increasing performance requirements as well as stricter and stricter occupational health and safety regulations are strong arguments for automation of freezer distribution centres. Operators have to cope with increasing performance requirements and comply with strict regulations on working conditions, all of which are convincing reasons for using dynamic automated systems.

TGW’s conveyor and storage automated logistics solutions for freezer applications are as functional as those for normal temperature solutions. TGW could give proof of their competence in freezer logistics in a great number of projects implemented in the past few years.

All project phases, from engineering over implementation to real operation, have to be adapted to the special conditions of freezer warehouses and distribution centres. The following aspects should be considered at an early stage:

• Transition between different temperature zones:
  This requires air-lock systems, for conveyor lines that go from one temperature zone into another as well as for employee entrances.
   
• Design of air-conditioning and cooling technology:
  When it comes to defining the air-conditioning and cooling technology, the heat development of the drives used has to be taken into consideration. Air humidity must be kept as low as possible in order to avoid formation of ice and snow on the machinery.
   
• Maintenance access:
  Employees are only allowed to stay in the freezer area for relatively short periods of time and with special, often quite obstructive thermal clothing. Therefore, the walking distances should be kept as short as possible and the areas to be accessed provide enough space to move. Wide aisle clearances in the warehouse and special maintenance bays are advantageous too.
   
• Video surveillance of critical areas:
  In order to facilitate error diagnosis without having to enter the freezer area, it is recommended to install a closed-circuit television system in critical areas.
   
• Energy efficient machines which re-feed Power of Braking Energy
  Power re-feeding is particularly beneficial in freezer applications, as it not only recovers energy for other appliances, but also reduces the energy demand for cooling.