Cooling Down with Cold Storage: Heavy Duty Racking for a Mid-West Food Distributor

Challenge

A food distributor in the mid-west was in need of a cold storage solution to keep their inventory at a stable temperature and allow for efficient day-to-day operations.

This food distributor prides themself on providing a great experience and high-quality products to their customers. In order to maintain these standards, they knew they needed a storage solution that would help them with their mission. Being a food distributor, they were in need of warehouse shelving that would accommodate their new freezer and cooler, ensure their operations could run smoothly, and save them time on a day-to-day basis.

Food distributors can face an extra challenge in the warehouse for several reasons. Often, this type of inventory must maintain a certain temperature. If your facility is not at a stable, cool enough temperature, the food you’re storing can become unsafe for the end user. This, in turn, wastes products and loses you money.

Another challenge faced by cold storage facilities is the increased energy and cost of maintaining a cool temperature. While there are cold storage options that can work as an energy saver, cold storage facilities typically use more energy than a standard warehouse. Lastly, workers in cold storage facilities may face challenges, from having to endure cold conditions to avoiding slippery ice that may form on the ground.

While keeping these challenges in mind, we also had to factor in this warehouse being located in a seismic zone. The heavy-duty warehouse shelving that we chose would need to be extra secure and meet seismic requirements.

Industrial Shelving Systems came in to design and install a heavy-duty warehouse storage system for this distributor. See how we went about this project to ensure this facility would have long lasting industrial shelving solutions.

Solution

Tom from Industrial Shelving Systems took the lead on this project. After assessing the environment, taking into consideration the type and size of the inventory, the current space available, and the seismic requirements, the heavy-duty storage shelves were chosen. It was decided that heavy-duty racks from Steel King would be the best solution for this facility.

“They wanted durable, heavy-duty racking built to last, so we knew Steel King was the right partner,” says Tom from Industrial Shelving Systems.

This structural racking came with oversize baseplates for seismic requirements, double reinforced front columns, heavy horizontal bracing reinforcements, welded column protectors, and offset legs on all the back-to-back rows. With these accessories in place, we knew that this industrial rack storage would create a long-lasting system, especially if there were to be any seismic activity.

“If your facility is in a seismic zone, we make sure that we’re meeting seismic requirements, ensuring your facility is prepared to save you from damage,” says Tom.

Results

Now, this food distribution facility has heavy duty industrial shelving that meets all of their requirements and will ensure efficient operations for their cold storage needs. Their food can be efficiently stored on their new warehouse shelves, allowing them to pick the items quickly. They’ll be able to keep providing their customers with high quality products and services for years to come.

If you’re in need of industrial shelving and racking, or a unique storage solution, be sure to reach out to our team. After a thorough evaluation of your space and storage requirements, we will design and install a safe and efficient storage system. Our ISS team is there for you from design to installation, ensuring you have a smooth project process. Get started today!