Cold & Freezer Storage Solutions

Cold storage solutions are racking systems designed for refrigerated and frozen warehouses. They use steel and hardware rated for sub-zero temperatures and are configured for maximum density, so you store the most product in the least cubic footage of expensive temperature-controlled space. The right cold storage solution also accounts for frost buildup, condensation, wider forklift clearances for operators in heavy gear, and the fire code specific to high-density cold storage.

It depends on your product profile and rotation rules, but the highest density options are usually best because every square foot of conditioned space carries an operating cost. Mobile pallet racking compacts rows together and typically adds 80 to 100 percent more pallet positions than selective rack in the same footprint. Drive-in racking suits large quantities of the same SKU, and pallet flow racking enforces first-in, first-out rotation for perishables. We start with your temperature zones, forklift types, and product profile to determine which system gives you the best density.

Standard selective rack loses 40 to 50 percent of the floor to fixed aisles. Mobile pallet racking eliminates most of those aisles by mounting rows on motorized bases that compact together, and drive-in and push-back systems store several pallets deep per lane. Increasing pallet positions per square foot directly lowers the operating cost per pallet stored, and it often removes the need for a building expansion.

Steel behaves differently at sub-zero temperatures, and freezer floors have specific thermal slab considerations, so the engineering cannot use standard ambient warehouse specs. Operators working in heavy gloves in foggy, low-visibility conditions also need wider clearances. Designs account for cold-rated steel, concrete slab conditions, condensation management, and the tighter fire code that applies to high-density cold storage.

High-density cold storage carries complex fire code requirements, including commodity classifications for frozen food, anti-freeze sprinkler provisions, and in-rack sprinkler protection. We handle fire code coordination in-house and work with the fire marshal on anti-freeze sprinkler systems and cold storage commodity classifications so the layout passes inspection.