On-Site vs. Warehouse Cold Storage

April 3, 2024

Warehouse vs Onsite Cold Storage

Businesses like yours depend on reliable cold storage solutions for many reasons. Keeping inventory fresh, protecting key ingredients from spoilage, and staying on top of seasonal demands are just some of the benefits of cold storage.

There are several cold storage options available to businesses today. Temperature-controlled warehouses are perhaps the most obvious example of cold storage solutions. Offering plentiful space, they can help centralize your inventory while protecting perishable or delicate goods. Installing walk-in freezers at a business’s location is also a good option for the convenience they offer.

Another choice available today is leveraging the advantages of cold storage temporary on-site units. These containers and trailers provide temperature-controlled storage space that can be moved virtually anywhere with a bit of room and a power source. Flexible and available in many configurations, temporary on-site containers present businesses with the ability to expand and shrink their cold storage capacity as they need.

To get the most cost-effective cold storage solution for your company, it’s necessary to understand the benefits and drawbacks of warehouse storage, walk-in freezers, and temporary on-site cold storage.

A Look at Warehouses and Permanent Walk-Ins

Warehouse cold storage space is great for businesses when it’s near their location, or if you have the capability to move inventory back and forth easily. These spaces are usually large enough to consolidate all your goods, adding to the convenience.

Permanent walk-in freezers installed at a business’s location are even more convenient by virtue of being right there on the site. Large freezers are available to handle extensive inventories, plus the shortened times necessary to retrieve items help make up for any awkwardness caused by the need to retrofit this solution to your site.

Unfortunately, warehouse cold storage space, even when located near your business, is never truly convenient. The transit times for inventory between storage and site offer plenty of opportunity for spoilage and wastage. Beyond that, leasing storage space usually requires a significant time commitment and financial investment.

Likewise, installing permanent walk-in freezers at your site is a huge commitment of resources. The planning, execution, and maintenance of that solution can add up to a nightmare of logistical tangles. Even more, once installed, the capacity of your walk-in freezers cannot grow (or shrink) without further expensive and time-consuming work.

A Look at Portable Temporary On-Site Cold Storage

Temporary on-site containers bring the benefits of cold storage right to your door. Or loading dock. Or parking lot. Or wherever you want the unit to go. That’s the beauty of these containers and trailers, affording you the ability to place as many or as few units as you need where and when you need them. That enables you to expand your cold storage capacity without necessarily expanding your site’s footprint.

With your cold storage located on-site in easy-to-access containers, you can reduce the risk of spoilage and other damage to your goods. There’s no long-term commitment either, as temporary on-site cold storage units are meant to be exactly that: temporary. They can be leased for years or months, then returned when no longer needed. Try that with a multi-ton walk-in freezer that just got installed!

Finally, one of the most crucial advantages of cold storage using temporary on-site units is their cost-effectiveness. Unlike the commitment of a warehouse lease, or the capital expense of freezer installations, temporary cold storage is something you only pay for when you need it. On the other hand, paying to expand permanent storage ties up valuable capital that could be reinvested in other areas.

Portabull Helps Solve Cold Storage Problems

If your business needs cold storage capacity for your perishable inventory, don’t commit to the long-term pressure of a warehouse lease or the heavy spending involved in installing walk-ins. Instead, turn to Portabull Cold Storage for a wide range of electric on-site cold storage containers.

Convenient, simple, efficient, and affordable, these units come in multiple sizes (20’ and 40’) and door configurations to fit your specifications. Working with Portabull gives you access to cold storage solutions that optimize your operations, protect your investments, and saves you thousands every year.

To learn more about the advantages of Portabull Cold Storage, including our 24/7 live expert support and advanced fleet click here.

When your business or organization is looking for affordable, flexible cold storage, click here to get a quote today.