Contents:

1. Growing Demand for Cold Storage Facilities in APAC
2. What are Cold Storage Facilities?
3. How Cold is Cold?
4. What are the Cold Storage Flooring Requirements?
5. Why Is PU Preferred Over Epoxy?
6. Flowfresh Is The Best Choice

Growing Demand for Cold Storage Facilities in Asia Pacific

According to research conducted by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) published in July 2022, the demand for cold storage is growing most rapidly in Asia Pacific. This demand is driven by evolving appetites among the region’s expanding middle class and a shift to online grocery and meal deliveries. Not only is there a gap in the market for more such refrigerated facilities, but existing resources are also generally fragmented, inefficient, and outdated.  

In Singapore, a 2020 report showed that cold storage warehouse rents were way higher compared to that of conventional dry warehouses. This was the direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which spurred demand for temperature-controlled logistics especially in terms of vaccine storage.  

With such an acute shortage of cold storage facilities in the region, it is only a matter of time before investors and developers capitalise on the growing trend and begin building specialised warehouse spaces.

What Are Cold Storage Facilities?

Cold storage facilities mainly refer to large, refrigerated rooms or structures that are used to house anything from perishable groceries to biopharmaceuticals at very low or below freezing temperatures. Often, these facilities are also known as refrigerated warehousing. 

Cold storage is necessary for industries dealing with goods that are perishable and biodegradable when subjected to normal room temperatures. Therefore, refrigeration helps to inhibit the chemical changes of fresh produce, and preserves its integrity, quality, and shelf-life. Cold storage facilities are commonly used in grocery stores, dairies, industrial kitchens of restaurants and hotels, research labs, and hospitals.

How Cold is Cold?

What Are The Flooring Requirements For Cold Storage?

Unlike general warehousing facilities, cold rooms and pharmaceutical-grade cold storage facilities require certain specifications because these spaces are highly regulated to ensure that all the health and safety standards surrounding the perishable goods are met. 

Below are the basic requirements of most cold storage facilities:

• Able to withstand cold or freezing temperatures
• Tolerant of heavy loads and equipment
• Protects against acids and chemicals
• Hygienic

Other considerations may include:

• Easy to clean
• Slip-resistant
• Abrasion-resistant

Why is PU Preferred Over Epoxy For Cold Storage Facilities?

Polyurethane (PU) Concrete flooring systems are the most common type of flooring used in cold storage facilities because it is seamless, extremely hard-wearing, and temperature/thermal shock resistant. 

While both the PU and epoxy floorings have characteristics that withstand heavy impacts and provide high chemical resistance, PUs provide superior thermal shock tolerance. This means that PUs are better equipped to withstand a variation in temperature that would otherwise cause tension or breakage in the surface material. Conversely, epoxies are naturally more brittle and will crack under extreme hot or cold temperatures

Flowfresh is The Best Choice for Cold Storage Facilities

Flowfresh HF used by Integrated Cold Chain Logistics, Malaysia

Flowcrete’s Flowfresh polyurethane flooring systems are suitable for various degrees of cold storage facilities. On top of possessing excellent thermal shock properties and strong chemical-resistance, all Flowfresh systems have the Polygiene® antimicrobial additive added to their composition. This silver-ion based antimicrobial treatment placed within the resinous flooring material inhibits bacterial growth by up to 99.9%. Moreover, the Flowfresh range is HACCP International Certified to satisfy the highest possible hygiene and food safety standards.

The Flowfresh range of products are available in an assortment of colours that can be customised to fit the client’s specific aesthetic requirements. Completely hard-wearing and durable, Flowfresh flooring is easy to maintain, making it ideal for food manufacturing and processing environments where you cannot afford to shut down operations for long periods of time.