When you think of someone working in a refrigerated container, the first thought that comes into your head could be of freezing cold man wearing a winter jacket, surrounded by frozen produce that he’s quickly stocking into a container before he succumbs to frostbite. Aside from being a bit of a silly image, it’s not completely accurate.

The term ‘refrigerated containers’ gives you the impression that the containers are always cold. They are actually extremely versatile and don’t have to be set to a negative temperature. In fact, the temperature range is anything from -30°C to +30°C, which means you can use them as a controlled environment for something that doesn’t need to be refrigerated at all.

Here are a few common uses of refrigerated containers.

Keeping your stock at the right temperature

In the food industry, this is extremely important. When you have your food stored offsite, it’s not always possible to keep control of the temperature. You can’t be sure that the people who are storing your food are keeping your produce fresh or at the right temperature. With many foods this is vitally important, so having your produce onsite to keep an eye on it may save you a lot of money in the long run.

Keeping it in your own hands

If you need something quickly, and are constantly relying on someone else to provide it on time, you’re running the risk of not having something when you need it. A refrigerated container onsite can therefore be far more convenient.

If you’re outsourcing your cool stores, you may also have to book them in advance of when you need them, and there are the added factors of transporting things to and from your business. The main reason that people used to outsource their cool stores was that the technology hadn’t advanced to the point where it was economical to do otherwise. With good rates on 20 foot and 40 foot refrigerated containers, there’s the flexibility of size and use that takes away these barriers.

Keeping your peace of mind

In the shipping and transport industry, it’s extremely important that things keep well over long distances. When people are shipping perishable goods the last thing they need is for things to arrive in a worse condition than they left. A refrigerated container ensures that they don’t. New Zealand’s climate is so varied that any number of things can be going on outside the container – scorching hot days, rainy mid-winter storms, or a cold snap – but inside the container, everything will be perfectly regulated.

Drying it off

Keeping things dry is another good use for refrigerated containers: for example, people who want dried produce (such as seaweed for sushi, noodles and other dried foods), can use them to keep food dry. The other benefit of refrigerated containers is that they can actually be used to dry out things.

Being flexible

Refrigerated containers can be used for a number of other processes: blast freezing, dehumidifying, or even pre-heating things, such as raw material for plastic manufacture. You can also be flexible in other ways – it’s actually possible to combine functions in one container, through use of a dual temperature container.

Creative storage

It’s not just the food industry that is able to benefit from this: any number of people could well use a regulated environment for their goods. Industries which deal with products that can quickly go downhill in a damp, cold environment will be far safer in a regulated environment. Because refrigerated containers are well insulated, they aren’t just temperature regulated – they are totally free of unwanted moisture: no condensation, no humidity and no dampness. This is something that makes them worth a premium in New Zealand. It’s like having a dry, perfectly moderate temperature – totally impossible in the kiwi weather but easy enough with a container.

If you have a cool use for a refrigerated container, have a talk with us at Kiwi Box.