Imperial Cold Logistics’ facility on Maydon Wharf in Durban is ideally located to provide centralised specialist logistics and supply chain management of chilled and frozen products to the FMCG, retail and wholesale industries in South Africa and Lesotho. Its strategic coastal location at a major port in Africa, while providing a decided geographical advantage, also created climate problems for the operations of the business. The coastal warmth and humidity has had a serious effect on the safety, efficiency and profitability of the business.

Specialised Climate Engineering (SCE) was called in by Anthony Van Zyl, the National GM of Warehousing, for Imperial Cold Logistics, to provide a turnkey service, offering an effective climate control engineering solution as well as training and ongoing service level agreements.

Specialised Climate Engineering (SCE) were able to:

• Remove the ice, fog, wet floors and condensation within the building. Reduce the cleaning overhead cost. There is no ice removal required and no water collection required. There is a reduction in the facility energy consumption. A reduced demand on refrigeration plant, means less stress and less maintenance. A reduction in expensive defrost cycles and reduced damages cost associated with ice. A dry environment preserves facilities.

Greg Saunders, Depot Manager for the Durban facility, is “very happy” because the Imperial Cold Logistics Durban facility is now entirely dry, with zero ice on surfaces or equipment. Saunders comments that equipment lasts better, and because reach trucks are preserved in a dry area, they no longer have problems with the shorting of electronic cards. After three months, defrosts are down to two or three over 24 hours – a temporary measure while the concrete and walls dry out after years of moisture. It is anticipated that only one defrost a day will be needed in future.