When precision becomes the process Compiled by Eamonn Ryan Understanding the demands of industrial cooling.
FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
When precision becomes the process Compiled by Eamonn Ryan Understanding the demands of industrial cooling.
Manufacturing process cooling refers to the methods and systems used to remove unwanted heat generated during industrial or manufacturing processes, in order to maintain product quality, ensure efficient operation of equipment and protect worker safety.
In short, manufacturing process cooling is an essential part of industrial operations, ensuring that production remains reliable, safe and cost-effective while meeting quality and regulatory standards.
Elsewhere in this issue, John Ackermann says that process cooling is where real potential for innovation and opportunity lie. South Africa’ s manufacturing and foodprocessing industries depend on reliable cooling to maintain quality and safety – yet much of this infrastructure remains outdated and inefficient.“ In many plants, energy is treated as a fixed cost rather than a variable that can be engineered down,” he explains.
Ackermann highlights international examples where heat recovery, integrated system design and smart controls have cut energy use by up to 30 %. Locally, he sees growing momentum in sectors such as dairy, meat processing and pharmaceuticals.“ Our climate gives us an advantage if we design for it. Evaporative systems, hybrid chillers and waste-heat reuse all make strong sense here – but they demand skilled design and maintenance.”
He cautions against the industry’ s persistent focus on lowest capital cost.“ The lowest price is rarely the best price, you pay dearly for it afterwards,” he warns. Ackermann advocates making life-cycle cost( LCC) analysis standard practice in all plant design and procurement.
True LCC assessment should consider not only purchase price but also energy efficiency, maintenance requirements, component lifespan and potential downtime.“ A system that costs 15 % more upfront but uses 25 % less energy can recover the extra capital in a year. Procurement must stop rewarding short-term savings and
The tolerance for error is minimal, and success depends on understanding the process as deeply as the technology itself.
start valuing long-term resilience,” says Ackermann.
Unlike comfort or storage applications, process cooling operates at the heart of production. Its role is not to create a pleasant environment but to control a variable that defines output, quality and efficiency.
In industrial and manufacturing settings, cooling is not a background service – it is part of the process itself. From food production to chemical processing to laboratory testing, the ability to hold a product or component at an exact temperature can determine whether an operation succeeds or fails. This is what defines process cooling: the precise, often instantaneous control of temperature within a production environment.
The distinction between process, comfort and distribution cooling is more than just terminology. Comfort cooling manages the climate for people – an office or retail space can comfortably fluctuate by a few degrees without consequence. Distribution cooling, such as in the cold chain, ensures products remain within safe temperature ranges during storage or transport. But process cooling is fundamentally different. Here, explains Marco Ferdinandi, marketing director: MS Airconditioning, the temperature is not a condition of comfort or preservation; it is a parameter of production. Even a one-degree deviation can slow output, alter a chemical reaction or cause product defects.
“ That level of precision brings its own challenges. Engineers must understand the process itself – not just the refrigeration technology – because every degree, every flow rate and every transition matters. A system designed without a clear grasp of the process tolerances can cause downtime, waste or compromised quality. In comfort cooling, you can be a little wrong and still be right. In process cooling, if you’ re a little wrong, you’ re entirely wrong.”
Based on some of the projects MS Airconditioning has been involved in, Ferdinandi says:“ Modern process environments demand not just accuracy but also speed of response. Whether it’ s a testing facility that must rapidly shift between temperature points, or a production line that needs constant thermal stability, the cooling system must adapt instantly without overshoot or lag. Achieving that responsiveness often requires advanced control systems, variable refrigerant flow
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COLD LINK AFRICA January / February 2026