FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Outsourcing refrigeration
could improve bottom line
By Dawie Kriel, head of Energy Partners Refrigeration
We take a look at why South African companies are
moving away from owning their own cooling systems.
R
efrigeration represents a substantial refrigeration systems tend to keep initial
cost to companies operating in expenditure as low as possible. The
South Africa’s food and beverage problem with this is that the initial cost
industry. Additionally, the operation and of a system generally only constitutes a
maintenance of modern refrigeration quarter of the system’s entire life cycle
systems often diverts precious resources cost while the energy cost is likely to be
and time away from a company’s core 50–70% of the cost over the life of the
activities. Businesses are also losing a lot plant. Therefore, if you cut costs during
of money through wasted electricity costs the initial installation, operation and
by using inefficient refrigeration systems. maintenance costs are likely to be more
This is why some of the country’s major expensive later on.
outsourcing their refrigeration.
The simple truth is that many businesses
in the food and beverage industry are
operating poor performing and expensive-
to-maintain refrigeration systems. Ideally,
more efficient and reliable systems
should be installed, but the capital outlay
Outsourcing your
refrigeration can be a more
viable option for companies
that want to focus on their
core business.
required for a state-of-the-art refrigeration Outsourcing your refrigeration can be a
system is often high. more viable option for companies that
industry players have started to consider
Refrigeration represents a substantial cost to companies operating in South Africa’s food and
beverage industry.
want to focus on their core business. since they are paying for the use of those systems, which require the appointment of
the funds or diverting cash for a new Most businesses already rent or outsource assets, while not having to worry about high-level skills to maintain their efficiency.
refrigeration system is often a challenge, a number of their functions, including maintenance. In line with global trends, Energy Partners Refrigeration has
and businesses that do install their own logistics and equipment. This makes sense the same can be done with refrigeration created a unique business model that
For many companies, sourcing
Continued on page 39
COLD LINK AFRICA • July/August 2018
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
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