AUTOMATED FROZEN
FOOD FACILITIES
The Numbers behind automated
refrigerated & frozen food facilities
W
ith a majority of the frozen and refrigerated food
and beverage industry investing in larger warehouse
operations, it is no surprise that energy consumption
is through the roof. Implementing warehouse automation in
refrigerated and frozen facilities will greatly reduce cost while
optimizing the facilities.
Let’s dig a little deeper into how an automated storage/ retrieval
system (AS/RS) can benefit refrigerated and frozen warehouses by
looking at the numbers.
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-30: An AS/RS can operate in extreme conditions rated for
-30°F.
0: Implementing an AS/RS in an existing facility – compared
to building a new facility – results in zero construction costs,
eliminating additional land use and leveraging existing space.
2: An AS/RS can store 2-18 pallets deep. Deeper lanes trans-
late to fewer aisles, and aisles occupy warehouse space that
could be used for other purposes including product storage.
15: Automated technology can reduce shipping errors by
15% and enable just-in-time (JIT) order fulfilment strategies.
Therefore, warehouses can eliminate the need for staging or-
ders hours in advance, which often end up taking up valuable
space while waiting to be picked.
25: The combination of an AS/RS and a warehouse execution
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The Satellite Review
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system (WES) reduces operating costs from decreased labor,
waste and maintenance. These cost reductions are sustainable
over the 25-year lifecycle of the AS/RS.
30: Refrigerated and frozen warehouses experience 30% less
energy costs with an AS/RS. This is because they use less
square footage, resulting in less space to cool.
40: An AS/RS can store 40% more pallets in the same space
as a conventional rack warehouse, creating energy savings
through more efficient space utilization.
50: A building’s footprint can be reduced up to 50% with an
AS/RS, as the warehouse uses less land and cuts waste.
98.6: A normal human body temperature is 98.6°F. An
AS/RS eliminates the need for humans to endure long
periods of time in sub-zero temperatures, which are not
only unsafe, but also lead to lost productivity due to the need
for frequent breaks.
99.9: Automation stands as the single best way to improve
accuracy – up to 99.9% – and increase throughput rates by
two to three times.
Now that the numbers have been laid out, it is easy to see how an
AS/RS can improve frozen and refrigerated warehouses’ opera-
tions – not only through green initiatives, but also by improving
employees’ wellbeing and enhancing the company’s bottom line.
www.WestfaliaUSA.com