Refrigerated Containers Blow Hot And Cold
Tuesday, 1st December 2009
Reefers are perhaps one of the most versatile shipping containers you can buy. In their original form they are generally built for the marine market. The standard specification here is aluminium or stainless steel exterior panels with a mild steel or aluminium frame. The interior is usually insulated with polyurethane foam and clad with either aluminium or stainless steel. Some very early units may have mild steel exterior panels and G.R.P (fibre glass) interior panels however they have mostly been phased out. The machinery will be to a marine specification and needs a 3 phase supply.
The U.K domestic market for refrigerated containers has grown considerably. In years gone by when a marine reefer was no longer fit for shipping it would be consigned to domestic use and companies would buy them and lease them to supermarkets, food producers and pharmaceutical companies. With competition growing between suppliers the end user has benefitted greatly. These days purpose built domestic units are built with low noise machinery, coldroom type butchers doors, panic alarms, remote monitoring and interior lighting as standard.
There comes a time for equipment where the machinery is beginning to get old and tired and the general cost to repair it is unrealistic or in some cases the spare parts are no longer available. The carcass is usually however in not too bad shape. In this instance the body can be used once again and offered for sale as an insulated container, popular with self storage companies because condensation is greatly reduced.