Aggreko advises on cold storage operations for UK companies preparing for Brexit

Companies across the supply chain may face difficulties increasing their capacity to stockpile chilled and cold goods following Boris Johnson’s warning that securing a trade deal with the EU is ‘looking very, very difficult.’

The Prime Minister warned of changes from 1 January 2021 – the day after the UK’s current EU membership transition period expires – and implored the country to ‘get ready for that change.’ With an agreement not yet reached on how food and pharmaceutical sector supply chains will operate after this date, manufacturers, retailers and the warehousing sector may require additional storage space to stockpile affected foods and medicines, according to Aggreko, world-leading provider of mobile modular power, temperature control and energy services.

Preparation has already begun, with Tesco announcing it is stockpiling non-fresh food ahead of potential no-deal Brexit. The retail giant’s move to stockpile as much non-live product as possible will have ramifications for suppliers across its supply chain, and could lead to further organisations following Tesco’s lead, increasing demand for storage space.

Temporary cooling systems and chillers could provide a way to safeguard against this rapidly shifting situation, according to Aggreko. These solutions, which can turn ambient temperature warehousing space into chilled and cold storage on a temporary basis, can give companies additional stockpiling space without the need for costly, permanent structural changes.

“The Prime Minister’s comments that we must ready ourselves for changes, while expressing uncertainty on a future trade deal, means the food and pharmaceutical industries must prepare against potential short-term shocks,” says Matt Watson, sales manager. “Companies in these sectors may require additional capacity to store vital goods, but with capex budgets tightening in the wake of the coronavirus, constructing permanent cold storage space may not be an affordable option.

“With the pandemic forcing businesses to do more with less, and a quick response time required to best safeguard against potential disruption in early 2021, strategic equipment hire may present another solution. Aggreko’s chilled and cold storage solutions can be quickly deployed and installed without impacting production, letting companies temporarily increase their cold storage capacity in line with industry standards. As such, this technology can help organisations reduce risks associated with these uncertain times.”

Aggreko chillers modularly range from 50kW to 1500kW and maintain a temperature as low as (minus) -40°C. For more information, visit: www.aggreko.com.

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