A Complete Guide to Cold Room Rental for Businesses in Singapore

You’ve got a business to run and goods to store, but building your own cold room just isn’t feasible right now. Renting cold room storage is the perfect solution to keep your products fresh until they reach your customers. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about renting the ideal cold room for your Singapore business. 

We’ll look at important factors like size, temperature control, and budget. Arm yourself with the knowledge to make the best decision for safely storing your valuable inventory. Let’s dive in and get your goods chilling in rented cold storage suited to your exact business needs.

An Introduction to Cold Room Rental in Singapore

What exactly is cold room rental?

Cold room rental refers to a refrigerated storage unit that businesses can rent on a short or long-term basis. Cold rooms can either be rented in their entirety or some pallet locations can be rented out depending on your spatial needs. Cold rooms keep perishable goods like food, medicine and chemicals at controlled temperatures optimal for preservation.

What sectors rely on cold room rentals?

Many industries depend heavily on cold room rentals to properly store and transport temperature-sensitive products. This includes the food and beverage industry, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as chemical and medical research facilities.

How does a cold room rental operate?

Cold rooms are refrigerated spaces that use cooling systems to maintain set temperatures, typically between 2 to 8°C. They also control humidity levels to prevent spoilage. Cold rooms have insulated panels and an airtight seal to maximise temperature regulation. Many offer additional features like emergency backup power, 24-hour security monitoring and loading docks for efficient product loading and unloading.

Renting a cold room allows businesses to store goods without investing in expensive refrigeration equipment. Cold room rentals provide flexible and customisable storage solutions to suit specific business needs. However, it can be difficult to find cold rooms with available space, and rental costs may be high depending on factors like size, temperature control, and additional features.

Still, for many companies, cold room rentals are an efficient way to properly store temperature-sensitive inventory without the hassle of maintenance and high upfront costs of owning your own cold storage facilities. By outsourcing refrigerated warehousing to cold room rentals, businesses can focus on their core operations.

Key Industries That Rely on Cold Room Rentals

Several sectors rely heavily on cold room rentals to properly store and transport temperature-sensitive goods. 

Food and Beverage

Perishable food items like meat, seafood, dairy, and produce require strictly controlled temperatures to avoid spoilage. Restaurants, caterers, and food processing companies often rent cold rooms for temporary storage or when expanding operations.

Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals

Medicines, vaccines, blood, and other biological materials need to be kept at precise temperatures. Hospitals, clinics, and drug companies frequently use cold room rentals when they have a temporary need for more refrigerated space.

Floristry and Horticulture

Flowers, plants, and fresh produce need to be kept cool until they reach customers or suppliers. Many florists and plant nurseries rent cold rooms to store extra stock during busy seasons or for special events.

Events and Exhibitions

When hosting large events, organisers may need refrigerated storage for food, drinks, flowers, and other perishable goods. Cold room rentals provide the extra space they need for the duration of the event at an affordable cost.

Research and Education

Universities, research institutes, and testing facilities often work with biological materials, chemicals, and perishable specimens that must be kept at controlled temperatures. Cold room rentals give them extra refrigerated space when they need it for a particular project or study.

Key sectors that rely heavily on cold room rentals are those dealing with temperature-sensitive and perishable goods like food, medicines, flowers, and biological materials. Renting provides affordable refrigerated storage space when they have a temporary or short-term need for it. For these industries, cold room rentals are essential for properly preserving goods and maintaining high standards of quality, freshness, and safety.

Assessing Your Cold Storage Needs

Every business’ cold room rentals needs are unique. Here are some factors to consider when looking for the right storage vendor.

Size and Capacity

The first step is determining how much cold storage space you need. Think about the volume and types of goods you need to store, and estimate how much space will be required. It’s always better to rent a cold room that’s slightly larger than your current needs to allow for growth and extra inventory. You can choose to either rent an entire cold room or rent a portion of it depending on the pallet space required. Most cold room rentals come in a range of sizes to suit different business requirements.

Temperature Requirements

Consider what temperature range you need to properly preserve your goods. This could be anything from -20 to +10 degrees Celsius depending on whether you’re storing raw ingredients, prepared food, or medical supplies. The temperature also depends on how long you need to store the goods for. Make sure the cold room rental can accurately and consistently maintain the required temperature.

Additional Features

Think about any additional features that would benefit your cold storage operations. This could include separate freezer and chiller rooms, loading docks for easy goods transfer, hygienic wall and floor panelling, security systems, backup generators, and more. Discuss any specific needs with the cold room rental company to determine availability and costs.

Budget

Finally, determine how much you can afford to spend on cold storage rental based on your business requirements and available budget. Monthly rental fees will depend on the size of the cold room, temperature control needs, available features, and lease terms. Be prepared to pay more for additional services like 24-hour temperature monitoring, maintenance, and repair.

Renting cold storage space is an efficient, cost-effective way for businesses to store temperature-sensitive goods without the high costs of purchasing and maintaining their own cold rooms. By assessing your key needs and priorities upfront, you can find an affordable rental solution perfectly suited to your operations. The result is efficient cold storage, better inventory management, and more flexibility for your business.

How Cold Rooms Work: Temperature and Humidity Control

Cold rooms rely on specialised refrigeration systems to maintain a controlled environment for storing perishable goods. The temperature is lowered and humidity levels are regulated to inhibit the growth of bacteria and prevent spoilage.

Temperature Regulation

Cold rooms use a process called refrigeration to lower the temperature. Refrigerants like ammonia or freon are compressed into a liquid and then allowed to expand into a gas, absorbing heat in the process. This allows the cold room to reach and stay at the desired temperature, typically between -18°C to 15°C.

Sensors monitor the temperature inside the cold room and activate the refrigeration system as needed to keep it consistent. Most cold rooms also have a backup power supply in case of electrical failure to avoid interruptions that could compromise the goods. Emergency plans are in place to address any temperature fluctuations promptly.

Humidity Control

In addition to temperature, the humidity or moisture level in a cold room must be regulated. High humidity can lead to condensation build-up and promote bacterial growth, while low humidity can cause goods to dry out. Humidity is measured using hygrometers and adjusted automatically using humidifiers and dehumidifiers as needed, typically keeping levels between 60 to 80%.

Proper temperature and humidity control are essential for cold room operation. Strict monitoring and prompt corrective actions help to avoid spoilage and ensure maximum shelf life for perishable goods. Routine maintenance and servicing of refrigeration and humidity equipment further guarantee optimal performance and efficiency.

Renting a cold room for your business provides a controlled environment for preserving goods at the proper temperature and humidity levels. When these factors are effectively regulated, cold room storage is an efficient and affordable solution for extending the shelf life of perishable products. Careful management of the cold room conditions allows you to optimise your operations and reduce losses from spoilage.

Additional Services and Features to Look For in Renting a Cold Room

Reliability and Expertise

Look for a cold room rental company with a proven track record of providing high-quality, reliable service. They should have expertise in temperature-controlled environments and understand the critical importance of maintaining consistent conditions for your goods. Ask about their experience, credentials, and customer reviews to determine their level of professionalism.

Monitoring and Alert Systems

The ideal cold room setup will have advanced monitoring systems that can detect any temperature or humidity changes 24/7. They should offer alert features like SMS or email notifications in case of a power outage or equipment malfunction. Some may even provide remote monitoring so you can check conditions from your phone or computer. These safeguards will give you peace of mind that your inventory is properly protected at all times.

Additional Equipment and Facilities

Depending on your specific needs, look for a cold room rental company that can provide supplemental equipment and facilities. This may include loading docks, forklifts, shelving, packing tables, security cameras, backup generators and more. The more fully-featured the space is, the more efficient your operations can be. For more safe handling of your goods, anti-slip floor finishings makes the cold room the perfect home for your goods. Discuss your requirements upfront to determine what additional resources they can provide to support your business.

Flexible Terms

Look for a cold room rental company that offers a rental agreement with terms that suit your needs. This could be a 6-12 month lease for seasonal usage, or a long-term multi-year lease if you need a permanent solution. Be sure to understand all details like security deposits, renewal options, termination clauses and any additional fees before signing a contract. Flexible terms will allow you to scale your cold room space up or down as your business changes.

A professional cold room rental company focused on reliability, monitoring, equipment and flexible terms will give you the full-service solution you need to properly store and distribute temperature-sensitive goods. Evaluate providers thoroughly based on your key requirements to find the right partner for your business.

Safety and Compliance

Ensure that the cold room rental you have chosen has settled all the legal requirements. F&B establishments storing products in cold rooms can check on the necessary Singapore Food Agency licensing requirements. Once you complete WSQ-certified food safety training courses, SFA will also conduct an inspection.   Some of the points under inspection include:

Cleaning and Sanitation Programme

This notes which equipment will be cleaned, the frequency and method of cleaning, the staff responsible for cleaning and monitoring arrangements.

Pest Control Programme

Those applying pest control measures involving chemical, physical or biological agents should be under the direct supervision of qualified personnel.

Maintenance Programme

This spells out the maintenance procedures and schedules for maintaining all equipment, fittings, building and work areas.

Leased (tenancy) Agreement

A leasing agreement of the premises will also have to be presented to the authorities during the application process.

The SFA license is subject to renewal every year and costs around $260 for meat and seafood products. Other industries like pharmaceuticals or horticulture might operate on different standards. For peace of mind and to avoid hefty legal fees, check that your cold room has met all regulations. 

Renting a Cold Room With Kiat Lay Coldroom Specialists

At Kiat Lay, we have been in the business of building cold rooms since 1982. Over the decades, we have grown to understand the structural, legal, and financial needs of building a cold room. This makes us well-positioned to offer cold room rentals for businesses of any industry and scale. We can carve out a rental agreement that is optimal for your inventory — whether it is renting an entire cold room or simply a portion of it for your pallets.

Apart from building cold rooms, our attentive service, staff training and flexible terms make our space the most hassle-free rental around. We know that your goods are not meant to sit around, they are just waiting to move to the next location. Expect convenient access to expressways and a docking area to make it easy to get goods in and out of the cold room. We are putting up to final pieces to get our cold room rentals open for business. Until then, stay tuned for our next updates.

In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us at +65 6793 3313 or enquiry@kiatlay.com.sg for all our cold room needs!