23 / Cold chain & refrigeration
Cold rooms and refrigeration sized to the load, not to the floor plan
Cold rooms, blast freezers, condensing units, ice machines and display sourced direct. Read the refrigerant note below before anything else on this page — on this line the gas inside the machine decides whether it is allowed into the country at all.
Machines we are currently placing
Every price below is landed, cleared and delivered. Ask about anything not listed — most of this class is available to order.
Ice machines (Cube, flake & tube)
Modular cold rooms (5 – 100 m³)
Freezer rooms (Down to -25 °C)
Blast freezers & chillers (50 – 500 kg per cycle)
Condensing units (Air & water cooled)
Evaporators & air coolers (Ceiling & wall)
Insulated panel systems (50 – 150 mm)
Cold room doors (Hinged, sliding & strip)
Refrigerated display (1.2 – 3.6 m)
Chest & upright freezers (200 – 800 L)
Refrigerated transport bodies (Van & truck)
Monitoring & controls (Digital & data logging)
What we source in this line
Capacities below are the common bands. Tell us what you are storing, at what temperature and how fast it has to get there and we'll size the plant to it.
| Equipment | Typical range | Worth specifying |
|---|---|---|
| Modular cold rooms | 5 – 100 m³ | Panel thickness, temperature band, door type |
| Freezer rooms | Down to -25 °C | Panel thickness, floor insulation, heated door frame |
| Blast freezers & chillers | 50 – 500 kg per cycle | Pull-down time for your product, trolley or tray |
| Condensing units | Air & water cooled | Refrigerant, ambient rating, compressor brand |
| Evaporators & air coolers | Ceiling & wall | Capacity kW, defrost type, fan noise |
| Insulated panel systems | 50 – 150 mm | Core material, fire rating, joint system |
| Cold room doors | Hinged, sliding & strip | Size, heated frame, safety release |
| Ice machines | Cube, flake & tube | Output kg per 24 h, water quality requirement |
| Refrigerated display | 1.2 – 3.6 m | Glass type, night blind, temperature class |
| Undercounter & prep fridges | 1 – 3 door | Refrigerant, compressor, gastronorm fit |
| Chest & upright freezers | 200 – 800 L | Insulation, lid type, ambient rating |
| Refrigerated transport bodies | Van & truck | Unit capacity, standby, body insulation |
| Monitoring & controls | Digital & data logging | Alarm output, logging for compliance |
| Spares & consumables | Gaskets, fans, controllers | Local availability, expected life |
Not on the list? Send a photo or a model number — most refrigeration plant in this class is available.
What actually decides whether it works
Price is the easy part, and on this line one point matters more than all the others put together.
The gas decides whether it clears customs at all
This is the only category on this site where getting it wrong means the goods do not come in. Refrigerant gases are regulated, some are being phased out internationally, and what is legal moves. We confirm the position for the specific unit with our clearing agent before we give you a price — so the container is not the place you find out.
Size on the load, not on the cubic metres
Two rooms of the same size need very different plant depending on what goes in, how warm it is when it arrives, how often the door opens and what the ambient outside is. A room sized off floor area alone will either never reach temperature or cycle itself to death. We work from the actual load.
South African summers are not the test conditions
Condensing units are rated at an ambient temperature that is not a Gauteng or Lowveld December. A unit rated for a mild climate loses capacity exactly when you need it most. We specify for local ambient conditions and say so on the quote.
The plant ships, the installation happens here
Panels, pipework, gas charging, electrical connection and commissioning are done locally by a qualified refrigeration technician, and gas handling is regulated work. Budget for it as part of the project. We quote it separately where it applies rather than leaving it out.
Decide now what happens when the power goes
Refrigeration is the one line where an outage costs you stock, not just trading hours. Whether that means a generator, a changeover panel or simply more thermal mass is a decision to take before you buy, not during the first long outage.
You're trading the dealer network for the price
That's the honest trade. There is no branded technician on standby. You will need a good local refrigeration man from day one — for installation as much as for repairs — so buy with that in mind, which is an argument for standard compressors and controllers over proprietary systems.
Cold store operators ask these
Can you actually import refrigeration equipment?
Usually, but this is the category where we are most careful and least willing to guess. The refrigerant determines what may be brought in and what additional approval is needed, and the rules change. We confirm the position for the specific unit with our clearing agent before quoting, so you are never the one holding a container that cannot clear.
Will it cope with our summer?
Only if it is specified for our ambient conditions, which are hotter than the conditions most units are rated at. We ask where the plant is going and specify for that, because a unit that loses capacity in December is losing it exactly when your load is highest.
Do you install it?
Delivery is in the landed price. Installation, gas charging and commissioning are done here by a qualified refrigeration technician — it is regulated work and it has to be local. We quote it separately where it applies and we tell you what it involves rather than leaving it off.
What size room do I need?
That comes from the load, not the floor area. Tell us what you are storing, how much arrives at once, what temperature it arrives at and how often the door opens, and we will size the room and the plant together. Rooms sized off floor area alone are the most common expensive mistake here.
Tell us the load, not the model number
What you are storing, at what temperature, how much arrives at once and where the plant is going — that's enough for us to come back with options, a landed price in Rand and a realistic delivery date.
- No obligation and no cost to quote
- Options at more than one build quality
- Landed price — duty, VAT and delivery included
- We reply within one working day