Cattle Farm: Increased Profits with Cold Storage Experts

John, the owner of a family-run cattle farm and beef processing plant in the Midwest, was searching for guidance in expanding his existing facility. A previous expansion project had caused gaps in his insulation system. John needed cold storage experts who could advise on an update that would allow him to continue growing his business without increasing his costs.

As a third-generation cattle farmer and after years of working his ranch, John’s greatest dream was to expand the business left to him by his father and grandfather. He wanted to leave a thriving farm and processing facility for his children to take over.

Just after taking over leadership of the farm from his dad, John worked on several construction projects to expand the small, 100-year-old family farm. He was able to move from a standard cow-calf operation by the addition of a successful meat processing plant on some set-aside acreage with county road access. His facility included a kill floor, cooler, freezer, processing area, and small office space. 

When he evaluated the overall profitability of his expansions the following year, he realized that he had unknowingly sacrificed insulation quality and thermal efficiency. His walk-in freezer suffered from ice accumulation and his walk-in cooler was leaking cold air. With every new expansion project, he experienced an increase in energy spend and excessive production interruptions, which added to the ever-expanding overall costs. These were items our cold storage experts could advise on.

A Wholistic Plan for Processing

John knew that for his farming operation to continue to grow he would need an insulation expert who could offer a holistic plan and strategy. While planning for a new meat locker expansion, John attended a Processing and Production trade show where he spoke with a PermaTherm panel consultant about his previous experiences and future expansion goals.

During the initial consultation, he discovered that his previous installers had not followed thermal guidelines or used a standard temperature reduction schedule. He concluded that this most likely caused the breaches in the insulation systems.  After a site visit, John was confident that he could use the information he had gained to make better construction decisions and move forward with his new meat locker.

Immediate Advantages From Cold Storage Experts

During the construction process, John was pleased that things were moving at a better clip. After comparing the project timelines to his previous expansions, he calculated the installation was running at a 3x faster rate than past projects. Though he was prepared for the production and processing interruptions he had experienced before, John was surprised at how much faster he was back up and running. Even with replacing the damaged panels from previous expansions, John commented to his consultant that there was a 36% decrease in production disruptions, solidifying that he had put his trust in the right panel company.

Within a week John saw a 100% decrease in ice accumulation inside his walk-in freezer. At the end of the first quarter, John noted a 26% decrease in product damage and inventory loss. At the end of the first year in operation, John shared that they experienced a 24% decrease in facility energy expenses.

Through a continued partnership with PermaTherm, John was able to confidently carry on expanding his cattle farm and beef processing plant. John recommended that farmers looking to expand their business speak with cold storage experts with access to local, trusted installers before beginning their next build.