Reefer rental: trends

The reefer rental market has benefited from unexpected development. It started in the 1980s when thousands of refrigerated containers ceased being used, following the external trade collapse of fruit-exporting countries. The reefers were first stocked in ports. As this generated financial losses, shipping companies then sold them at bargain prices to various operators, which ultimately led to the creation of a reefer rental market throughout Europe.
The containers were originally very basic, as for instance, doors had door lock bars (which posed a serious problem if you locked yourself in. But equipment adjusted over time to all sorts of requirements and now, newer, more efficient models are on offer, featuring side doors, insulating curtains, alarm buttons, mobile floors, better lighting, special coating, dual-temperature modules and temperature recorders in accordance with recent regulations. Reefer rental now involves all refrigeration sectors.
Containers can be used as temporary equipment during on-site works, peak periods or during the launching of new products, as a way of cutting initial investment expenditure in order to concentrate on R&D or production. However, long-term rental is also expanding for similar reasons.