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  • What is the Difference Between a Blast Chiller and a Commercial Freezer?

    What is the Difference Between a Blast Chiller and a Commercial Freezer?

    Frozen and processed food remains in high demand, especially now that consumers are more interested in takeaway meals and ready-to-eat products. A surge in disposable income and the increase in food expenditure also contributed to this demand. But what does this mean for the commercial refrigerator and freezer market?

    A report from February 2022 anticipates a 7% market growth from 2022 to 2029. This means food manufacturers are likely to purchase more blast chillers and commercial freezers in the foreseeable future so they can accommodate consumer demands.

     

    What Is a Blast Chiller?

    A blast chiller is designed to safely and rapidly lower food temperature. It prevents food products from losing nutrients or reaching the danger zone of spoilage. It can be used to cool down food during food service shifts. It may also be used to prepare meals, ingredients, and other food products that are going to cold storage.

    Blast chillers are commonly used for desserts such as ice cream and sorbet. They are also used to chill or freeze batches of food that will be used later on.

    Blast freezers are similar to blast chillers, except they’re designed to freeze food quickly. They also help preserve the taste and texture of perishable products upon preparation.

     

    What is a Commercial Freezer?

    Commercial freezers are similar to residential freezers in the way that they are temperature-controlled refrigeration units designed to freeze food products. However, commercial freezers can accommodate larger quantities of food and ingredients that might be required in dining establishments and other foodservice operations.

    The size of commercial freezers range from undercounter units to walk-in freezers. Either way, they are designed to cool, freeze, and store food products for an extended period. They help prevent spoilage and extend shelf life.

     

    How are Blast Chillers and Commercial Freezers Different?

    Blast chillers and commercial freezers are both general refrigeration products used in commercial kitchens. But their main difference lies in their purpose or functionality. Blast chillers are designed to cool down food products as quickly as possible; commercial freezers are made to keep food products safely frozen for a long time.

    Keep in mind that freezers are a mainstay for food manufacturers and dining establishments. Meanwhile, blast chillers add value to commercial kitchens by speeding up food preparation and food production. Before purchasing commercial refrigeration products, therefore, it’s important to determine what you’ll use it for. 

    Blast chillers are ideal when you aim to speed up commercial kitchen processes. On the other hand, additional freezers are a good choice if your consumer demand is growing.

     

    Adapt to Market Trends and Consumer Demands

    Through nexAir’s KnowHow, you gain access to knowledge, tools, and equipment that are necessary to keep your business competitive. Contact us today for inquiries about how you can take your business to a higher level.

    nexAir’s Forge Forward philosophy helps you stay ahead of market trends so you can rise above the competition. It also helps to familiarize yourself with the differences between blast chillers and commercial freezers for optimal business operations and product quality.

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    Manufacturing downtime costs American companies billions annually. When production lines halt due to gas supply issues, every minute translates to lost revenue, missed deadlines, and frustrated customers. At nexAir, we've spent decades developing solutions that keep manufacturing operations running smoothly.

    The Hidden Costs of Gas-Related Downtime

    When manufacturers calculate downtime costs, they typically focus on labor and lost production. However, gas supply disruptions create cascading effects that multiply these losses:

    • Production rescheduling that disrupts carefully optimized sequences
    • Rush shipping fees to meet customer deadlines despite delays
    • Quality inconsistencies when processes restart after interruptions
    • Overtime costs to catch up after unplanned stoppages
    • Reputation damage when delivery commitments are missed

    For a typical mid-sized manufacturer, each hour of downtime represents $5,000-$10,000 in direct and indirect costs. Our analysis shows that gas-related issues cause 7-12% of total manufacturing downtime - a substantial opportunity for improvement.

    From Reactive to Proactive: The Supply Continuum

    Most facilities follow a predictable pattern in their gas management evolution:

    Stage 1: Reactive Management At this stage, facilities order gas when they notice supplies running low or, worse, after running out. Emergencies are common, and disruptions are accepted as "part of doing business." One automotive parts supplier operating this way experienced 14 production interruptions in a single quarter.

    Stage 2: Calendar-Based Management Facilities advance to scheduled deliveries based on estimated usage. While better than the reactive approach, this method still results in either excess inventory (tying up capital and space) or shortages when usage spikes occur. A plastics manufacturer following this model maintained 40% more cylinder inventory than necessary while still experiencing occasional stockouts.

    Stage 3: Consumption-Based Management Our telemetry systems monitor actual gas consumption, automatically triggering orders based on usage patterns rather than calendar dates. This approach virtually eliminates both stockouts and excess inventory. 

    Stage 4: Integrated Supply Management The most advanced approach connects gas management directly to production planning systems. Upcoming production requirements automatically adjust supply parameters, ensuring resources are precisely aligned with needs. A medical device manufacturer using this approach reports zero gas-related downtime for 27 consecutive months while operating with minimal inventory buffers.

    Our expert KnowHow™ in industrial gas applications allows us to guide customers through this evolution at a pace that makes sense for their operations.

    Customizing Solutions for Maximum Uptime

    Manufacturing environments vary dramatically in their gas requirements and operational constraints. We've developed flexible approaches that address these differences:

    • For high-volume, consistent usage operations, our bulk systems eliminate the cylinder handling that frequently causes supply disruptions. Bulk installations include telemetry monitoring and automated ordering to prevent outages.
    • For variable-demand environments, our microbulk delivery systems provide the benefits of bulk supply with lower volume commitments. These systems reduce handling requirements while maintaining the flexibility needed for changing production schedules.
    • For specialized applications requiring multiple gas types, our gas management programs combine cylinder tracking, usage monitoring, and automated replenishment. This comprehensive approach ensures that specialty gases are always available when needed, regardless of how infrequently they might be used.
    • For multi-site operations, our enterprise supply programs coordinate deliveries and optimize inventory across locations. By treating the organization's gas requirements holistically, we minimize both stockouts and excess inventory across the network.

    This consultative approach ensures that manufacturers receive solutions aligned with their specific operational patterns rather than generic "one-size-fits-all" systems.

    Beyond Traditional Supply: Integrated Services for Total Reliability

    Maximum uptime requires more than just reliable gas delivery. Our integrated services address the full spectrum of gas-related reliability factors:

    Equipment maintenance programs that prevent system failures before they impact production Technical gas specialists who resolve application issues that could otherwise cause production problems Safety training that prevents accidents leading to downtime events Emergency response capabilities that minimize impacts when unexpected events occur Supply chain redundancy that ensures continuity despite regional disruptions

    These services complement our supply solutions to form a comprehensive reliability strategy. By addressing both everyday operations and exceptional circumstances, we help manufacturers Forge Forward with confidence that gas-related disruptions won't derail their production targets.

    Measuring Success: The Results That Matter

    The ultimate measure of any downtime reduction strategy is its impact on production metrics. Our manufacturing customers consistently report significant improvements after implementing our comprehensive gas management solutions:

    Downtime reductions of 85-95% for gas-related issues Inventory cost decreases of 20-30% through optimized supply management Administrative time savings of 5-10 hours weekly through automated ordering and tracking Production schedule adherence improvements of 3-7% due to improved supply reliability

    These performance gains translate directly to bottom-line benefits that typically deliver ROI within months rather than years. More importantly, they allow manufacturers to confidently make delivery commitments, knowing that gas supply issues won't compromise their ability to perform.

    Don't let gas supply issues impact your productivity. Contact us today to explore our tailored solutions.

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    Industry Knowledge and Expertise

    Find out how nexAir KnowHow has impacted businesses all over the Southeast

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    nexAir is always open!