Refrigeration & Cold Storage RFQ template & spec checklist

This category spans mechanical refrigeration and the spaces it serves: ammonia, CO2, and glycol plant refrigeration, screw and reciprocating compressor packages, blast and spiral freezers, plate freezers, process chillers, and insulated cold rooms. Buyers range from a plant adding a freezing tunnel for a new frozen line to one replacing an end-of-life condensing unit or expanding racked storage. Refrigerant choice, ambient design conditions, and defrost strategy drive both capital cost and decades of energy bills, so the cheapest bid is rarely the cheapest system to own. Competing quotes expose how each vendor sized the load and what they assumed about your worst-case day.

What to include in your request

• ▢ Refrigeration load in kW or tons, with product entering and leaving temperature plus mass flow or pull-down time
• ▢ Room or process setpoint, and the design summer dry-bulb ambient for condenser sizing
• ▢ Refrigerant preference or constraint: ammonia, CO2, propylene glycol, or HFC/HFO
• ▢ Defrost method (hot gas, electric, air) and the acceptable temperature swing during defrost
• ▢ For ammonia, whether the charge triggers OSHA PSM / EPA RMP scope and IIAR compliance
• ▢ Cold-room dimensions, panel thickness or R-value, floor loading, and door type and traffic
• ▢ Available power, heat-rejection space, and machinery-room ventilation

What drives the quote

• Total refrigeration capacity and the number and type of compressors
• Refrigerant system type and its code, safety, and ventilation requirements
• Evaporator count and defrost method
• Insulated panel area, thickness, and the floor and door specification
• Heat rejection choice (evaporative, air-cooled, adiabatic) and energy-efficiency options

Common spec mistakes to avoid

• Sizing the plant to average load and ignoring simultaneous pull-down and infiltration peaks
• Picking a mild design ambient for the site, so the system starves on the hottest afternoon
• Underestimating how much defrost disrupts product temperature and room recovery
• Skipping freezer floor insulation or vapor-barrier detail, which invites frost heave later
• Not scoping ammonia safety obligations early, then discovering PSM cost after the award

Lead time

Lead time is driven by compressor package availability, the size of the refrigerant charge, and any engineered evaporator or panel work. Ammonia systems with full safety documentation and third-party review run longer than a packaged glycol chiller.

How to use this template

Fill in the bracketed parts, delete what doesn't apply, and send the same version to every supplier so the quotes come back on the same terms. Or start a request and our agents send it for you.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get quotes for Refrigeration & Cold Storage?

Start a request and describe what you need once. Our agents shortlist Refrigeration & Cold Storage suppliers that list it, email each one your request from a PostRequest address, follow up once, and line up price, minimums, lead time and terms side by side. No account or password needed.

Are the suppliers on this page vetted?

They're directory listings from public sources, not endorsements. Before our agents send your Refrigeration & Cold Storage request, they check that each supplier actually offers what you need. During early access, a person on our team reviews every comparison before it reaches you.

Can I include suppliers I already use?

Yes. Add them and we'll request quotes from them alongside new options, so you see how they compare.

Do suppliers see who I am?

No. When our agents send your Refrigeration & Cold Storage request, suppliers see the spec and roughly where it ships. Your name, company and contact details go to a supplier only after you choose to connect.

What does it cost?

Free during early access. No card needed.