Turkmenistan Ashgabat - 10,000 m² Intelligent Cold Chain Cold Storage Project

Project Basic Information

This case study documents the Turkmenistan Cold Room Project located in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. The project is a flagship solution designed to modernize the country’s food supply chain by intelligently integrating cold storage, high-efficiency sorting, and deep processing within a single facility. With a total scale of approximately 10,000 m², the project encompasses multi-temperature zone storage and dedicated processing areas across a planned total of 10 construction phases. The first phase was completed and commissioned in 2023 and has been operating smoothly ever since. The second phase is currently under construction, with all installation work advancing according to schedule.

The overarching goal of the project is to establish a closed-loop value chain - from raw material intake to high-value-added finished goods - ensuring product quality, full traceability, and operational efficiency at every stage. By combining intelligent storage with real-time inventory and temperature control, high-throughput sorting for faster order fulfilment, and deep processing to elevate product value, the facility provides critical infrastructure support for the modernisation of Turkmenistan’s national-level food supply chain.

Customer Core Requirements

The national-level large-scale and efficient food supply chain cold storage solution in Turkmenistan posed a significant challenge to the refrigeration performance and stability of the cold room. The client required a facility capable of delivering consistent and reliable temperature control across a broad spectrum of product types, from fresh fruits and vegetables to deep-frozen goods, while operating under Turkmenistan’s high-temperature climatic conditions. Beyond mere storage, the brief called for an integrated ecosystem that would seamlessly combine cold chain warehousing, automated high-throughput sorting, and deep processing capabilities within one site — essentially building a complete value chain from raw material reception to finished product dispatch.

In terms of equipment selection, the client placed a strong emphasis on internationally renowned brand components. The core refrigeration system was to be built around Bitzer industrial-grade compressor units, with Danfoss and Siemens providing critical control and refrigeration elements. These brands were chosen not only for their proven performance and reliability under high-temperature conditions, but also for their comprehensive global after-sales service networks, which provide a strong guarantee for the long-term stable operation of the equipment in Turkmenistan. The client also required full traceability across the cold chain and intelligent management capabilities including real-time inventory monitoring and automated temperature regulation, reflecting the ambition to set a new benchmark for food supply chain infrastructure in the region.

In summary, the core customer requirements were defined as follows:

• Large-scale multi-temperature zone cold storage covering the full thermal spectrum from –35°C quick-freezing to +20°C high-temperature storage;

• High-throughput automated sorting to meet the rapid turnover demands of e-commerce and retail channels, processing hundreds of tons per day;

• Deep processing integration, enabling the transition from raw materials to finished products within the same facility;

• Intelligent warehouse management with real-time inventory and temperature control;

• Long-term operational stability with optimised energy efficiency to reduce lifecycle costs;

• Core equipment from internationally recognised brands — Bitzer, Danfoss, Siemens — ensuring reliability and global service accessibility;

• Cross-border project execution capability spanning design, supply, installation, and commissioning.

Targeted Solutions

In response to the ambitious scope and demanding technical requirements of the Turkmenistan project, Kendall Refrigeration delivered a fully engineered, single-source cold storage solution. The Phase II design is centred on an Intelligent Cold Chain Storage and Sorting Center with a core base area of approximately 6,500 m², integrating high-speed sorting and precision multi-temperature zone storage into one cohesive operational platform. This design gives the client the ability to receive, store, sort, process, and dispatch goods entirely within a single site, streamlining the entire cold chain workflow from end to end.

High-Speed Sorting Hub

The sorting hub occupies a total area exceeding 2,300 m² and is equipped with four independent sorting lines serving two dedicated sorting areas. Its daily processing capacity reaches hundreds of tons, comfortably meeting the high-speed turnover demands of e-commerce and retail distribution channels. The independent line architecture also provides operational redundancy: should one sorting line require maintenance, the remaining lines continue to function without disrupting overall throughput. This industrial-grade design philosophy directly addresses the reliability requirements of high-volume commercial operations.

Precision Multi-Temperature Zone Storage

The storage area is designed with seven distinct temperature zones spanning the full thermal spectrum required by diverse product categories. These include precision temperature-controlled rooms specifically engineered for sensitive fruits and vegetables (e.g., bananas at +13°C), general cold storage rooms (–2°C to +14°C), freezing rooms (–25°C), quick-freezing rooms (–35°C), and high-temperature rooms (+20°C). This broad yet finely segmented temperature architecture enables the facility to simultaneously store and process fruits, vegetables, frozen foods, and other diverse product categories, maximising both warehouse space utilisation and operational flexibility.

Technical Assurance and Equipment Selection

At the heart of the refrigeration system are Bitzer industrial-grade compressor units paired with efficient evaporative cooling systems, ensuring precise temperature control, efficient operation, and controlled energy consumption across all storage areas. The technical assurance framework operates across three coordinated domains. At the equipment level, the use of internationally renowned brand components — Bitzer, Danfoss, and Siemens — provides validated performance and reliability under high-temperature conditions, backed by comprehensive global after-sales service networks. At the system level, an intelligent central controller modulates active units according to real-time thermal load, delivering automatic temperature control, remote monitoring, and alarm functions that give operators full off-site visibility. At the safety level, the facility is equipped with an emergency ventilation system and a standby generator, ensuring that the cold chain remains unbroken even during local power supply instability.

Quantified Results

The Turkmenistan project encompasses a total of ten phases across the country. Phase I was completed and commissioned in 2023 and has been operating very well since its launch, with all performance indicators meeting or exceeding the original design specifications. Phase II is currently under construction and progressing steadily, which will further expand the cold chain infrastructure footprint and service capacity once completed.

The most compelling results to date come from the operational track record of Phase I. The core equipment has maintained continuous, stable operation for over two years since its commissioning in 2023, with no record of any major fault causing downtime. Particularly noteworthy is the energy performance: actual energy consumption has remained 20% below the design specification, demonstrating a significant advantage in system design and equipment selection for energy efficiency. During an on-site equipment inspection, client representatives expressed high satisfaction with the facility’s performance, affirming that “the system stability has exceeded expectations.” This direct feedback from the client serves as the strongest endorsement of the project’s overall delivery quality.

To date, the key quantified outcomes include:

• Phase I completed on schedule in 2023 and currently operating very well;

• Core equipment in continuous stable operation for over two years with no major fault record;

• Actual energy consumption 20% below design specifications, demonstrating outstanding energy performance;

• Client on-site inspection confirmed system stability has exceeded expectations;

• Phase II construction underway, with all installation work advancing according to plan;

• The full 10-phase programme steadily progressing toward establishing a high-standard cold chain hub in Central Asia.

Project Execution, Installation & After-Sales Service

During the execution of the Turkmenistan Phase II cold storage project, Kendall Refrigeration’s engineering team has been present on site throughout, strictly guiding the precise assembly of insulated panels. Panel installation is a critical phase in cold room envelope construction, as assembly accuracy directly determines the airtightness and overall energy efficiency of the facility. The engineers enforce rigorous quality control on every panel joint, fixing point, and seal, ensuring the building envelope meets the design-specified thermal insulation and air-tightness requirements.

On-site photographs also capture the team coordinating hoisting operations and structural steel welding — two key processes in the construction sequence. Given Turkmenistan’s dusty and windy climate conditions, the construction team has implemented targeted protective measures to ensure that welding quality is not compromised by sand, dust, or strong winds, while simultaneously safeguarding the safety of personnel working at height. The site is well-organised, cross-border team collaboration is smooth and orderly, and all installation work is advancing reliably according to the construction schedule.

Once completed, this facility will stand as a high-standard cold chain hub in Central Asia, demonstrating Kendall Refrigeration’s proven capability in overseas cold storage projects — from initial design through to final delivery. The seamless progression from the successful operation of Phase I to the orderly construction of Phase II validates the company’s project management and technical delivery strength in complex overseas environments. The engagement also includes ongoing after-sales operation and maintenance support, with remote monitoring enabling timely diagnostics and preventive care, ensuring the facility’s long-term performance sustainability.