Solutions — Cold Storage & Dock
Sub-Zero.
Zero Oil.
Zero Compromise.
Cold-chain operations handle food and pharmaceutical products with zero contamination tolerance and process truck deliveries around the clock. Every piece of equipment inside that environment needs to work reliably — and never drip hydraulic oil onto a controlled floor.
MD Series
Oil-Free
Dock Leveler
Duty Cycle
& Dock
MD Series Lifting System
Max Working Height
DCQ15 Series
For Taller Cold Stores
The Cold Storage Challenge
Why Standard Lift Equipment
Fails in Cold Chain
Recommended for This Industry
Chenlift Products for
Cold Chain Environments
Product Selection Guide — For cold stores up to 7.7 m working height with strict contamination requirements, the MD Series (oil-free) is the primary recommendation. For taller cold stores (7.7–17.8 m) where contamination risk is lower or hydraulic fluid is managed, the MX Series covers the full height range. Both can be combined with DCQ dock levelers for a complete cold-chain loading bay solution.
Application Scenarios
Cold Storage Operations
Where Chenlift Is Deployed
Frozen Food & Meat Processing
High-care and high-hygiene zones in food processing and frozen storage operate under HACCP protocols that classify mineral oil as a physical contaminant. The MD Series with Electric Lifting Push Rod drive is specified precisely to meet these requirements — the absence of any hydraulic system means no contamination pathway exists, regardless of operating duration or maintenance state.
Pharmaceutical Cold Chain
GDP-compliant pharmaceutical cold chain — vaccines, biologics, and temperature-sensitive active ingredients — operates under regulatory frameworks (EU GDP, WHO GDP) that treat equipment contamination as a deviation requiring investigation and potential product destruction.
The MD Series oil-free electric mast lift is specified by pharmaceutical cold-chain operators because it eliminates the hydraulic contamination deviation pathway entirely. Equipment qualification documentation is available on request to support validation activities.
“Chenlift DCQ dock levelers were integrated at 12 loading bays in our frozen food distribution centre. We specified the insulated dock seal system alongside the levelers to reduce temperature excursion during deliveries. Installation and commissioning were completed via video-call guidance with the Chenlift engineering team — the whole project from order to operational was six weeks.”
FAQ
Cold Storage
Questions
Common questions from cold-chain operators, food manufacturers, and pharmaceutical facility managers.
Ask Our Team →Does the MD Series contain any hydraulic oil at all?+
No. The MD Series lifting mechanism uses an Electric Lifting Push Rod — there is no hydraulic cylinder, no hydraulic pump, no hydraulic oil reservoir, and no hydraulic fluid of any kind in the lifting system. This eliminates the contamination pathway from the machine’s vertical movement entirely. The drive wheels use a small amount of lubricant as on any electric machine, but there is no hydraulic system that can drip, spray, or leak onto controlled cold-chain floors or products.
Can the MD Series operate in sub-zero cold store temperatures?+
The MD Series is specified for cold-chain environments primarily because of its oil-free design, not because it carries an explicit sub-zero temperature rating in the standard configuration. Because there is no hydraulic system, it avoids the viscosity problems that disable conventional hydraulic lifts in cold environments. For operation in continuous sub-zero zones (−20°C and below), the battery system and electrical components should be discussed with the Chenlift team at order stage to confirm the appropriate specification. Cold-rated battery configuration is available on request.
When should we specify MX Series instead of MD Series for a cold store?+
The MD Series (max 7.7 m working height, 200 kg) is the primary recommendation for contamination-sensitive cold stores where no hydraulic fluid is acceptable. The MX Series (5.8–17.8 m, up to 320 kg) is the specification for cold stores taller than 7.7 m — high-bay frozen distribution centres, large cold stores with rack heights above 7.7 m, and freezer tunnel maintenance. The MX Series uses a conventional hydraulic lift system; for sub-zero cold stores, cold-rated hydraulic fluid should be specified at order stage. For environments where even managed hydraulic fluid is not acceptable at any height, contact Chenlift to discuss the ME Series aluminium mast lift options up to 22 m.
What is the DCQ dock leveler travel range, and can it be customised?+
The DCQ Series is available in two standard travel ranges: ±250 mm (DCQ-0.5 models) and ±300 mm (DCQ-0.6 models), covering most standard truck bed height variations. Platform sizes are 2,000×2,000 mm or 2,500×2,000 mm in the standard range; custom platform dimensions are available for non-standard dock configurations. For cold-chain loading bays where temperature control during loading is a priority, insulated dock seal and shelter systems can be specified alongside the leveler to minimise door-open time and temperature excursion per delivery cycle.
What compliance documentation is available for HACCP or GDP-controlled environments?+
Every Chenlift machine ships with a CE Declaration of Conformity under EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, CE mark on the identification plate, and English-language operator and maintenance manual. Technical files are available on request for HACCP equipment registers and GDP equipment qualification activities. For pharmaceutical cold-chain operators running IQ/OQ qualification processes, Chenlift can provide equipment specification documentation, material declarations, and cleaning protocol guidance to support validation. Third-party inspection by SGS or Bureau Veritas can be arranged at order stage.
Is a stainless-steel platform deck available for the MD Series?+
Yes, as an OEM option. A stainless-steel platform deck compatible with washdown protocols is available for the MD Series on request — appropriate for high-care food processing zones, pharmaceutical manufacturing areas, and other environments where the platform surface is regularly cleaned with water or chemical disinfectant. Specify this requirement at order stage along with any other OEM configurations required for your facility’s compliance programme.
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