In a world where sustainability, food waste reduction, and cost efficiency are becoming increasingly important, the refrigerated transport sector faces major challenges. Margins are thin, quality requirements are strict, and pressure on the supply chain is higher than ever.
One persistent problem continues to resurface: temperature claims in chilled fruit transport. At OTFLOW, we know exactly where things go wrong, and more importantly, how to fix them.
The challenge: temperature fluctuations in reefer containers.
Every day, hundreds of refrigerated containers (reefers) filled with fresh fruit leave South America for Europe. During the three-week sea voyage from Chile to Rotterdam, ships cross the equator and face outside temperatures often exceeding 35°C.
Even a 1°C temperature variation during transit can cause quality loss, leading to rejected shipments and costly claims.
Why does this happen? Modern reefers were originally designed for stacked boxes, but today fruit is transported mainly on pallets. These pallets block airflow, preventing cold air from circulating evenly. As a result, fruit on the far side of the container warms up too quickly, especially in below-deck positions, where heat from engines and poor ventilation make the problem worse.
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The solution: OTFLOW airflow mats.
To address this challenge, we developed OTFLOW, an innovative airflow mat placed on the floor of the container. In collaboration with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, we created a simple yet highly effective solution that:
✅ Ensures even cold air distribution throughout the container
✅ Improves cooling underneath pallets
✅ Reduces temperature differences by up to 30% (independently validated by Wageningen University & Research)
The result: better fruit quality, less food waste, and fewer financial claims. Worldwide, rejected shipments represent millions of euros in losses. With OTFLOW, we’re cutting those losses significantly.
What makes OTFLOW unique is not only its performance, but also its sustainability:
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Produced in the Netherlands from 100% residual waste from the packaging industry
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Fully recyclable
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Already deployed in thousands of containers worldwide, from New Zealand to Spain, from South Africa to Peru
We frequently demonstrate OTFLOW in live settings — from scale models at Fruit Attraction Madrid to full-scale container tests in Chile and India. For exporters, the motto holds true: seeing is believing.
While OTFLOW was originally developed for soft fruits like blueberries, its applications are expanding rapidly. Today, it’s being tested and used for:
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Flower bulbs
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Vegetables
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Pharmaceutical products
In short: any temperature-sensitive product shipped on pallets can benefit from optimized airflow.
Optimizing airflow may sound like a small detail, but its impact is huge:
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Less food waste
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Lower COâ‚‚ emissions
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Reduced logistical costs
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Higher customer satisfaction
At OTFLOW, we believe innovation doesn’t have to be complex. It just has to be smart, effective, and sustainable. Together with partners, customers, and researchers, we continue to improve the cold chain, making it fit for the future.
Contact Us.
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HDG the quality company
Marconistraat 33
3029 AG Rotterdam
The Netherlands
Call us
+31 10 244 1414