180 Tons/Day Vegetable Transport Block Ice Plant in Bijie, Guizhou – On-Site Cold Chain Preservation Project for A Major Agricultural Logistics Enterprise

Bijie, located in the mountainous northwestern region of Guizhou Province, is a major vegetable and fruit production base in Southwest China. However, the region' s complex terrain and long transport distances—often requiring hours or even days of road travel—have historically led to high spoilage rates during produce transit. This directly impacts farmers'  income and the competitiveness of agricultural products in broader markets.

To address the cold chain bottleneck for "Qianhuo Chushan" (Guizhou products going national), a major agricultural logistics enterprise invested in a large-scale on-site ice production plant in Bijie in 2015, securing the ice supply needed for long-distance vegetable transportation at the source.

• Long Transport Distances: Mountain roads and extended transit times demand ice with prolonged cooling duration.

• High Capacity Requirement: As a regional agricultural distribution hub, daily vegetable throughput requires consistent and substantial ice supply.

• Operational Reliability: The ice-making system must operate 24/7 under hot, humid summer conditions to meet peak season demand.

• Hygiene and Safety: Ice used directly for vegetable preservation must meet stringent food safety standards.

ICESTA customized an on-site ice production solution centered on block ice machines for this customer, with a total daily output of 180 tons:

Key Advantages

1. Extended Melting Time for Long-Haul Transport — Block ice is solid and dense, with significantly slower melting characteristics compared to flake ice, crushed ice, or small-particle ice. Under Bijie' s mountainous transport conditions, block ice provides prolonged cooling duration, ensuring vegetable freshness throughout the entire logistics chain. Additionally, block ice can be easily crushed into desired sizes to suit different packaging and transport scenarios.

2. Parallel Configuration for Flexible Capacity & Redundancy — Six 30-ton units operating in parallel deliver a combined daily output of 180 tons. Units can be activated or deactivated based on seasonal demand, allowing flexible capacity adjustment. The redundant design ensures that single-unit maintenance does not interrupt overall ice supply.

3. Food-Grade Materials for Safety Compliance — All surfaces in contact with water or ice are constructed from food-grade 304 stainless steel, complying with HACCP food safety standards and ensuring that the ice is safe for direct produce preservation.

4. Fully Automatic Operation — PLC intelligent control with touchscreen interface automates the entire ice-making and harvesting process, significantly reducing manual labor requirements.