Targeted to open in July 2010, VersaCold’s new refrigerated storage and distribution center is in a Puget Sound location less than one mile from ocean carrier terminals.
The new warehouse at the Port of Tacoma WA is less than two blocks from the Interstate 5 Corridor next to Highway 509 (within the port overweight corridor), offering access to both the Union Pacific switching yard and the Tacoma Beltline municipal railroad.
With 196,000 square feet of space plus 85,000 square feet for expansion, the plant provides cooler, freezer, and ice cream storage, as well as refrigerated dock and office space. Import/export services are offered, as are various government inspection services. Other facility highlights include:
•Technology such as Power II warehouse management system, RFID, and voice-pick to ensure order accuracy.
•Energy-efficient refrigeration in the plant.
•“Excellent strategic fit within VersaCold’s existing North American cold storage network,” said Rich Kappmeier, senior vice-president of VersaCold’s Western Region, “serving key lanes between Canada, California, and across the United States.”
•Service for seafood, agriculture, and food manufacturing companies that rely heavily on cold storage infrastructure and services.
The firm is “working on many energy incentive measures,” said Dave Fisher, director of engineering. “These include upgrades in the refrigeration system, refrigeration computer control system, VFDs on the motors, lighting, roof and wall insulation thicknesses, roofing type and color, freezer door types, truck dock door types, and selections of dock boards, to name a few. We are also using recycled building materials during construction and have a recycling program for construction debris.”
Tony Caetano, general manager, reports an estimated 100 jobs will be created by opening the Tacoma facility, and looks forward to using his 17 years of experience in his new role.
With 123 facilities, VersaCold provides temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics services in the United States and worldwide. Its operations provide refrigerated storage capacity of about 586 million cubic feet to food producers, processors, and wholesale and retail distributors. VersaCold also offers integrated refrigerated distribution services.
To find out more, visit www.versacold.com.
