Cold chain industry veterans launch Agile Cold Storage

Cold chain veteran Don Schoenl, in partnership with Continental Grain Company (CGC) and AIMPERA Capital Partners, and North American food manufacturers, processors and growers, is leading the development of Agile Cold Storage, a new nationwide network of automated and conventional temperature-controlled warehouses.

Company founders say Agile was formed to increase efficiency and deliver industry-leading customer service to address unmet needs of the cold chain industry.

“We formed Agile because there is such a need for more flexible, dependable, consistent, high-quality service partners in the cold storage industry, said Schoenl, Agile’s CEO. “By combining a family business approach of ‘how can we help’ with the most modern systems and warehouse automation, we can provide our partners with consistently great service at the best prices.”

Agile’s state-of-the-art automation will enable customers to stay ahead of the evolving challenges of the cold chain, the company said, including risks to food safety; increasing costs of labor, energy and transportation; smaller and more frequent orders; and the increasing importance of e-commerce and sustainability.

With automation, Agile intends to eliminate repetitive processes in the harshest operating environments, where traditional operators face the greatest safety risks, employee turnover and product loss, resulting in more safe, reliable and flexible operations, and enabling Agile to provide consistent service and sustainable cost savings.

“We bring our customers proven technology and flexible solutions to assist them in solving their supply chain challenges,” said Burnie Taylor, Agile’s chief operating officer for automated facilities. “Our team members have designed, built and run automated cold storage facilities, including the largest automated facility in North America.

“We’re delighted to come together to do it on a nationwide scale.”

Schoenl, who leads Agile’s team, is a 25-year industry veteran and former chairman of the World Food Logistics Organization. His team boasts almost 200 years of combined experience in the refrigerated warehouse industry and includes experts from leading temperature-controlled warehousing companies, Agile maintained.

In previous positions, they oversaw the development of more than 500,000 new temperature-controlled pallet positions, including 200,000 fully automated pallet positions.

“Today’s cold storage infrastructure fails to meet customers’ needs, as we experience in our operating businesses every day,” said Gendason, CGC’s chief investment officer. “Don and AIMPERA are strong partners who share our values and a strategic vision to advance the temperature-controlled warehousing industry.

“We look forward to bringing our capabilities, food industry experience and network to deliver novel supply chain solutions to Agile’s customers.”