When faced with the challenge of sourcing a specialty cooling contractor to design and develop its new cold storage food warehouse, Virginia-based Cavalier Produce crossed several state lines and selected Tippmann Innovation (TI) of Fort Wayne IN.
Just six months after TI broke ground, Cavalier Produce conducted a ribbon-cutting in July 2016, at its new, state-of-the-art freezer/cooler facility, located in the Ferncliff Business Park, near Charlottesville VA in Louisa County.
Cavalier Produce had outgrown its existing leased facilities, and in 2013 began a two-year search for a building site that would allow for growth as business demands increased. The project demanded a sensitivity not only to the construction process, but also the firm’s business model. The design of the building itself would steer business operations for years to come. The building was an integral part of the business plan, and not something that could be addressed through a traditional general contractor’s construction approach.
“Tippmann Innovation travels and builds the finest cold storage facilities in the country,” said Denise Yetzer, president of Cavalier Produce. “Not until we were in the thick of it did we actually appreciate the expertise that it takes to build this type of facility. It’s beyond the scope of most general contractors.”
TI designed a building specifically for Cavalier’s needs: 40-foot clear with ample pallet storage. The building’s internal configuration is optimized for the existing business and planned growth.
“This project demonstrates the premium that is placed on experience and guidance within the cold storage industry. We appreciate every opportunity to help our customers grow their businesses by leveraging our expertise,” said Rob Adams, principal of TI.
TI provides a full suite of cold storage construction services, including quick freeze, blast freezing, master site planning, and operations and maintenance guidance. Its innovations include the Patented QuickFreeze in-rack freezing system that takes blast freezing to the next level, QuickTemper in-rack tempering system, and T2 spacer system. The company has offices in Indiana, Illinois, and Florida and operates internationally.
See www.ticold.com/ for further information.
