What are some "must-have" features in a new cold storage distribution center? What are owners' primary concerns?

Those are just a few topics to addressed by Ted Speas, senior vice president of facilities and automatonC&S Wholesale Grocers, Keene, N.H. Speas will be a featured speaker at theInternational Association for Cold Storage Construction's(IACSC) annual conference and expo, Nov. 4-7, at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas.

Now in its 30th year, IACSC Conference & Expo has served as the only industry event dedicated to cold storage construction, maintenance, and design, officials say. It provides a forum for industry leaders to discuss and learn about new trends, regulations and technologies. Last year’s conference attracted almost 200 contractors, engineers, suppliers, cold storage operators and food processors. Plus, the event featured a sold-out expo in 2009.

C&S operates more than 40 food and general merchandise distribution centers and 110 retail grocery stores nationwide with annual sales exceeding $19 billion. Officials say C&S has emerged as a leader in the development and application of automation technologies to select and distribute grocery products.
 
IACSC says Speas will take attendees through all the steps in the planning, design, and construction of a refrigerated food distribution center from the perspective of the owner -- from process definition to start-up. Decisions regarding network strategy, labor, and return on investment will be discussed in a way that provides insight into how owners justify projects and what triggers them to move forward with large scale capital expenditures.

The session also will provide additional case studies illustrating how other owners have approached recent projects. It also will examine how emerging technologies are used in real-world situations.

For more information about the IACSC event and other agenda topics, visit www.iacsc.org.