COLD SUPPLY CHAIN BRIEFS

Independent wholesale produce distributorTesta Produce Inc. said its new 91,000-square-foot, $21 million distribution center in Chicago is on track to become the first foodservice distribution facility to earn a LEED® Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Officials said the new site incorporates multiple advanced sustainable features, including:

    * Freestanding 238-foot, 750kW wind turbine –the first in Chicago
    * 100 percent solar-heated hot water
    * 45,000-square-foot barreled vegetated roof
    * Sophisticated rainwater reclamation system, including bio swales to capture run-off, a 5,000-gallon internal cistern, and a 765,000-gallon detention pond
    * 180 solar panels located on the roof, dock and pole-mounted solar trees in the parking lot
    * LED lighting in offices, freezer, outdoor fixtures and dock areas
    * Extensive recycling program and use of recycled and reused building materials

Testa Produce handles a broad line of domestic, local, organic, sustainable, and imported fresh produce. In addition, the company distributes frozen, canned, and specialty foods to fine restaurants, hotels, and institutions throughout Illinois and much of Wisconsin.


Temperature-controlled warehousing leaderPreferred Freezer Services (PFS), Chatham, N.J., said it has aggressive growth plans for near- and long-term cold storage warehousing operations in China. In a press release, President & CEO John Galiher cited McKinsey Global Institute data that suggest nine of the 10 top urban areas to experience GDP growth from 2007 to 2025 are in China. Galiher said PFS is committing to as many as 14 cold storage warehouses in China, particularly in the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shenzhen and Shanghai. He noted that PFS is close to completing two fully automated facilities in Shanghai with a combined capacity of more than 44,700 square meters.


United States Cold Storage(USCS) said it promoted Stephen “Steve” Cunningham to Area Manager - Pennsylvania, effective April 1, 2011. Cunningham  joined USCS in 2005, as operations manager for the company's Bethlehem, Pa., facility, which was the newest facility in the company at the time.  During his tenure, Cunningham oversaw three consecutive years of expansion, growing the Bethlehem facility from 4.3 to 13.3 million cubic feet, officials said. USCS Hazleton was constructed in 2008 and then expanded in 2010 to meet growing customer requirements for refrigerated logistics services. USCS said Cunningham will represent the continued development of the Bethlehem and Hazleton facilities.

USCS says it is North America's third largest public refrigerated warehousing provider with 194 million cubic feet of temperature-controlled warehouse and distribution space in 34 facilities located in 12 states.