Velvet Ice Cream, Utica, Ohio, opened the largest expansion in the company's 102-year history.

Last August, Velvet broke ground on a new $3 million, 23,000-square-foot expansion, which adds a state-of-the-art warehouse freezer distribution facility to Velvet’s central Ohio plant at Ye Olde Mill in Utica, more than doubling the company's freezing and picking capacity.

“Our expansion allows us to improve sustainability, sharpen efficiencies and produce more delicious Velvet Ice Cream in order to meet increased demand," says Luconda Dager, president. “But, it also positions us well for future growth and expansion."

Details about the newly expanded facility include:

• The new freezer distribution addition keeps Velvet Ice Cream at -20°F.
• It holds 3,200,000 cartons of Velvet Ice Cream, which would fill 80 tractor trailers with Velvet product. That’s equal to 1,920 pallets.
• The Velvet Freezer team walks a quarter of a mile for every order they pick.

Currently employing a staff of 125, Velvet's new distribution facility initially will require the addition of eight new employees in its picking and shipping operations. The project also uses the latest green technology, minimizing the company's environmental footprint via environmentally friendly design, motion-controlled energy efficient lighting, state-of-the-art insulating panels and high-speed automated doors.

The expansion was completed by Freije-RSC Engineered Solutions Co., Fishers, Ind.