NewCold recently opened what it calls one of the largest and most advanced cold storage facilities in the world in Lebanon, Indiana.
The highly automated warehouse features proprietary technology protected by four patents.
“We believe this facility sets a new benchmark for our industry,” Bram Hage, NewCold founder and CEO, said in a news release. “NewCold is at the forefront of innovation in the market. We are building a more resilient, reliable, and sustainable food supply chain to better serve our customers.
“This allows us to support their growth and strategic objectives—to better serve their customers.”
Capable of running 24/7, NewCold aims to make its warehouses increasingly grid-independent, using their own power generated from a variety of sources, including renewables. NewCold’s warehouses are about 50% more energy efficient than traditional warehouses, the company said.
Phase 1 of Lebanon has been operational for almost a year with a capacity of 100,700 industrial pallet positions. Construction of Phase 2 is underway and will see its capacity double to over 200,000 industrial pallet positions. This represents a doubling of the initial investment, bringing the capital investment in the facility to over $300 million.
The Lebanon facility serves some of the largest food producers in the world, with room for further expansion.
“The day after we decided to develop this facility the United States was shut down due to COVID,” noted Jonas Swarttouw, EVP and chairman of NewCold in North America. “That we are here today is a testament to the significant contribution and collaboration of many partners and stakeholders in the Indiana state government, Boone County, and the City of Lebanon.”
Overcoming COVID-related challenges took concerted effort from all stakeholders. However, the pandemic brought an increased focus on supply chain resilience and reinforced the reasons to locate a highly automated cold storage facility in Indiana.
“None of our warehouses shut down during COVID,” Swarttouw said. “That period underlined the importance of building resilience into the supply chain of leading food companies in the US. And that’s aside from the positive economic impact, including over 250 high-quality employment opportunities, the Lebanon facility has created.”
The Phase 2 expansion is expected to be operational in summer 2024, NewCold reported.
“We are invested in working with companies like NewCold who prove to be innovators in the food logistics industry,” said Molly Whitehead, Boone EDC executive director. “The Boone EDC works diligently to create a desirable county for businesses like NewCold to build and expand. We look forward to their continued positive impact on our community and to Boone County.”
