The International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) signed a memorandum of understanding to join a larger industry group, the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) and become one of five “core partners” in a move that officials said, puts the “cold” in “Cold Chain Alliance.”

IIAR, Arlington, Va., has been a leading technical resource and advocate for natural refrigerants in industrial applications. Other core GCCA members are the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses, World Food Logistics Organization (education, scientific research), International Refrigerated Transportation Association and the International Association for Cold Storage Construction.

“The whole theory of the Global Cold Chain Alliance is to bring partners together – not merge them – to create better links between them,” noted GCCA President and CEO Bill Hudson. “Members of the alliance maintain their own leadership, their own resources and services and their own membership.”

Meanwhile, officials say GCCA core partners have pooled their collective expertise in an effort to create modern, integrated cold chain operations around the world through research, education and technical support initiatives. The partners share information about new technology, best practices and benchmarking, government affairs and regulatory issues, industry trends, economic development and investment opportunities.

“The partnership with GCCA is a way for the end users and cold storage warehouse community to get closer to the technical expertise of the IIAR,” said IIAR President Bruce Badger. “Conversely, it enables IIAR members to get closer to more end-users.” 

NEWS & NOTES

Temperature-controlled logistics services provider Richmond Cold Storage (RCS), Richmond, Va., said it will pursue additional warehousing and logistics opportunities - as well as potential acquisitions - following its recent purchase by Atlanta Equity Fund LP, an Atlanta equity investor group. Terms were not disclosed.

RCS operates a network of owned, leased and managed temperature-controlled warehouses totaling approximately 49 million cubic feet of refrigerated space in sites from Virginia to Alabama. RCS officials, including President Mike McClendon, continue to run the business.

The World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) in partnership with the Postharvest Technology Research & Information Center at the University of California, Davis, announced today that they have received a $1.2 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to identify strategies to increase the incomes of small-farm growers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia by reducing crop losses and keeping fruit and vegetables marketable longer.

WFLO is a non-profit organization dedicated to the proper handling and storage of perishable products and the development of systems and best practices for the safe, efficient and reliable movement of food to people worldwide. Linking postharvest and marketing professionals from WFLO and the UC-Davis with African and Indian institutions, the project will assess the levels and core causes of postharvest fruit and vegetable losses in these regions - where 40 to 50 percent of horticultural crops produced are lost before they can be consumed. 

Public refrigerated warehouse operator Everest Cold Storage, Toronto, opened its second temperature-controlled facility, a 4.5 million cubic foot site, in Dorval, Quebec, near the Montreal airport. The operation has 15,000 pallet positions, 14 dock doors, a refrigerated loading dock and cross-dock area and temperatures maintained down to -20°C. Everest is a business of Spire Group Ltd.

Henningsen Cold Storage Co., Hillsboro, Ore., said its Forest Grove, Ore., public refrigerated warehouse was recognized by Oregon's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safe workplace activities. OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) honored Henningsen for Forest Grove’s work to correct hazards, develop and implement effective safety and health programs and continuously improve.

Consumer, foodservice and industrial ingredients supplier ACH Food Companies Inc., Memphis, named Trademark Transportation Inc., St. Paul, Minn., as ACH Food’s “2008 Supply Chain Partner of the Year.” A national refrigerated and frozen food transportation specialist, Trademark beat out more than 100 other carriers for the award. The firm has terminals in Chicago and Minneapolis.

PECO Pallet Inc., Yonkers, N.Y., said supermarket giant Kroger Co., Cincinnati, approved Peco as just one of three approved pallet suppliers.

EXECS ON THE MOVE: New Orleans Cold Storage said it hired Jim Henderson as general sales manager. . . POWER Engineers Inc., Hailey, Idaho, hired Nathan Flood as a senior refrigeration specialist (Atlanta) with the design-build firm’s Facilities team.