ColdPoint Logistics, a temperature-controlled logistics provider based in Edgerton, Kan., broke ground on a 163,318-square-foot cold storage distribution facility at Logistics Park Kansas City (LPKC) in Edgerton, Kan. ColdPoint will be the first tenant in the newly available North Park at LPKC, which is 300 acres dedicated to rail-served sites within the 1,700-acre inland port.

Served by BNSF Railway, Fort Worth, Texas, North Park at LPKC features shovel ready sites with capacity for 3.4 million square feet of rail-served space available for immediate development. North Park is adjacent to the only full-service intermodal facility in the western two-thirds of the United States, giving tenants the unique ability to combine BNSF’s direct-rail/carload with domestic and international intermodal service. Additionally, the four miles of roads surrounding LPKC are designated as a heavy-haul corridor to support truck traffic for non-standard, heavy loads.

“By locating at LPKC, which is in the heart of America’s agricultural corridor, ColdPoint can leverage BNSF’s intermodal and direct-rail service to revolutionize the global food logistics industry,” says Diogo Lobo, chief executive officer of ColdPoint Logistics. “Because we are close to where animal protein and other Midwestern food products are produced, we have discovered an innovative and efficient way to export to foreign markets.”

Containers used to import products to Kansas City will be loaded with fresh and frozen foods at ColdPoint’s LPKC facility, shipped via BNSF’s rail network to the west coast and loaded directly onto ocean carriers.

“Our approach will change the traditional refrigerated logistics business model,” adds Dane Bear, vice president of operations for ColdPoint. “This efficient, central source solution offers tremendous cost savings for ColdPoint customers. It is simple and sustainable, since we are nearly eliminating truck traffic and bypassing port congestion. We believe our LPKC location and innovative business model can replace the need for cold storage facilities at west coast ports.”

Anticipated to be operational by August 2017, ColdPoint’s new modern and efficient facility will include convertible zones, blast freezing and a -10°F freezer for slow freezing. With more than 6.6 million cubic feet, the building will boast storage capacity of 15,300 pallet positions, with expansion opportunities available to meet customer demand.

ColdPoint currently operates a temporary high-velocity, refrigerated cross-dock facility at LPKC. With 15 loading bays, the USDA-inspected facility has capacity for hundreds of transactions per week and handles export, domestic and import loads.

ColdPoint is an affiliate of NorthPoint Development, Riverside, Mo.