The facilities that produce, package, store, and distribute cold foods were truly essential in helping the supply chain satisfy record demand for those products during 2020, while the paradigm shift created by pandemic shopping habits—particularly e-commerce—is still being felt today. As a result, many design-build firms are busier than ever, as the need for cold storage space, plant expansions, facility renovations, fulfillment centers and distribution hubs has only increased.

Stellar, a fully integrated firm focused on design, engineering, construction, refrigeration and mechanical services worldwide, is proud to welcome Garland Smith as a business developer in the company's Food Logistics division.

A M King has begun construction on a distribution center for Mexico-based GAB Operations in Laredo, Texas. The new 45,590-square-foot facility, when complete, will provide increased cold storage capacity for fresh produce and will serve as a hub for the company’s U.S. and Canadian customers. The project is scheduled to be completed in October.

Ti Cold Development is building a 254,330-square-foot cold storage facility in Reno, Nevada, with 40,000 pallet positions, and a 41,000-square-foot refrigerated dock. Situated within the heart of the infrastructure-invested Tahoe Reno Industrial Center and home to a diverse mix of industries and businesses including world-class brand names in Google and Tesla. This new Reno location offers convenient access to the I-80 corridor and Union Pacific Intercontinental rail line, which is the central logistics corridor to and from the east coast.  

Clayco, a full-service, turnkey real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm, announced it has been awarded the design-build contract for Dollar General’s new distribution center in Blair, Nebraska. This marks the sixth distribution center that Clayco will build for Dollar General. 

Dan Powers, President and CEO of Fisher Construction Group recently announced that agreements have been completed to acquire the personnel and assets of All Surface Roofing & Waterproofing of Spokane. The new division will be called Fisher Roofing Services. All Surface’s parent company of Santa Ana, CA is not part of the acquisition, and will continue operating as a separate company.

As we wrote in our January magazine story about cold storage and ports, ALDI is building a distribution center near the Port of Mobile, in Loxley, Alabama. That facility has officially broken ground, and will be overseen by design-build firm A M King. 

The Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA), a Core Partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), announced Primus Builders as the recipient of the 2020 CEBA Built by the Best Award for their project with Americold Logistics in Savannah, Georgia. The award recipient was unveiled during the Closing General Session of the GCCA Virtual Innovation Program by CEBA Chairman, Vince Free.