DISRUPTION IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN - Bottlenecks at ports create ripple effects across the country and around the world.
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JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022
DISRUPTION IN COV ER
STORY
THE SUPPLY CHAIN 12
Bottlenecks at ports create ripple effects
across the country and around the world.
08
Vaccinating the
Unvaccinated
28
Try Sitting in the
Driver’s Seat
30
GCCA Announces
25th European Cold
Chain Conference
PLUS
uction
Constr
Fisher ed wit
h
Honor
G ro u p y t h e
uilt b
CEBA B
ward
Be A
s t
8
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CONTENTS
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022
DEPARTMENTS FEATURES
08
38 Cold Chain Development Vaccinating the Unvaccinated
41 Cool Solutions President issues controversial emergency temporary
42 Industry Calendar standard to curb COVID-19.
By Lowell Randel and Jordan Bonfitto
45 Member News
47 Ad Index
47 New Members
12
Disruption in the Supply Chain
48 Association News
Bottlenecks at ports create ripple effects across COV ER
the country and around the world. STORY
COLUMNS By Alexandra Walsh
06 Leadoff
50 Cool People
18
Fisher Construction Group Recipient of
CEBA Built By the Best Award
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022
Shared campus provides best-in-cold solutions for
customer Dole Fruit.
DISRUPTION IN R
COVE Y
STOR
THE SUPPLY CHAIN
Bottlenecks at ports create ripple
12
effects
By Keith Loria
world.
across the country and around the
08
Vaccinating the
Unvaccinated
28
28
Try Sitting in the
Driver’s Seat
Try Sitting in the Driver’s Seat
30
A point of view on warehouse-truck driver relations.
GCCA Announces
25th European Cold
Chain Conference
PLUS ction
stru
Con
Fisher d with
Honore the
Group by
Built
CEBA rd
Best Awa
18
Page
30
GCCA Announces 25th
European Cold Chain Conference
About the Cover Over 120 decision makers in the temperature-
The increased volume of imports into the
controlled logistics sector are expected to attend to
United States is creating challenges all
through the supply chain including too learn, network and view exhibits.
many shipping containers around the world By Julie Hanson
– not where they are supposed to be. See
the article on page 12.
18 28 30
4 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022
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LEADOFF
MESSAGES FROM GCCA LEADERS
COLDFACTS
COLD FACTS magazine is published every other
Another Year of month by the Global Cold Chain Alliance
(GCCA), an organization that unites partners to be
Resilient Growth
innovative leaders in the temperature-controlled
products industry. The GCCA Core Partners are:
The International Association of Refrigerated
Warehouses (IARW), which promotes excellence
A
S WE START THE NEW YEAR, In 2022, increased automation in refriger- in the global temperature-controlled warehouse
and logistics industry.
THE VISIBILITY AND NEED FOR ated warehouses will continue, especially as
THE COLD CHAIN INDUSTRY capacity continues to increase and technolog- The World Food Logistics Organization
CONTINUES TO INCREASE ical advances are utilized more prominently (WFLO), which delivers education and research
significantly, as it has throughout the pandemic. in new facilities. Additionally, recruitment to the industry and empowers economic devel-
opment by strengthening the global cold chain.
Consequently, it is no surprise the cold chain and talent are critical for the industry to
industry is continuing to grow domestically and keep the cold chain stable, safe and efficient, The International Refrigerated Transportation
globally. Based on GCCA member capacity, we especially with the pandemic-related labor Association (IRTA), which cultivates, fosters and
have seen an increase of nearly 20% from 2020 shortages. That is why we have training and develops commercial and trade relations between
all those engaged in the transportation and logis-
to 2021. Our comprehensive global capacity leadership programs such as the WFLO tics of temperature-controlled commodities.
study will be revised in 2022. Institute. It is also why we are continuing to
Not only has the industry’s profile risen, develop programs to help our members with The Controlled Environment Building
Association (CEBA) represents the design
but the supply chain has also demonstrated recruitment, retention, training, job task
and construction industry specializing in
great strength and resiliency in responding analysis and industry promotion. temperature-controlled facilities that prioritize
to disruptions over the last 18 months. As As we learned throughout the pandemic, it product safety best practices. We are the source
evident in this issue’s cover article on supply is hard to predict what challenges may be for best practices of building and maintaining
the thermal envelope.
chain disruptions, member companies have coming around the corner. What I can assure
adapted to these changing conditions. The is that GCCA will continue to elevate cold
agility to anticipate and respond to any chal- chain visibility and policy as a major priority CONTACT US:
lenge is going to be essential for future success. for the industry. And in the year ahead, we
I expect we will continue to see some of the will ensure that GCCA programs, services and COLD FACTS Magazine
Global Cold Chain Alliance
disruptions impacting ports and containers advocacy efforts help to raise up the industry
Attn: Megan Costello
well into this year. and serve the needs of all our member 241 18th Street South
While there will most certainly be continued companies worldwide and provide a tangible Suite 620
supply chain challenges in 2022, the increased return at the end of the day. Arlington, Virginia 22202
United States
public awareness of the supply chain gives us
a lot of optimism. There is more recognition MATTHEW OTT, CAE, CMP tel +1 703 373 4300 fax +1 703 373 4301
on the importance of the supply chain and, as PRESIDENT AND CEO mcostello@gcca.org | www.gcca.org
a result, policy makers are playing closer atten- GCCA
tion to supply chain issues than ever before.
The pandemic may have already put a spotlight COLD FACTS welcomes editorial ideas;
contact Editor-In-Chief Alexandra Walsh at
on the supply chain, but we need to continue +1 301 523 3318 or awalsh@associationvision.com.
that focus to ensure that future policies move Contact Jeff Rhodes at +1 410 584 1994 or
us in the right direction for the future. jeff.rhodes@mci-group.com for advertising
opportunities in GCCA publications.
GCCA has met with high level govern-
ment officials in both the Administration Design by SWALLIS Design, San Francisco,
and Congress to highlight the challenges and California, USA.
opportunities facing the food supply chain. We
While the material in this publication has been
will continue to elevate supply chain policy as compiled with care, the Global Cold Chain
a major priority, and work with policy makers Alliance (GCCA) has not validated all of the
to strengthen the food supply chain so it can information contained herein and does not
assume any responsibility for its use, accuracy,
continue to withstand these disruptions and
or applicability. As used above, GCCA shall
challenges as they come along in the future. mean the organization, GCCA Core Partners,
and each organization’s directors, officers,
employees, volunteers, members, and agents.
gcca.org
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VACCINATING
THE UNVACCINATED
President issues controversial emergency
temporary standard to curb COVID-19.
By Lowell Randel and Jordan Bonfitto
I
n September 2021, President Biden announced a six-pronged, comprehensive national
strategy to put the nation on a path out of the pandemic. The strategy focuses on
Vaccinating the Unvaccinated, Further Protecting the Vaccinated, Keeping Schools Safely
Open, Increasing Testing and Requiring Masking, Protecting Our Economic Recovery,
and Improving Care for Those With COVID-19. Perhaps the most controversial piece of this
plan continues to be “Vaccinating the Unvaccinated.” Under President Biden’s directive, all
employers with more than 100 workers will be forced to require coronavirus vaccinations or
test employees weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans.
To achieve this mandate, Biden instructed Who Is Covered What the Rule Requires
his Occupational Safety and Health Admin- The ETS generally applies to employers in all The core requirements of the ETS are:
istration (OSHA) to issue an emergency workplaces that are under OSHA’s authority 1. PTO for vaccination – Up to four hours of
temporary standard (ETS) to minimize and jurisdiction, including industries as diverse paid time off, including travel time, at the
the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the as manufacturing, retail, delivery services, employee’s regular rate of pay per dose for
workplace. The ETS, which was released warehouses, meatpacking, agriculture, con- employees to get vaccinated (only for vac-
on November 4,, 2021, and published in struction, logging, maritime and healthcare. cinations that occur after the effective date of
the Federal Register on November 5, 2021, Within these industries, all employers that have the ETS).
establishes binding requirements to protect a total of at least 100 employees firm- or corpo- 2. PTO to recover from vaccination –
unvaccinated employees of large employers rate-wide, at any time the ETS is in effect, are A reasonable amount of time off and paid
(100 or more employees) from the risk of covered. This includes temporary and seasonal sick leave to recover from side effects experi-
contracting COVID-19 in the workplace. workers hired by the company. Workers techni- enced following any vaccination dose (other
OSHA has claimed that the ETS is necessary to cally employed by a staffing agency are counted than booster shots) for recovering from
protect unvaccinated workers from the risk of towards the employee count for the staffing adverse effects of the vaccines.
contracting COVID-19 at work. agency and not theirs.
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3. Vaccination or testing to report to work the employee’s mouth for reasons related President Biden and the Department of
– A soft-vaccine mandate, under which to their job duties, when the work requires Labor were quick to express their disap-
an employee may only report to the the use of the employee’s uncovered pointment in the Supreme Court’s decision.
workplace after demonstrating: Proof of mouth, or when the use of a face covering They continue to urge businesses to require
being fully vaccinated or for employees presents a risk of serious injury or death to vaccinations for their employees. OSHA has
who decline to get vaccinated or decline the employee). Surprisingly, the ETS does indicated it will be evaluating all options to
to share their vaccination status, proof NOT require employers to pay for any ensure workers are protected from COVID.
of a negative COVID-19 test result from costs associated with face coverings, unless OSHA went on to reiterate the agency will do
within the last seven days. required by other laws, regulations or col- everything in its existing authority to hold
For the testing component of the rule, lective bargaining agreements. businesses accountable for protecting workers,
an employee who reports to a workplace 5. Removal from work of COVID-19 cases including under the COVID-19 National
where other individuals such as coworkers – Requires each employee to promptly Emphasis Program and General Duty Clause.
or customers are present, at least one day notify the employer when they receive a GCCA has been heavily engaged in com-
every seven days, must: positive COVID-19 test or are diagnosed municating our concerns regarding the ETS
• Be tested for COVID-19; and with COVID-19 by a licensed healthcare through coalitions, grassroots campaigns,
• Provide documentation of the most provider and immediately remove such meetings with Congress and administra-
recent COVID-19 test result to the employees from the workplace and keep tive officials throughout the process. GCCA
employer no later than the seventh day them removed until the employee: (i) is very pleased with the Supreme Court’s
following the date on which the employee Receives a negative result on a COVID-19 decision and will continue to work with
last provided a test result. nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) policy makers and like-minded partners as
An employee who does not report to following a positive result on a COVID-19 the process moves forward. GCCA members
such a workplace during a period of seven antigen test if the employee chooses to are strongly encouraged to remain vigilant in
or more days (e.g., teleworking for two seek a NAAT test for confirmatory testing; implementing their COVID health and safety
weeks prior to reporting to a workplace (ii) Meets the return to work criteria in protocols in anticipation of possible increased
with others) must: the CDC’s “Isolation Guidance”; or (iii) OSHA enforcement activity in the wake of the
• Be tested for COVID-19 within seven days Receives a recommendation to return to ETS decision.
prior to returning to the workplace; and work from a licensed healthcare provider.
• Provide documentation of that test
result to the employer upon return to Court Actions and Next Steps LOWELL RANDEL is Senior Vice President,
Government and Legal Affairs at GCCA.
the workplace. Since OSHA published the ETS in the Federal
If an employee does not provide Register, petitioners have filed more than 30 EMAIL: lrandel@gcca.org
documentation of a COVID-19 test result separate lawsuits challenging the legality of JORDAN BONFITTO is Director of Govern-
as required above, the employer must the ETS and moving to temporarily, and then ment Affairs at GCCA.
keep that employee removed from the permanently, enjoin implementation of the EMAIL: jbonfitto@gcca.org
workplace until the employee provides a ETS. The Fifth Circuit issued a preliminary
test result. stay blocking implementation of the ETS.
4. Face coverings for unvaccinated workers The cases were then consolidated and sent to
– In addition to producing a negative the Sixth Circuit for consideration. The Sixth
COVID-19 test, for employees who decline Circuit lifted the stay, which was appealed to
vaccination, the employer must ensure the Supreme Court. After hearing oral argu-
they wear a face covering that fully covers ments, the Supreme Court issued a ruling on
the nose and mouth at all times while January 13, 2022, to reinstate the stay, stating
working indoors and when occupying that OSHA had likely acted outside of its
a vehicle with another person for work, authority in establishing the sweeping vaccine
regardless of the levels of community and testing requirements for all businesses
transmission. Consistent with current with over 100 employees.
OSHA guidance, the face covering require- It is important to note that the Supreme
ment does not apply when an employee is Court action is technically only a tempo-
alone in a room with floor to ceiling walls rary stay of the ETS pending a full review of
and a closed door, for brief periods while the legal challenges to the rule by the Sixth
the employee is eating or drinking or for Circuit. However, the Court’s conservative jus-
identification purposes in compliance tices sent an unmistakable signal that the high
with safety and security requirements, or court’s conservative majority believes OSHA
where the employer can show use of a face exceeded its statutory authority in issuing
covering is infeasible or creates a greater a workplace standard to address an issue of
hazard (e.g., when it is important to see broad public health.
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By Alexandra Walsh
DISRUPTION
IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN
Bottlenecks at ports create ripple effects
across the country and around the world.
F
rom choked ports on the West Coast to packed rail yards in the
Midwest, the U.S. supply chain is straining under record-breaking
demand because of growing e-commerce, worker and truck-
chassis shortages and a shift to material goods as Americans
avoided travel and social outings over the course of the pandemic.
12 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022COVER STORY
The chokepoint on the West Coast of the In an interview with Bloomberg in mid-
United States is one of many bottlenecks in December, Harbor Trucking Association
the complex global supply chain web that Chief Executive Officer Matt Schrap said
is contributing to delays, shortages of many restrictions on empty-container returns at
goods and faster inflation worldwide. major ports is the top issue that needs fixing
to help ease U.S. supply chain bottlenecks.
At the Heart of the Jam He said they are storing thousands of empty
The Biden administration has been under containers and chassis that cannot be used to
pressure to clear logjams in the supply chain move the imports.
and ease inflationary pressures. Actions have According to port regulations, trucking
included brokering agreements to shift to companies have to make an appointment
round-the-clock operations at the ports of Los to pick up a container off the dock. Trucks
Angeles and Long Beach – the biggest gateway need a chassis – which are hooked to the
for imports – and pledges from retailers to vehicles – to collect the import, but unless
expand their own shipping. they bring an empty container to free up the
In late October, the ports of Los Angeles chassis, they are unable to move the import,
and Long Beach, which account for 40% of sea according to Schrap.
freight entering the United States, announced And he added that true round-the-clock
new fees aimed at ocean carriers to abate the port operations are not yet in place.
intensifying logjam of cargo ships. By early
January, the ports had yet to implement the Too Many Containers Not
container dwell fee citing a combined decline Enough Chassis
of 47% in aging cargo on the docks and sig- “The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
nificant improvements in the supply chain. have policies in place that have made a dif-
“The current supply chain crisis has had ficult situation worse,” claims Larry Rauch,
many contributing factors, but it essen- President, Los Angeles Cold Storage. “For
tially comes down to a single cause – the instance, chassis and containers are separated
COVID-19 pandemic,” says Port of Long and kept in different locations and separate
Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. appointments are required to take each back.
“The contributing factors are the surge of If you are not able to get one of those appoint-
cargo, high number of unscheduled vessel ments, then you’re stuck with the container
calls, a supply chain workforce impacted by until you can get it back.”
COVID-19 and workplace accommodations Not being able to return containers cre-
Congestion at U.S. ports, particularly Los throughout the supply chain that can limit ates challenges for all types of warehouses
Angeles and Long Beach on the West Coast, capacity.” Cordero adds that the congestion is as drayage companies have no place to put
and a shortage of truck drivers have left some not unique to the twin ports as many of the containers and leave them at the warehouse
foreign food manufacturers struggling to get current supply chain challenges were already dock or in some cases on city streets. When
their cargo abroad. Ships continue to take occurring prior to the pandemic but are now containers do become free at the ports,
weeks, rather than days, to unload at the ports, magnified due to high cargo volumes. Rauch says often there are no doors to receive
and backed-up shippers are desperate to “In spite of the best efforts of terminal them at the warehouses. “Warehouse facili-
return to Asia to pick up more goods. operators and longshore workers – 50% more ties are so backed up, containers have to be
Space has been particularly hard to find ships are being worked at once than before constantly shifted around to make room for
near U.S. ports as shippers and logistics com- the pandemic – terminals remain beyond full incoming trucks.”
panies seek out warehouses to store containers capacity as evidenced by tall container stacks Another point Rauch makes is that the
and goods. The squeeze on distribution space crowding the tarmacs and the backlog of truck drivers get paid by the container. “Once
is adding to the broader congestion in supply ships at anchor,” says Phillip Sanfield, Spokes- a driver could make three trips on a good day
chains, from the tight container shipping person, Port of Los Angeles. Sanfield adds the from port to warehouse, but now it’s so con-
capacity to backups at inland rail hubs, that situation will likely persist until the import gested the driver gets one turn,” Rauch says.
has locked down inventory restocking efforts surge subsides and the flow of containers out “The drivers’ income is down and it’s disin-
and dragged down economic recovery efforts of the terminals to inland locations and store centivizing at a time when we’re experiencing
during the pandemic. shelves improves. such a serious shortages of truck drivers.”
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 • 13
13Rauch says solving supply chain disruptions
by opening a port 24 hours a day works only “To operate effectively, all links in the supply chain – ports,
in theory. “The hours may be extended but the
problems are all the same – no chassis, backed warehouses, truckers, logistic companies, container and
up containers, driver shortages, driver hours
of service. To operate effectively, all links in chassis storage yards – have to work in tandem. But the
the supply chain – ports, warehouses, truckers,
logistic companies, container and chassis supply chain problems will not be fixed if only one link
storage yards – have to work in tandem. But
the supply chain problems will not be fixed if – the ports – is operating 24/7 when other links in the
only one link – the ports – is operating 24/7
when other links in the supply chain are not supply chain are not able to operate around the clock.”
able to operate around the clock.”
LARRY RAUCH, Los Angeles Cold Storage
The Ripple Effect
The increased volume of imports is creating
challenges all through the supply chain
including the difficulty in getting an ocean CEO, Bellingham Cold Storage in Washington Albers points out their customers are
carrier booking. “The bookings are so hard to State. “We are handling new and unusual fighting the same labor attraction and reten-
get and the warehouses overseas so full that cargos, many of which we have never accom- tion issues as they are. “If our customers
when shippers can get a booking, they must modated before.” cannot attract and retain sufficient labor for
take advantage of the opportunity. As the He adds that to handle the volumes, the production, it will have a ripple effect in the
imports grow, so do the number of containers company has been working two 12-hour inventories that we carry.”
holding those imports and the number of shifts, essentially seven days a week since early
ocean carriers needed to convey those con- August 2021. He says a big problem currently Building in Resiliency
tainers of imports," says Rauch. is the lack of qualified forklift drivers that are “Our dockworkers have kept this country’s
All through the system, at every point, interested in working. “We have the same team supply chain functioning since day one of the
shortages and challenges of all kinds are working more hours, so we are providing pandemic. A well-trained workforce is the key
created, Rauch notes, and says pallets are more pay, more incentives and more hot to managing the unprecedented cargo vol-
one example of the impact of supply chain meals for the crews.” umes we are seeing today,” says Cordero of the
disruptions on the warehouse. “There is a It is not just West Coast temperature-con- Port of Long Beach. “Only a small percentage
shortage of pallets throughout the supply trolled warehouses that are feeling the impact of the nation’s terminals are automated; ports
chain and their price has gone up significantly of the surge of container imports causing must find a way to handle the cargo increases
driven by the increased demand and the rising bottlenecks at the Southern California ports. in the near term.”
cost of wood and labor.” Another example of In the key Midwestern freight hub of Chicago, To address the systemic lack of available
supply chain shortages impacting warehouses Illinois, where many thousands of containers chassis, Sanfield with the Port of Los Angeles
is the cost of petroleum-based shrink wrap as are switched each month, Union Pacific says measures to reduce terminal and street
the price of oil has gone up. Also, a shortage and BNSF Railway have limited container dwell times must continue, including facili-
of liquid CO2 led to a scarcity of dry ice that shipments into their overpacked freight- tating empty returns, dual transactions and
some warehouse operations use in shipping, switching terminals. As a result, some cargo activation of on-dock, near-dock and off-dock
Rauch says. owners and logistics companies have sought sites that support decoupling of loaded and
Like many other companies, Rauch says to divert shipments by truck or rail to other empty containers from chassis. The port will
they are experiencing labor issues from retire- Midwestern transfer points, raising costs and also work with chassis providers to inventory
ments and team members leaving for other adding new complications to already snarled chassis in terminals and take measures to put
jobs. “We had a lot of longevity and might hire distribution networks. out-of-service chassis back into circulation.
two people a year, but we hired more people “We believe every industry and household “Long term, we would like to see chassis
in 2021 than in the past five years. We’re also are seeing inflation in the goods and services included in the list of excluded products from
supplementing pay because our people are they are purchasing, and we are certainly Section 301 tariffs,” says Sanfield. “The port
working particularly hard.” seeing costs and lead times increase in many also supports increasing domestic chassis pro-
The ripple effect of the bottleneck at the of the services and goods we purchase,” says duction by addressing workforce shortages,
California ports is being felt everywhere, Scott Albers, President, Nor-Am Cold Storage, exploring use of the Defense Production Act
including in the Pacific Northwest of the which has temperature-controlled facili- and other supply side measures.”
United States. “We have been providing break- ties in the Midwest. “In response to this, our To bring into effect full utilization of avail-
bulk (palletized) ship loading and unloading company must decide whether to alter pricing, able gate hours making the port 24/7, Sanfield
services at record levels due to the container- adding to the inflation trend, or allow it to eat says enhanced coordination between cargo
ized supply chain back-up issues around the into margin.” owners, marine terminals and carriers is
world,” reports Doug Thomas, President and
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appointments per shift, including accommo- made adjustments in their lifestyles and their continue to come, and unless the ports make
dating empty returns. He says the port recently expectations of their careers,” he says. “The significant changes, the supply chain bottle-
announced a pilot program called Accelerate challenge is for employers to recognize this necks will persist. The unknown factor in this
Cargo LA to accomplish this directly. and respond in ways that are meaningful to scenario is inflation and how the consumer
“The port supports bay-wide information people who are on the fence about returning will respond to rising prices.”
sharing and will advance visibility of key data, to the workforce.” “I’m estimating that we will continue to see
such as empty return location and early return Albers believes it may be a little choppy in this level of supply chain issues for at least 24
date,” Sanfield says. “Mid to long-term, the the short term, but the supply chain is resilient months,” Thomas says. “The upcoming long-
port will move towards enabling interconnec- and will adapt to the market changes to serve shore negotiations will be interesting to watch
tivity across all nodes and from origin to des- both customers and consumers. as this could extend my estimate to 36 months
tination, integrate with national freight data or more if the unions continue to feel like they
architecture and use data to assist prioritiza- The Horizon have the leverage to shut everything down.”
tion of public investment towards improve- Cordero says the ports complex has seen a “‘When’ is the million-dollar question,”
ment of system performance and resilience.” surge of cargo that began in July 2020 and Albers says. “If you listen to the market and
Thomas says three things will help mitigate could see this persist into the beginning of the experts, they are predicting a recovery by
future supply chain disruptions: automation, 2022. “As we reduce long-dwelling import the third or fourth quarter of 2022, but a lot
automation and automation. containers and empties for export on the can happen between now and then.”
“It would also be helpful if unemployment terminals, the ports are swiftly making Even if the optimists are proved correct in
was harder to qualify for when there are so progress on catching up. However, the detecting a peak in the gridlock, the global
many good paying jobs available,” Thomas disruptions are affecting the entire supply trading system and the resilience of supply
says. “Federal and state subsidies for rent, chain, not just the ports, so that’s why we are chains will continue to be stretched for
utilities and rent forgiveness have been exacer- pleased to see the U.S. Port Envoy and the months to come.
bating the problem of encouraging potential Biden administration working on the issues
workers to get back on a job.” that created this situation.”
ALEXANDRA WALSH is a Senior Publishing
Albers says in the Midwest, labor is also the Rauch does not believe anyone will see an
Consultant with Association Vision and
key driver. “Currently, we show more open improvement in the current supply chain situ- Editor-In-Chief of COLD FACTS.
employment positions than are on unem- ation until mid-2022, at the earliest. “As long
EMAIL: awalsh@associationvision.com
ployment records. There has always been as American consumers continue to purchase
THE COLD CHAIN POLICY FORUM is the can’t-miss policy event for safety,
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16 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022MANUFACTURING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LOW TEMP/COLD STORAGE INDUSTRY
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“Built to perform. Built to last. Built right.”FISHER CONSTRUCTION GROUP
RECIPIENT OF CEBA
BUILT BY THE BEST AWARD
Shared campus provides best-in-cold solutions
for customer Dole Fruit.
By Keith Loria
F
isher Construction Group, Inc. has received the The shared campus approach promotes and
leverages synergies between processors and
2021 Built by the Best Award for constructing the storage teams, says Fisher.
year’s most innovative and complex temperature- “Ultimately, the return on investment was
maximized on the project by strategically
controlled facility. positioning the facility adjacent to an existing
conventional frozen space, thereby leveraging
The company’s recent design-build of the of our ability to provide transparency on existing refrigeration, fire protection, storm
United States Cold Storage’s newest, fully financials and our expertise to deliver turnkey, and other vital infrastructures while utilizing
automated and state-of-the-art cold storage design-build solutions for both temperature- the remaining expansion space to its full
and processing facility in McDonough-Med- controlled storage and processing spaces.” potential,” says Michael Adkins, Engineering
line, near Atlanta, Georgia, United States, was Fisher added that the company’s extensive Manager, United States Cold Storage. “It
the project that earned this recognition. experience in the design and construction of was our most significant expansion ever and
“This was certainly an exciting project,” says high-rise, fully automated cold storage facili- included a processing center designed and
Scott Guimond, Senior Project Manager for ties helped, also. built for Dole Fruit.”
Fisher. “We were very proud and honored to The McDonough Medline campus was The newly constructed facility on United
be United States Cold Storage’s selected and selected as the strategic location for United States Cold Storage’s McDonough campus
trusted partner for this important project. I States Cold Storage to provide additional best- maximizes the site’s footprint of 110 feet
believe we were ultimately selected because in-cold solutions for its customer – Dole Fruit. with 14,944,285 cubic feet of storage. The
18 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022The 254,928-square-foot design-build expansion to
the McDonough facility includes an ASRS cold
storage and repacking facility for Dole Foods.
(Photo courtesy of Fisher Construction Group.)
facility is designed to operate at temperatures Another challenge that needed to be Savvy Innovation
ranging from -20 degrees F to 55 degrees F, expertly managed was that the expansion The McDonough-Medline facility has
as well as 32 degrees F to 55 degrees F in the was on an active and operating site. It was nearly 253,000 square feet of usable space
processing space. imperative to be noninvasive and covert in built beside United States Cold Storage’s
the building process, yet effective. Specific 236,000-square-foot temperature-controlled
Key Challenges logistical challenges included limited laydown warehouse built five years earlier. The new
The project began in late 2019, with comple- areas, shared operational and construction addition accommodates 47,000 new pallet
tion scheduled for January 2021. The first entrances as well as management of a robust positions.
challenge came when the COVID-19 pan- set of safety policies specifically intended to The construction technique used for the
demic hit early on. provide a safe interface between construction high-bay expansion is leading edge with the
“We had started construction and had and United States Cold Storage operations. structure envelope supported by the storage
been into it for a couple of months, when the Additionally, this project had a cost control racks to maximize product density and save
whole construction industry was impacted,” variable that added to the project complexity. costs by replacing structural steel for struc-
says Juan Arellano, Fisher’s Project Manager Specifically, this build required 100% financial tural racks.
for United States Cold Storage Atlanta. “Since accuracy and transparency. The United States The hybrid direct expansion-refrigeration
the project was essential to the country’s food Cold Storage engineering team in conjunc- system by Innovative Refrigeration was well
supply chain, we moved forward. We brought tion with Fisher had to identify and clearly thought out and creative in numerous ways,
the team together and developed solutions communicate to all project participants the according to Arellano. It employs mini-
to respond to this unprecedented situation. cost segregation required to correctly tabulate penthouses that provide a safe and service-
Though it was a challenge, and some people trending costs specific to the tenant processing able installation on a more than 100-foot
were unable to come to work, we kept the (Dole) space from the cold storage and site high-rise, rack-supported building. And the
project moving by creating a safe workplace. (United States Cold Storage) spaces. This data system offers strategic equipment locations as
There was no day that COVID stopped us was made accessible in real time and aided in the facility’s cold dock has multiple conveyor
from working. That’s something that we were critical project decisions. systems across two levels with transfer fans
all very proud of—we kept moving forward.” strategically located to avoid dead air spaces.
These fans are controlled and easily adjusted
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 • 19
19by the facility to maintain the required
operating conditions on the cold dock. The
fans also utilize re-heat humidity controls for
dehumidification on the dock during the hot
and humid Georgia summers.
Additionally, the expansion is specifically
designed to keep the overall ammonia charge
below the 10,000-pound threshold.
“Despite ammonia’s dominance in the
industry throughout the last century, many
are looking to other options to minimize
the hazard for facility staff while keeping
regulatory bodies at bay,” Arellano says. “It is
unheard of for refrigeration systems of this
size primarily using ammonia to have charges
below 10,000 pounds. However, the United
States Cold Storage Medline facility has
accomplished this.”
Regarding safety, the United States Cold
From truck to freezer, automated conveyors carry product throughout the conveyor tracks.
Storage engineering team is credited with (Photo courtesy of Fisher Construction Group.)
developing benefits for its customer by
requiring a glycol heat exchanger to utilize
only glycol refrigerant to their tenant space
eliminating the risk to their customer of
having ammonia equipment in their space.
The facility also utilizes the most advanced
conveyor systems available, alongside nine
100-foot-tall cranes in the automated ware-
house. The conveyor system allows United
States Cold Storage operators to efficiently
handle the product throughout the facility
with minimal forklift interface.
Sustainability Efforts
United States Cold Storage’s mission is to pro-
vide the very best long-term solution for its
customer by providing added value through
managing their customer’s refrigeration
system and being on-site to provide support
along the way.
The conveyers are operated from a crow nest that can regulate product flow be-
“The concept of the assignment to vertically tween the loading dock and freezers. (Photo courtesy of Fisher Construction Group.)
integrate processor and cold storage operator
on a single campus lays a foundation of
sustainability at the core of the project,” Gui- “Throughout the design process, Fisher and VFDs (variable frequency drives) to maintain
mond says. “This scenario replaces interfacing United States Cold Storage looked to leverage precise temperatures while increasing energy
truck trips between remote facilities with a all existing infrastructures, where applicable, efficiency. Additionally, the project utilized
simple and effective pallet transfer through a for both cost savings and sustainability all the standard energy savings measures
demising wall.” advantages,” Guimond says. “The team sought implemented in most controlled environment
By nature, ASRS facilities offer greater to match new refrigeration equipment with facilities built today by using elements such as
product density over less footprint. This drasti- existing to provide significant cost savings by LED lights, high-speed doors and dock seals.
cally reduces the need for lighting and energy/ keeping United States Cold Storage’s main-
heat infiltration. These factors, coupled with tenance and training programs as simple as Partnership Key to Success
reduced opening sizes for product interface possible despite the large expansion.” The United States Cold Storage Medline
locations, have a measurable impact on the The team also achieved long-term energy expansion project faced various challenges
overall building’s overall energy consumption. savings as refrigeration penthouses and the that were mitigated via teamwork between
new evaporative condenser are controlled by all stakeholders. Throughout the design and
20 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022ESGN E S G
TO P T E .
C O L D C O O L
E V A P E Y O N D
S A R E B
E N E F I T
B
With Evapcold low-charge ammonia packaged refrigeration systems, you
get more than guaranteed performance. You also get an industry-leading
solution that helps you meet all of today’s environmental, social, and
governance (ESG) standards for ultimate sustainability.
CHILLER PACKAGES
1 Inherently safer technology
2 Environmentally friendly ammonia–no HFCs
3 Lower energy usage
7 Lower property tax burden
4 Smarter use of space
8 Lower life cycle costs
5 Building cost savings
9 American-made cutting-edge
6 Faster installation
technology
10 Significantly less onsite installation
work for a safer & greener jobsite
PENTHOUSE
UNITS
Learn more > Talk to your local EVAPCO
representative or visit evapco.com/evapcold
Since 1976 | An Employee-Owned Company | Commercial HVAC | Process Cooling | Industrial Process | Powerconstruction of the project, communication
and continual alignment of goals were of the
upmost importance to ensure project success.
An excellent example of the team’s man-
agement was spotlighted during the weekly
schedule meetings, where the project’s trades
from the Northeast, Southeast, Northwest
and Southwest came together to develop and
update the pull plan schedules. The manage-
ment team worked to bring all stakeholders
together using open and honest communi-
cation, repeatedly emphasizing the larger
common vision from management to field.
The Fisher team also stressed the impor-
tance of leveraging the expertise of United
States Cold Storage’s engineering team as
being a key to the overall success of the
project. Additional collaboration with the
onsite United States Cold Storage operations
managers provided valuable direction and
Top: Viewed from the
leadership throughout the entire project. mezzanine as prod-
“The collaboration between all parties ucts are conveyed
from the freezers to
was central to our approach,” Arellano says. Dole’s process area.
“Fisher worked hand in hand with United (Photo courtesy of
States Cold Storage to make team decisions. Fisher Construction
Group.)
We ensured everyone was on the same page as
we focused on making the very best decisions Left: The 100-foot
cranes efficiently
collectively, which ultimately brought a lot of handle product hand-
value to the project. We were able to meet the off from conveyor
tracks with little to
schedule and budget.” no forklift interface.
(Photo courtesy of
Fisher Construction
KEITH LORIA is an award-winning journalist Group.)
who has been writing for major newspapers
and magazines for close to 20 years, on
topics as diverse as sports, business
and technology.
EMAIL: freelancekeith@gmail.com
22 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 20222021 Built by the Best ASI Doors – Enviro Fastener Systems Inc.
Award-Winning Manufactures a complete line of insulated
steel reinforced fiberglass, galvanized and
Specializing in fasteners for all types of cold
storage, food processing and refrigerated
Supplier Profiles stainless steel door systems. Manual or power warehouses. Stocking stainless, self-drilling,
operated doors for all uses. Applications self-tapping, ZACS® and explosion release
include: horizontal (bi-parting and single fasteners. FABLOKS®, long length teks and
slide), swinging, vertical rise and high speed roofing screws in stock. Tools, accessories,
These are the companies integral to the roll-up doors, along with the fully insulated, INSTA-FOAM®, tapes, caulks and butyl. The
success of the winning project. two-way impactable hard panel sliding originators of POLARFAST®, the concealed
horizontal door. The air door products allow panel screw. Fast overnight delivery.
you to travel in and out of freezers without http://www.fastenersystems.com.
the constant opening and closing of a door. Its
unique system keeps the warm side warm and Frazier Industrial Company
the cold side cold with no fog, ice or conden- Frazier is producer of structural steel storage
Ahern Fire Protection, a division sation. Nationwide sales and service available. rack systems in North America with 10 manu-
of J. F. Ahern Co. http://www.asidoors.com. facturing facilities strategically located to
Ahern Fire Protection (AFP) offers a full range reduce lead times and minimize freight costs.
of fire protection system installation, inspec- AutoMak Assembly Inc. Refrigerated warehouse professionals rely on
tion, and repair services. Whether you are Working in partnership with manufacturers Frazier storage systems for their durability and
building a new structure or need a sprinkler and contractors, AutoMak is dedicated to custom application engineering. This design
system retrofit or upgrade, the experts at AFP delivering handling and installation solu- provides you with our exclusive two-year war-
will handle your project quickly, efficiently, tions for metal insulated panels. We offer ranty against fork-lift abuse. From standard
and with the utmost professionalism. Our proven vacuum lifting equipment to delivery pallet rack to complex pick towers and AS/
friendly, knowledgeable technicians are on installation efficiency with practical health RS installations, Frazier’s expert team of engi-
call 24 hours, seven days a week. Ahern Fire and safety benefits. We provide full contract neers will help each customer design the best,
Protection has extensive experience in the cold rental and sales service covering the whole of most cost-effective material handling solution.
storage industry and is a Quell® licensed fire the United States and Canada with complete We provide the management resources needed
protection contractor. We are also licensed technical support as well as after sales support, to ensure the project runs smoothly and
to work in 48 states. Ahern Fire Protection is servicing, testing and certification. Operating remains on time throughout the entire design-
backed by a company with over 130 years of from a modern distribution center and with build-integrate process. Frazier’s structural
contracting experience, offices in six states a large dedicated rental fleet we are able to steel pallet rack systems include: selective
(WI, MN, IA, MO, NE, and IL), and over respond to customer requests and orders pallet rack, drive-in/drive-thru, push-back,
1,500 employees. Our depth of resources quickly. Our network of technical advisors carton flow & pallet flow, pick towers, rack
enables us to handle every job through design provides full on the job product training and supported buildings and AS/RS systems.
to construction and beyond - from installing support services. http://www.frazier.com.
the first sprinkler head to ongoing inspections http://www.cladboyusa.com.
and maintenance. We are truly a one-stop The Fricks Company
shop” for all of your fire protection needs!” Evapco Inc. Industrial concrete floor contractor pro-
https://www.jfahern.com/. International manufacturers of low charge viding workmanship and customer satisfac-
ammonia packages, evaporative condensers, tion. The Fricks Company is in premium
All Weather Insulated Panels evaporators, cooling towers, closed circuit food facility, manufacturing and distribution
With over 90 years of combined industry coolers, heat exchangers, recirculation and facility floor construction.
experience, All Weather Insulated Panels transfer systems. Plants located in Taney- https://www.fricksco.com.
is an innovator in the design, construction town, MD; Greenup, IL; Bryan, TX; Madera,
and advancement of insulated metal panels CA; Lake View, IA; Milano and Sondrio, Innovative Refrigeration Systems Inc.
to meet the growing challenges facing the Italy; Johannesburg, South Africa; Kings- Design builder of refrigerated systems and
building industry. grove NSW, Australia; Shanghai and Beijing, spaces. Turnkey refrigeration engineering,
http://www.awipanels.com. China; Tongeren, Belgium; and Flex coil a/s piping, insulation systems, power systems
Aabybro, Denmark. design, power wiring, controls systems and
http://www.evapco.com. control wiring, envelope design and instal-
lation. Background in large refrigerated
package ammonia refrigeration for outdoor
installation and stand-alone control packages
independent of compressor manufacture.
http://www.R717.net.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 • 23
23Jamison Door Company LTI Contracting Rite-Hite
Manufacturers of insulated doors for all cold Since its start in 1958, LTI Contracting has Rite-Hite® is in the manufacture, sale, and
storage applications: swinging, horizontal been recognized as a subcontractor that spe- service of loading dock equipment, indus-
sliding, overhead, vertical sliding; manual and cializes in the installation of low temperature trial doors, safety barriers, HVLS fans and
power; cooler, freezer, blast freezer; finishes insulated metal panels, underfloor insulation, more innovative products. We offer several
include galvanized, aluminum, stainless, vapor barriers, cold storage doors and com- products designed specifically for the cold
painted steel, fiberglass reinforced molded plete roof package. We have compiled over the storage industry, including high-speed doors,
plastic and sheet plastic. Products also include years a full-time knowledgeable and efficient insulated curtain walls and loading dock
high performance insulated Mark IV Versaflex project management, technical and field equipment. Rite-Hite works closely with each
Door and Mark IV InVision clear-paneled supervision staff to help aid in any problem customer to meet their needs. Our Global
door, HCR Air Doors and BMP high speed and/or detailing on our projects. Distribution Network means there is a local
rollup doors. Write for specific door sugges- http://www.lticontracting.com. representative nearby to provide solutions,
tions for warehouses. service, and expertise at the loading dock, and
http://www.jamisondoor.com. RHH Foam Systems Inc. inside the facility.
Manufacturers of VERSI-FOAM portable two- https://www.ritehite.com.
Kalman Flooring Company component, low-pressure spray polyurethane
Kalman Floor Company has produced foam systems. Units available in a variety of Rytec High Performance Doors
industrial concrete floors since 1916. Working foam densities and sizes; both disposable and Rytec is a manufacturer of high-perfor-
side by side with owners, architects, design– refillable containers. Also VERSI-TITE single mance doors for industrial, commercial,
builders and contractors, Kalman Floor component foam sealant and VERSI-BLOCK pharmaceutical and cold-storage environ-
Company provides self-polishing, abrasion Fire Block and sealant in aerosol cans. All ments. Whether rolling, folding, sliding or
resistant floors for cold storage, dry storage, units compatible with low temperature envi- swinging doors, high-performance doors are
distribution warehouses, manufacturing ronments and for a wide variety of insulating, our only business. Rytec corporate offices
plants, waste transfer stations and many other sealing, caulking, and patching applications. and manufacturing operations are head-
kinds of facilities. http://www.rhhfoamsystems.com. quartered in Jackson, Wisconsin, a suburb
http://www.kalmanfloor.com.
O U R C O N T R O L L ED
IS Y T F A C I L I T Y
E N
ENVIRONM
I L T B Y T H E B E S T?
BU rp roject today fo
r the
Nominate you RD!
T AWA
BUILT BY THE BES
Deadline to enter is August 2022. For more details, visit
www gcca org/builtbythebest
Brought to you by CEBA, a Core Partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance
24 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022of Milwaukee. Customer technical support
is provided through regional offices and
a network of local dealers and installers
throughout North America.
http://www.rytecdoors.com.
SubZero Constructors, Inc.
SubZero specializes in providing refrigeration/
thermal design and construction services on
a nationwide basis for the low-temp and food
processing industry.
http://www.szero.com.
Twintec USA
Twintec USA designs and builds steel fiber
reinforced and engineered industrial jointfree
floors. Our jointfree FREEPLAN engineered
floors do not have saw cut joints, effectively
minimizing if not completely suppressing
maintenance and repair costs, while increasing
the productivity in your cold storage. A
specialized sub-contractor, Twintec USA offers
design build services to a variety of clients in
North America within the cold storage, distri-
bution and heavy manufacturing industries.
The parent company, the Twintec Group, has
designed and installed 500 million square feet
of engineered industrial slabs to date. Twintec
USA will design and install your FREEPLAN
slabs on grade, on piles (suspended slabs) and
on insulation (such as for cold storage slabs).
Twintec USA also offers turn-key design build
services regarding structural FREEPLAN
mat slabs, such as for fully automated, rack
supported distribution facilities. Twintec USA
is dedicated to the highest level of quality
and durability in their industry and offers a
unique five year guarantee on all their FREE-
PLAN engineered slabs.
http://www.twintecusa.com.
United States Cold Storage Inc.
Region V.P. - Mid-Atlantic, Jesse Hooks;
General Manager, Leslie Burkholder; Chief
Engineer, James Prussia; Superintendent-Veto
Mendoza. 18,345 racked pallet positions;
Temperatures ranging from -05ºF to 40ºF; 44
dock doors.
http://www.5uscold.com.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 • 25
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