NewCold – Advanced cold logistics comes to the UK

NewCold Advanced Cold Logistics is the fastest growing specialist deep frozen warehousing and distribution global player whose world-class systems, energy efficiency and productivity make it stand out from other conventional cold storage companies.

They design, build and operate their own warehouses, utilising their own experience and in house software systems, in combination with trusted and proven material handling partners.

Over the last few years the company has demonstrated its ability to provide a total integrated cold chain logistics service for food manufacturers and retailers in the major European countries. By building a series of state-of-the-art cold stores in the UK, France, Germany and Poland NewCold is now able to provide full pan-European frozen food supply chain services for its customers, including Unilever and Froneri.

In 2015 NewCold made its first foray into the UK, opening an ambitious, highly automated, 40m-high cold storage plant on a green field site in Wakefield, Yorkshire. The cold store is combined with an expanding in-house transport operation, consisting of 48 reefer trailers and 36 tractors, including double deck trailers to minimise food miles and harmful emissions.

This is a true 24/7 service offering Day 1 ordering for Day 2 deliveries, plus other value added logistics services including case picking, repacking etc.

The Wakefield offer is based on a unique model that is markedly different from the concepts that food manufacturers are used to, stresses NewCold’s Country Director, Jon Miles.

“This is the future of storage, logistics, food safety and product quality. I don’t think our traceability systems can be beaten anywhere in the world and thanks to our level of automation, NewCold can handle and process product more efficiently and accurately than anybody else”.

Newcold dispatch bays are kept at -20C to maintain cold chain integrity and maximise product quality, while most conventional stores prepare pallets for despatch in chilled or ambient bays. Automation rules at the site, with automation used to retrieve and prepare orders minimising human error and as a result of this, stock control and stock accuracy are industry leading.

The fully automated storage plant ensures cold chain integrity where minimal handling helps reduce temperature fluctuations. For example, when the doors of a truck open they do so into the frozen environment so that there is no risk of the product being exposed to ambient air. Speed is also impressive at the site. A bespoke-designed conveyor system with shuttle cars and buffer lanes will handle 600 pallets moving in and out every hour.

With a plan to install automated loading facilities in temperatures of -25C at customer production sites it will enable product to be maintained in premium quality, and a full double deck trailer to be loaded in less than 6 minutes.

In September 2016, NewCold announced that it was planning to extend the cold store with 87,500 pallet locations to reach a total storage capacity of over 143,000 pallets with frozen food produce. The enlarged pallet capacity means the company will be able to respond to an increasing demand for high-quality storage from food producers in Yorkshire and surrounding areas.

This logistics service offering, in line with competitive pricing, and a real focus on quality and service, enable frozen food producers to have a genuine choice in the way they present their logistics offer to their customer.

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little bit extra”.