In the strictest sense, we as individuals might not need a whiz-bang smartphone, a sparkling set of earrings or a shiny new vehicle, but we each need sustenance — nourishing food and drink. Food — production, storage and shipping — is a growth industry, and we’re pleased to know that, for the most part, businesses in the food-supply chain are growing. We’re also pleased to report that our company, Adams Cold Storage, soon will be growing to accommodate our customers’ expanding needs. [emember_protected custom_msg=”Click here and register now to read the rest of the article!”]
Formal evaluation of a two-phase freezer expansion at ACS has been under way for more than a year, though plans for the expansion go back to our opening in December 2010. In an industry that involves perishable commodities and the health of people who consume them, it’s interesting to note that regulatory review for our expansion began with water. Even before we could draw up a plan design, officials from the Southwest Florida Water Management had to look at the vacant acreage on our property and define the maximum footprint for the expansion. Swiftmud’s 14-month review cleared us for a new 80,000-square-foot building. To make the most efficient use of this footprint, the building will have a clear-eve height of 42 feet on top of a dock, giving us an additional 3.5 million cubic feet for frozen storage.
The expansion will include state-of-the-art electronics, communications, refrigeration-control systems, high-speed doors, narrow-aisle racking and wire-guided material handling equipment. This expansion also will allow ACS to reactivate the railroad access on site and move goods from our existing 200,000-square-foot freezer/cooler facility directly to rail cars. Rail transportation is extremely cost-effective, and soon our customers will benefit more from that.
Several Polk County departments have completed initial reviews for our expansion, and every effort has been made in planning to meet or exceed numerous state and federal food safety requirements. We hope to make a groundbreaking announcement within a few months.
CREDITS
column by BEN ADAMS
BIO: Ben Adams Jr. is an owner and president of Adams Cold Storage LLC, a multi-temperature warehousing facility in Auburndale. He has been directly involved in citrus production, warehousing and distribution, as well as state and community support, since 1980.[/emember_protected]
