United States Cold Storage Building Automated Site in Hebron, IN
CAMDEN, NJ – United States Cold Storage (USCS) broke ground [in September] for a 13.58-million-cubic foot automated cold storage facility in the northwest Indiana town of Hebron, approximately 60 miles outside Chicago.
“This northwest Indiana location will offer much needed capacity to the Chicagoland area,” says David Butterfield, USCS Senior Vice President-Central Region. “Strategically, the Midwest has been—and is—a great market for USCS to align with our current Coldshare Consolidation (CSC) distribution program.”
“Capacity within the industry is tight and adding this facility will provide much needed space for the growth of our current customers as well as Best-In-Cold service to new customers,” echoes Adam Ashley, USCS General Manager in Lebanon, IN. “Meanwhile, this site will be the fourth facility in Illinois and Indiana to participate in our nationwide CSC program. It will interact with our Lebanon location as well as Chicago-area warehouses in Minooka and Wilmington, IL, to offer coordinated, less-thantruckload distribution savings and reach to 48 states within the United States.”
By the Numbers
Upon completion, the public warehouse will house 43,421 pallet positions including 35,645 positions serviced by an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The building also will include a conventional room of 7,776 pallet positions with integrated, cascade layer pick technology. The facility will have convertible temperature controls but is expected to be fully frozen.
“This site will serve any frozen customer but is particularly suited to those with higher turning inventories who require broad distribution services,” says Ashley. “The intent with the design, layout, and automation is to have a building that can provide the service with minimal labor.”
USCS owns 110 acres at the Lowell site and will dedicate 70 acres to the building, associated trailer drop areas, dock and other needs. An additional 40-acre section provides room for a customer to build an adjacent production facility. In addition, USCS has land to install a solar array that will provide 100% renewable energy to the warehouse.
USCS expects by May 2025 to complete the new building.
“The State of Indiana and Lake County have been great to work with in support of our project,” adds Dave Butterfield, Senior Vice President, Central Region. “Not only do they support our new Hebron, IN, project but state officials also express continued interest in our USCS Lebanon, IN, location. Through grants and other funding measures, Indiana continues to invest in infrastructure and improvements. This all helps to make it attractive for talented people to become part of the USCS Family. We appreciate the state’s “Business-friendly” climate and approach. It truly enables USCS to attract and provide a people-first culture.”
About United States Cold Storage
United States Cold Storage, Inc. (USCS), Camden, NJ, is a premier provider of public refrigerated warehousing (PRW) and related logistics services throughout the USA. With roots dating back to 1899, USCS has long served a diverse customer base with requirements ranging from primary storage to fully integrated third-party logistics. The company offers more than 411 million cubic feet of temperature-controlled warehouse and distribution space in 42 facilities located in 13 states including California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia. USCS is the third largest PRW Logistics provider in North America. It is a subsidiary of the U.K.’s John Swire & Sons Ltd