United States Cold Storage (USCS), one of the nation’s premier public refrigerated warehouse companies, today officially celebrated the opening of its new facility in CAN DO’s Humboldt Industrial Park, Hazle Township.
“USCS is very pleased to be in Greater Hazleton. We believe that the location, the community’s support, and the available workforce is the perfect combination for long-term success and growth,” said Ryan Horvath, manager of the Humboldt facility.
The facility – located on 32 acres in Humboldt North – contains 5.7 million cubic feet of refrigerated warehouse space and currently employs about 30 people.
The USCS warehouse and distribution center houses more than 20,000 pallets in convertible temperature space from minus-20 degrees Fahrenheit to plus-55 degrees Fahrenheit. It has refrigerated enclosed shipping, receiving, and rail docks with 22 truck doors and five railcar spots on a Norfolk Southern Railroad spur.
In addition to being strategically located to serve the greater Northeast markets, the USCS center in Humboldt is employing an innovative energy-efficient carbon dioxide cascade refrigeration system. Designed to reduce the impact on the environment and increase energy efficiency, USCS worked closely with the engineers at M&M Refrigeration to develop and refine this next-generation technology.
“It is important that we support new green-friendly technologies,” said USCS President and CEO David Harlan. “USCS continues to be focused on running safe and environmentally responsible, world-class facilities. With every new project we undertake, we incorporate the best practices from our existing facilities and make significant upgrades. The cost efficiencies and environmental benefits of the CO2 Cascade Refrigeration system make this a 'best-in-class distribution center.”
The USCS Humboldt facility was designed for high-volume distribution of refrigerated and frozen food products to grocery chains and restaurants throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. It is the northernmost of the 35 USCS distribution facilities, which are located in 12 states across the country.
USCS Vice President of Corporate Development and Logistics Larry Alderfer said there were four primary factors that attracted the company to this area.
“We found Humboldt Industrial Park an ideal location for a distribution center because of the close proximity to Interstates 81 and 80. In addition, the dynamic growth and excellent workforce in the area matches what we look for in selecting a site for a new location,” Alderfer said. “The fact that the site has Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) status and offers rail service made it an especially attractive option for USCS.”
When USCS arrived, it found a potential client base already in place.
“Because of the growing number of food processors in the Humboldt Industrial Park, USCS is a natural fit here in Greater Hazleton,” said CAN DO Chairman of the Board John J. Spevak. “Some of our existing park tenants have been taking advantage of the excellent services USCS offers, so this is a perfect relationship.”
A special shuttle service links several Humboldt Industrial Park food processing companies with USCS’ distribution center.
“We welcome USCS to the Hazleton area and we are confident they will be successful,” Spevak added. “For more than a century, United States Cold Storage has been an integral link in America’s food supply chain by providing refrigerated storage and distribution services to the food industry. And now, Hazleton is a vital link in that chain.”
When it began start-up operations in July 2008, USCS was the first company in Humboldt North to receive rail shipments. Other Humboldt North companies are expected to begin using rail service soon. In anticipation of future growth, USCS built the distribution center with room for expansion. The center is now about 215,000 square feet in size. Future phases can add more than 600,000 square feet and employ about 200 people.
Today, USCS is a leading national public refrigerated warehouse operator with a network of 35 facilities across the United States comprising close to 200 million cubic feet. It employs over 1,600 individuals, many of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years.USCS offers a full menu of value-added services to meet customer needs, such as quick freezing, storage of bulk commodities, retail and foodservice products, order selection, and distribution via its unique freight consolidation program.
“This is another globally recognized, world-class company, and we at CAN DO are thrilled to formally welcome United States Cold Storage to Humboldt North,” said CAN DO President Kevin O’Donnell.
