Fisher Construction Group was named the winner of the Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA) Built by the Best Award for their project with NewCold in Tacoma, Washington, U.S. The award was given on November 8, 2018 during a general session at the 38th CEBA Conference & Expo, hosted by the Controlled Environment Building Association, a Core Partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA).  

The project is NewCold’s first cold storage facility in the United States and only the second low-oxygen, high-bay freezer in the country. It serves multiple customers and delivers safe, sustainable, traceable, cold chain solutions that are designed for end-to-end efficiency and value. 

“We are very excited to have our first facility in the U.S. recognized for its innovation and complexity,” said Jonas Swarttouw, US Country Manager, NewCold. “Fisher was fantastic to work with along the way. They approached the project with a great amount of expertise and enthusiasm to explore the latest technology and building trends that would help make our facility one of the best in the country.”  

The 2018 winning project, NewCold Tacoma, features a state-of-the-art freezer system and a strictly controlled system, where oxygen is reduced to 16.5% saturation. It will allow for efficient customer service, with time from receipt of product to storage under 20 minutes. Picking of a product to loading will be done in the same amount of time – which is nearly three times the efficiency of a normal cold storage facility. NewCold Tacoma is one of the largest in the United States, containing 103,000 pallet positions.

“The Fisher team is ecstatic to bring home our second Built by the Best Award – especially for such a complex and challenging project.” said Josh Currie, Senior Project Manager, Fisher Construction Group. “This was an incredible experience with credit due to the entire team involved, from Fisher’s Design Team, Management and Support Staff and to all of the subcontractors, vendors and consultants who supported us!”

Thirteen additional CEBA members participated on the 2018 winning project, including:

  • All Weather Insulated Panels
  • Rite-Hite Corporation
  • Twintec USA
  • SubZero Constructors, Inc.
  • Owens Corning Foamular
  • Enviro Cold Storage Doors
  • Fastener Systems, Inc.
  • Honeywell
  • Ricker Thermline
  • Shadco, Inc.
  • Victaulic
  • Metzger/McGuire
  • Logix Refrigeration Controls
  • EVAPCO, Inc.

Built by the Best Award 2018 Finalist, Primus Builders, Inc., also presented at the 38th CEBA Conference & Expo, for their new construction with Dot Foods located in Bullhead, Arizona. Dot Foods is the largest food re-distributor in the country, offering 112,000 products and delivering to all 50 states When it came time to expand their offerings in the Southwest, Dot selected Primus to provide turn-key design and construction services on their new, greenfield facility in Bullhead City, Arizona. The project came with a unique set of challenges due to its desert location with extreme heat, winds, and challenging topography. Nevertheless, Primus completed the project within budget, schedule, and in compliance with Dot’s safety and quality standards.

The submission process for the 2019 CEBA Built by the Best Award will open in the spring of 2019. Members of the CEBA Business Development & Marketing Committee are currently working to refine details of the award to improve the process for all candidates. More information can be found here.

More information about the CEBA Built by the Best Award can be found online.