Vertical Cold Storage, a developer and operator of temperature-controlled distribution centers sponsored by real estate investment firm Platform Ventures, held a groundbreaking for its Kansas City multimodal distribution site Nov. 14. The facility is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2024 and employ up to 130 full-time team members.

“Vertical Cold Storage is excited to deliver the first facility in Kansas City to offer the value-added services of blast freezing, case picking, and expedited intermodal transportation solutions adjacent to the CPKC intermodal terminal. Kansas City is an excellent location for customers interested in reducing their carbon footprint and transportation expense by leveraging new intermodal capacity for import/export or domestic transportation needs,” said West Hutchison, president and CEO of Vertical Cold Storage. 

“Most cold storage operators are moving away from value added services like blast freezing and case picking, but our team of life-long cold storage operators embrace these complexities and are looking forward to utilizing our best-in-class processes, IT solutions, robotic material handling equipment and AI technology to provide efficient and safe service to our customers.”

The site, located adjacent to the CPKC intermodal terminal in southern Kansas City, Mo., will have over 300,000 square feet, about 50,000 pallet positions, state-of-the-art blast-freezing technology and four rooms convertible to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The building design and construction utilize innovative materials and systems that reduce energy consumption. In addition to the site’s adjacency to CPKC’s intermodal terminal, it is centrally located within 30 miles of the BNSF, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern terminals, enabling intermodal access to or from anywhere in North America from the heartland of the USA.

Primus Builders is the lead contractor for the project, which is expected to employ 150 workers during the construction.

“The Vertical Cold team has collaborated closely with our partners and the Kansas City government to develop an advanced multi-modal center, effectively addressing the supply chain challenges of our customers. This facility supports sustainability within the community and environmental friendliness, all while delivering lasting value to our investors. As proud Kansas City natives, we are thrilled to see the initial Vertical Cold build in our backyard,” said Ryan Anderson, co-president and co-founder of Platform Ventures.

Sources: Vertical Cold Storage; Platform Ventures