Trio to Build One of the Largest Cold Storage Facilities in Europe

YORK, Pa.–Three companies have teamed up to build the largest cold storage facility in France.

McCain, Kloosterboer and Westfalia are building the mega logistics center in Harnes as a space and energy saving high-density warehouse with more than 68,000 pallet places. Westfalia will provide the high density automated storage and retrieval system, SpeedLoader, and Savanna.NET® Warehouse Management System technology.

The cold storage facility, estimated to go into service at the beginning of 2010, is estimated to be one of the biggest in Europe. At a temperature of -24 F, nine cranes in seven aisles and two main warehouse areas will automatically handle frozen food.

McCain will be merging storage and distribution of its sites in Béthume, Harnes and other locations in northern Europe. According to McCain, the merger will help in areas such as sustainability, allowing the Harnes site to substitute eight regional warehouses and reduce shuttle traffic. In addition, the special architecture of the warehouse will save on space and electricity.

The warehouse will feature two principal areas: in the back, it will store frozen goods in long, homogenous channels; the front will be used for picking, distribution and incoming goods. The facility will consist of two levels connected by an elevator. On the ground floor, 12 truck gates and an automated unloading system will build the interface with transport logistics. In this area will be another AS/RS for route preparation.

More than 700 meters with automated roll and chain conveyors link the two main areas and secure a fast flow of products between production, incoming goods, the storage warehouse, picking zones and the distribution area. Goods to be stored will enter the AS/RS via two ways: from a gate connected to the neighboring production site, or via conveyors located on the ground floor of the distribution area.

“The warehouse will be an economical and ecological solution for McCain,” says Jack Kloosterboer, Managing Partner of Kloosterboer. “It really saves on energy and money because less space is requested and fewer automated cranes have to be in operation compared to alternative systems.”