🧊 Happy Holidays from CubeCold!

December 19, 2025

Welcome back to CubeCold News where we cover the latest developments in the cold chain industry and temperature-controlled logistics.

In today’s edition:

  • Slate Asset Management and Hamilton Lane acquire majority stake in Cold-Link Logistics

  • Mutares sells Fuentes Quality Logistics to Ontime franchise consortium

  • Commonwealth Kokubu Logistics partners with Mitsui OSK Lines for South-East Asia cold chain expansion

  • New Era Cold Storage launches 110,000 pallet facility in Tay Ninh

  • Veritiv expands TempSafe portfolio with industry's first curbside-recyclable pallet shipper for biopharmaceutical cold chain

🎄✨ Happy Holidays from CubeCold!

2025 was another strong year for cold storage, with the sector continuing to cement its role as critical logistics infrastructure.

Thank you for reading, engaging, and sharing CubeCold News throughout the year.

We look forward to continuing the conversation in 2026.

News

Slate Asset Management and Hamilton Lane acquire majority stake in Cold-Link Logistics Slate Asset Management and Hamilton Lane have acquired a majority equity stake in Cold-Link Logistics, one of North America's ten largest privately-held cold storage platforms.

  • Founded in 2016 by Michael and Nick Mandich and headquartered in Hollywood, Florida, Cold-Link operates nine facilities spanning nearly 78 million cubic feet of ambient, refrigerated, and frozen capacity across the Central, Northeastern, and Southeastern United States.

  • Cold-Link's portfolio represents modern food supply chain infrastructure, with most operated pallet volume concentrated in facilities constructed in 2022 or later.

  • Michael and Nick Mandich, along with current management, will retain meaningful stakes and continue leading operations.

  • The transaction strengthens Slate's position in essential real estate and infrastructure supporting food logistics while providing Cold-Link with institutional capital and resources to accelerate growth. (Financial Times)

Mutares sells Fuentes Quality Logistics to Ontime franchise consortium Mutares SE & Co. KGaA has completed the sale of portfolio company Fuentes Quality Logistics S.L. to a consortium led by the Ontime franchise and the founding family.

  • Fuentes operates in temperature-controlled logistics with annual revenues of approximately EUR 200 million.

  • Following its acquisition from Lineage Group, Mutares implemented a targeted transformation process focusing on operational improvements to restore profitability and strengthen operations.

  • The acquisition enables Ontime to consolidate its regional position and leverage synergies for continued growth.

  • Johannes Laumann, CIO of Mutares, emphasized the successful value creation achieved through operational improvements and strategic positioning. (EQS)

Commonwealth Kokubu Logistics partners with Mitsui OSK Lines for South-East Asia cold chain expansion Commonwealth Kokubu Logistics (CKL) has partnered with Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and existing shareholder Kokubu Group to strengthen and expand cold-chain operations across South-East Asia.

  • Commonwealth Capital Group (CCPL) remains the majority shareholder following the transaction.

  • The partnership combines CCPL's operational expertise, Kokubu Group's distribution networks, and MOL's global shipping capabilities to enhance temperature-controlled food supply chains regionally.

  • Central to CKL's growth strategy is a new logistics facility in Jurong, featuring over 500,000 sq ft of space and standing more than 100 meters tall.

  • The facility, one of the world's tallest automated cold-chain food logistics facilities, will be fully operational in March 2026 with CKL as anchor tenant and operator. (Business Times)

New Era Cold Storage launches 110,000 pallet facility in Tay Ninh New Era Cold Storage Joint Stock Company (NECS) has opened one of Southeast Asia's largest smart bonded warehouses in Tay Ninh province, Vietnam, featuring 110,000 pallet positions operating at temperatures from -22°C to -25°C.

  • The facility represents Vietnam's first digital cold bonded warehouse approved by Vietnam Customs, providing quick, convenient, and cost-saving bonded services on-site.

  • The warehouse operates fully automatically in deep-freeze environments using robots and smart shelving systems, with all processes including booking, import-export, inventory management, temperature control, and batch tracking digitized on an integrated IoT and AI platform.

  • The digital management system ensures data transparency and direct bank connectivity, accelerating disbursement while reducing risks.

  • The project supports Tay Ninh's vision to become a regional and inter-provincial goods trans shipment center, strengthening Vietnam's agricultural export capabilities to ASEAN and global markets. (VN Economy)

Veritiv expands TempSafe portfolio with industry's first curbside-recyclable pallet shipper for biopharmaceutical cold chain Veritiv Operating Company has introduced TempSafe PalletShield, the industry's first pre-qualified pallet shipper made with curbside-recyclable components, expanding its TempSafe portfolio of sustainable cold chain solutions.

  • The fiber-based system delivers over five days of validated thermal protection with 558-596 litre payload capacity and accommodates more than 300 pounds of dry ice.

  • Designed for life sciences, healthcare, and high-value cold chain logistics, TempSafe PalletShield integrates seamlessly into standard pallet workflows while helping organizations reduce waste and eliminate disposal costs associated with traditional expanded polystyrene and polyurethane systems.

  • The shipper features a patent-pending design that locks panels in place to prevent edge loss, maintain structural integrity, and ensure consistent thermal performance across long-distance and multi-stop temperature-controlled lanes.

  • It supports vaccines, biologics, clinical trial materials, and high-value therapeutics where precision and compliance are essential. (PR Newswire)

Other headlines

Americold Realty Trust declared a fourth quarter 2025 dividend of $0.23 per share, a 5% increase from the prior year, payable January 15, 2026 to stockholders of record December 31, 2025.

Sono Solar won the European Transport Prize for Sustainability 2026 in the "Energy Supply & Charging Infrastructure for Commercial Vehicles" category for its integrated solar technology that powers refrigeration units on trailers and trucks.

Newark approved Garden State Cold Storage's 156,000 sq ft AI-driven vertical cold storage warehouse, featuring sustainable design elements and creating 150 new jobs.

Atlas introduced ReGenX Technology, a materials platform that integrates up to 30% recycled content into its DuraTherm and ThermalStar cold chain packaging products while maintaining thermal performance and cost neutrality.

Ember LifeSciences raised $16.5 million in Series A funding led by Sea Court Capital to scale its Ember Cube 2 connected pharmaceutical shipping containers with real-time temperature tracking for home delivery.

That’s it for this week!

If you have feedback or suggestions, please don't hesitate to respond directly to this email.

We look forward to hearing from you.

P.S. Did someone share this with you? Subscribe here.