Welcome back to CubeCold News where we cover the latest developments in the cold chain industry and temperature controlled logistics.
In today’s edition:
RealCold acquires SCL Cold Chain, entering pharmaceutical logistics
Mega Company completes €10 million cold storage facility near Bucharest
Macfarlane Packaging introduces eutecma's cold chain system in the UK
Robinson Fresh opens border cold chain hub
ENOUGH project maps pathway to decarbonise Europe's food cold chain
Notable Developments
RealCold acquires SCL Cold Chain, entering pharmaceutical logistics RealCold, a national cold chain solutions provider headquartered in Lakeland, Florida, has acquired Dallas-based SCL Cold Chain, a CEIV Pharma-certified logistics company specializing in temperature controlled services for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, wine, and boutique foods.
The deal marks RealCold's strategic entry into chain-of-custody logistics and significantly broadens its service offering.
SCL brings CEIV Pharma certification, FDA-registered and Bonded CFS facility status, continuous temperature monitoring, and end-to-end cold chain custody - capabilities that complement RealCold's existing FSMA and SQF certifications across a network exceeding 61 million cubic feet and 180,000 pallet positions nationwide.
RealCold CEO Keith Goldsmith emphasized the alignment of values and culture, while SCL President Bryan Severin noted the acquisition positions the company to scale its pharmaceutical expertise to a national audience.
SCL will continue operating under its existing brand as part of the RealCold platform. (PR Newswire)
Mega Company completes €10 million cold storage facility near Bucharest American industrial real estate developer Mega Company has completed a new temperature controlled warehouse at its Mega MDO Logistics Park in Chiajna, Ilfov County, Romania, representing an investment of approximately €10 million ($10.8 million).
The facility spans 4,500 sqm and is designed to meet growing demand for cold storage infrastructure driven by expansion in food retail, e-commerce, and pharmaceutical distribution across Romania.
The warehouse features a 12-metre useful height, a Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) logistics system, American-sourced refrigeration equipment, 24/7 digital temperature monitoring with remote access, energy-efficient LED lighting, and Hörmann loading ramps.
Mega Company's broader portfolio encompasses four industrial logistics parks, more than 10 cold storage warehouses, over 100,000 sqm of industrial space, 8,300 sqm of managed office space, and renewable energy production exceeding 2.1 MWh.
CEO Salah Turkmani cited reliable, modern logistics capacity as central to the company's client commitments. (Business Forum)
Macfarlane Packaging introduces eutecma's cold chain system in the UK Macfarlane Packaging has partnered with German cold chain specialist eutecma to distribute its PROTECT and ICECATCH solutions to UK customers across pharmaceutical, healthcare, and food supply chains.
The PROTECT system is a modular, reusable insulated box designed to optimise payload efficiency by allowing customers to adjust configurations for different shipment sizes and temperature requirements, reducing unused space and the cost of shipping excess volume.
When paired with ICECATCH high-performance cooling elements, the combined system maintains temperature stability for up to 120 hours across ambient, chilled, and frozen ranges.
Sustainability is integral to eutecma's model; the company's retecma reverse logistics process supports circularity through recovery, reconditioning, and recycling of packaging materials.
Macfarlane Sales Manager Brad Fisher highlighted the dual benefit of guaranteed temperature performance and reduced shipping costs, while eutecma CEO Kevin Grogan emphasised the importance of real-time product availability in advancing healthcare supply chains. (Cold Chain News)
Robinson Fresh opens border cold chain hub Robinson Fresh, a division of C.H. Robinson, has opened a $33 million, 142,600 sq ft logistics center in Pharr, Texas, approximately 4.5 miles from the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge.
The facility is designed to reduce border dwell times and protect cold chain integrity for fresh produce entering the U.S. from Mexico and South America, including mangoes, bananas, avocados, tropicals, and limes.
The center features 69 dock doors, multiple temperature zones, and services including cooling, ripening, quality control, repacking, and cross-dock operations. It holds Global Food Safety Initiative and USDA Organic certifications.
Texas handles 55% of all U.S. produce imports from Mexico, and the Pharr location provides strategic access to two international bridges, McAllen International Airport, rail connections, and the ports of Brownsville and Matamoros. (Freight Waves)
ENOUGH project maps pathway to decarbonise Europe's food cold chain The EU-funded ENOUGH project (2021–2025), involving 30 partners across 12 countries, has demonstrated that deep decarbonisation of Europe's food cold chain is both technically feasible and achievable by 2050, with a 55% emissions reduction possible by 2030.
Food and agriculture account for approximately 34% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with post-farm gate activities contributing around 11%.
The project developed emissions models for ten countries, created sector-specific decarbonisation roadmaps covering food processing, cold storage, transport, retail, food service, and domestic use, and validated 21 real-world technology demonstrators advancing multiple technologies to TRL 9.
Key pathways include natural refrigerants, electrification, integrated heating and cooling, waste heat recovery, advanced freezing methods, and digital monitoring tools.
The project concludes that coordinated policy support, sustained investment, and full value-chain approaches, rather than isolated interventions, are essential to achieving climate neutrality. (Sintef)
Other headlines
Ontime has acquired Campillo Palmera, a perishable goods and industrial logistics specialist, to strengthen its international refrigerated transport capabilities and expand its European footprint.
Americold has launched its Fit for Purpose cost-cutting initiative targeting more than $25 million in run-rate savings by Q1 2027, with approximately one third expected to be realized in 2026 through reductions in SG&A and regional overhead.
CJ Logistics has deployed its internally developed Loyce Temperature real-time monitoring system across 40 logistics centers in South Korea, with plans to expand to more than 150 locations by next year, covering temperature ranges from -30°C to 70°C for cold chain and worker heat-safety applications.
Amerit Fleet Solutions has acquired Pro Reefer, a Canada-based refrigerated trailer maintenance and repair company, expanding its geographic reach into Canada.
That’s it for this week!
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