Lineage survey shows cold chain leaders embracing AI and resilience

CVC consortium launches €10.9bn offer for Italian drugmaker Recordati

Everwood Capital acquires Grupo Transmolbo to build European refrigerated transport group

Lineage opens new seafood warehouse in Bremerhaven

Construction begins on LogiPoint's cold chain logistics hub in Jeddah

Leaders are building resilience by embedding flexibility into network design and deepening collaboration with logistics partners.

Investment in data and artificial intelligence is paying off, with 60% citing it among the top factors benefiting their supply chains, 24% reporting returns that already exceed investments, and 62% seeing returns meet or approach targets.

Demand for refrigerated and frozen foods continues to grow, with 72% reporting increased demand over the past year.

The survey points to strong opportunities for 3PL providers that deliver flexible capacity, real-time visibility, and integrated intelligence.

The report concludes that connected, intelligent, and flexible operations will increasingly define success across the cold chain. (Lineage)

The buyers, which include Belgium's Groupe Bruxelles Lambert as co-lead investor, made a voluntary cash offer of €51.29 ($55.50) a share, a move that would delist Recordati from the Milan stock exchange.

The price represents a roughly 13% premium to the share price on March 25, when CVC first expressed interest, though it falls below some analysts' targets above €60.

CVC has been the drugmaker's largest shareholder since acquiring the founding family's controlling stake in 2018.

Other consortium members include the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, CPP Investment Board Private Holdings, PSP Europe, and a fund linked to heir Andrea Recordati. (FT)

Founded in 1978, the family-owned company generates €25 million ($27 million) in revenue and operates 2,000 square meters of groupage facilities in Ribarroja del Turia.

Its operations focus on international routes to France, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Grupo Transmolbo will be integrated with Transportes Cruz, also backed by the Fund, creating a combined group with roughly €70 million ($76 million) in revenue, 340 professionals, and a fleet exceeding 620 vehicles across Spain.

Partner Juan José Andrés said the deal advances the goal of building a benchmark Iberian cold chain platform for Europe.

The transaction marks the Fund's 14th acquisition in its logistics portfolio. Everwood Capital manages over €900 million ($975 million) in assets. (Capital Riesgo)

Located at Fischereihafen in the heart of the city's food industry sector, the 19,000 sqm warehouse offers 40,000 pallet positions, 18 dock doors, and direct quay access, enabling efficient movement of fresh and frozen seafood from port to storage.

It will serve as a key distribution point for imports from Asia-Pacific markets, including China, before onward distribution across Europe.

Claire Walters, Regional Vice President, Netherlands & Germany, called Bremerhaven one of Europe's most important seafood hubs and a strategically important location within Lineage's global network.

Eduardo Bachiega, Chief Supply Officer at Nomad Foods, praised the partnership's flexibility and reliability, while Kristina Vogt, Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports and Transformation for the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, said the facility creates jobs and supports long-term economic growth. (Lineage)

Spanning 12,000 sqm and scheduled for completion by 31 December 2026, the facility is designed to meet growing demand for high-quality temperature-controlled logistics real estate in the Kingdom.

It will feature four temperature-controlled chambers, each covering 3,000 square metres, enabling occupiers to manage varied storage and distribution needs within a scalable environment.

The development offers a clear internal height of 13.5 metres to maximise storage capacity, with each chamber equipped with dedicated loading bays, dock levellers, access ramps, and office space.

Sustainability is a key focus, with the facility being designed to achieve LEED certification in line with international standards. (Construction Business News)