🧊 Theale cold storage takes shape

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

In today’s edition:

• Construction well underway at the new CubeCold facility in Theale

• DHL Group to invest EUR 2 Billion by 2030 in DHL Health Logistics

• GCCA releases 2025 "Global Top 25 List" of refrigerated warehouse and logistics providers

• STEF partners with Toyota and Plug Power for hydrogen forklift solutions

• Scientists develop bio-based foam packs for cold-chain food transport

• Influence of pallet height on apple cold storage performance - Scientific Report

CubeCold

Theale cold storage takes shape CubeCold is excited to share that construction is well underway at the new cold storage facility in Theale.

Structural steel work has commenced, and groundwork and piling are ongoing.

It's great to see the vision taking shape so quickly!

News

DHL Group to invest EUR 2 Billion by 2030 in DHL Health Logistics DHL Group has announced a €2 billion investment in DHL Health Logistics by 2030 to enhance its global healthcare logistics capabilities.

• The investment, distributed across the Americas (50%), Asia Pacific (25%), and EMEA (25%), aligns with the company's "Strategy 2030" and aims to create more resilient, scalable supply chains for healthcare customers.

• The funds will expand DHL's infrastructure for temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, including new GDP-certified Pharma Hubs, cold chain capacity, and specialized cooling systems for clinical trials, biopharma, and cell and gene therapies.

• DHL will also implement advanced IT systems for end-to-end visibility.

• This announcement comes just a week after DHL acquired CRYOPDP, a Nashville-based logistics company that provides courier services for the biopharma industry. (DHL)

GCCA releases 2025 "Global Top 25 List" of refrigerated warehouse and logistics providers The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) has published its annual "Global Top 25 List" recognizing the largest temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics members within the association.

• GCCA members now operate 8.16 billion cubic feet (231 million cubic meters) of temperature-controlled space, with capacity growing by over 10% in 2025.

• The Global Top 25 operators manage 7.3 billion cubic feet, while regional leaders include North American Top 25 (5 billion cubic feet), European Top 10 (1.43 billion cubic feet), and Latin American Top 10 (578 million cubic feet).

• Since 2024, significant growth occurred across all regions: Global Top 25 capacity increased by 640 million cubic feet, North America by 629 million cubic feet, Europe by 263 million cubic feet, and Latin America by 137 million cubic feet.

• According to Adam Thocher, GCCA Senior Vice President, despite higher capital costs, industry growth in 2024 outpaced the previous two years, with continued investment in expansion projects indicating optimism about future demand. (GCCA)

STEF partners with Toyota and Plug Power for hydrogen forklift solutions STEF Group, a European leader in temperature-controlled food logistics, has launched two hydrogen projects with Toyota Material Handling Europe and Plug Power at cold storage facilities in Athis-Mons, France and Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain.

• The initiative will deploy 115 hydrogen-powered forklifts (48 in France, 67 in Spain) that can be refueled in under three minutes.

• In France, green hydrogen is delivered to the site, while in Spain, it's produced on-site using an electrolyzer powered by a 2.9 MWp rooftop solar plant.

• The projects highlight hydrogen's advantages in cold storage environments (-18° to +4°C), including increased operational productivity, longer fuel cell lifespan (10 years versus 5 for traditional batteries), and reduced accident risk during refueling.

• This partnership is part of STEF's Moving Green climate initiative, which aims to use 100% low-carbon energy in their buildings by the end of 2025.

• Toyota currently services 6,000 STEF forklifts across Europe, while Plug Power will provide its complete GenKey ecosystem for both sites. (STEF)

Scientists develop bio-based foam packs for cold-chain food transport Finnish and Spanish researchers have created an innovative bio-based packaging solution for cold-chain food transport that addresses growing consumer demand for sustainable and functional packaging.

• The foam combines polyethylene glycol with cellulose structure and pomegranate peel powder.

• This multifunctional material provides three key benefits: stable thermal regulation through phase change materials , antibacterial protection from natural pomegranate compounds, and structural integrity from cellulose that prevents PEG leakage during temperature changes.

• Life cycle assessment conducted according to ISO 14040/44 standards revealed the bio-based foam reduces carbon footprint by 25% compared to conventional petroleum-based alternatives.

• Published in Sustainable Materials and Technologies, the research demonstrates these bio-based foams meet technical requirements for temperature-sensitive food transport while offering a sustainable alternative to fossil-based polystyrene, polyurethane, and vacuum-insulated panels. (Packaging Insights)

Scientific Report

Influence of pallet height on apple cold storage performance This study examines how pallet height affects energy consumption and cooling effectiveness in apple cold storage using validated CFD simulations.

• Researchers tested four configurations (No pallet, 0.3m, 0.6m, and 0.9m heights) over a 40-hour cooling period.

• The 0.3m pallet height demonstrated optimal performance across multiple metrics, achieving the lowest mean crate temperature (4.7°C, 8.7% lower), lowest thermal heterogeneity (3.29, 14.42% lower), lowest compressor energy consumption per kelvin (1.474 kWh/K, 0.5% lower), and highest cooling effectiveness (0.4, 5.37% higher).

• The no-pallet configuration disrupted proper airflow, resulting in insufficient cooling, while taller pallets (0.6m and 0.9m) created excessive air spacing that increased thermal heterogeneity.

• The study was validated against experimental data with a maximum normalized root mean square error of 4.57%, indicating high accuracy.

• These findings provide practical guidance for optimizing pallet configurations in commercial refrigerated warehouses and post-harvest supply chains, promoting energy efficiency in cold storage operations. (Nature)

Other headlines

DP World has launched a $2 million temperature-controlled distribution facility in Walvis Bay, Namibia, supporting regional food service growth and economic development.

Vertical Cold Storage has acquired Arctic Logistics' 140,000 sq ft Canton, Michigan facility with 20,000 pallet positions, marking their fifth acquisition in 12 months.

The 21st European Conference on heat pump and cooling technologies will be hosted at the Politecnico di Milano in June 2025, featuring five specialized sessions with over 40 presentations covering technical innovations, policies, and environmental topics.

Articul8 launches domain-specific A8-SupplyChain GenAI models that autonomously translate complex technical documentation into actionable sequences for optimized supply chain operations.

Denholm UK Logistics Limited and Denholm Good Logistics Limited are uniting under the single trading brand "Denholm Good Logistics" to enhance market presence.

Plymouth-based Armoric Freight celebrates its 50th anniversary by purchasing three new gold-colored refrigerated trucks.

The UK's leading cold chain event, Cold Chain Hub, returns to Birmingham's NEC on September 9-10, 2025, featuring new "Truck Zone" and "Food Logistics Zone" areas, a free conference program, and the 12th annual TCS&D Awards ceremony.

That’s it for today!

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