🧊 European airports strengthen cold chain infrastructure

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

In today’s edition:

• European airports strengthen cold chain infrastructure for medical and pharmaceutical logistics

• Speculative cold storage construction slowing down in the US

• HTL Freight acquires TS3 Logistics, expanding into temperature-controlled freight

• Lineage streamlines import process with newly certified customs bonded warehouse space in Seattle

News

European airports strengthen cold chain infrastructure for medical and pharmaceutical logistics Two major European aviation hubs are significantly expanding their temperature-controlled cargo capabilities to meet growing demand for pharmaceutical and perishable goods transport.

• Leipzig/Halle Airport is establishing itself as a critical hub in Germany's medical logistics network, specializing in express freight and pharmaceutical handling.

• The airport operates one of Europe's largest air cargo facilities with GDP-certified handling infrastructure specifically designed for temperature-sensitive therapeutics.

• Meanwhile, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo has expanded its Paris-Charles de Gaulle facility by adding two new temperature-controlled cool rooms maintaining +2°C/+8°C conditions.

• Both developments reflect the aviation industry's strategic response to increasing global demand for reliable cold chain logistics, driven by evolving pharmaceutical regulations and growing healthcare needs across Europe. (BBN, BBN)

Speculative cold storage construction slowing down in the US Speculative cold storage construction is experiencing a significant slowdown after a post-pandemic building boom.

• According to Colliers research, only five speculative cold storage projects totaling 1.1 million square feet were completed in 2024, compared to 19 projects totaling 5.2 million square feet in 2022-2023 combined.

• The market shift is driven by rising interest rates and economic uncertainty, with development now primarily focused on build-to-suit opportunities rather than speculative construction.

• Key players including Saxum, RL Cold, Americold, and Lineage have led recent development, typically building facilities between 200,000-350,000 square feet.

• Despite the current slowdown, long-term prospects remain strong - global cold storage, currently valued at $160 billion, is projected to grow at 18.1% CAGR from 2025-2030.

• Industry experts expect speculative construction to rebound in 2-3 years as existing inventory is absorbed and demand grows for modern, multi-temperature facilities, particularly near ports and intermodal hubs. (AJOT)

HTL Freight acquires TS3 Logistics, expanding into temperature-controlled freight HTL Freight, a rapidly expanding third-party logistics company, has acquired TS3 Logistics, a California-based freight brokerage specializing in temperature-controlled and LTL reefer transportation.

• This marks HTL's fifth acquisition in four years, strategically expanding their capabilities into high-value, niche logistics services while establishing a West Coast presence.

• TS3 Logistics brings expertise in California's Central Valley, a critical agricultural and food distribution hub.

• The acquisition enables HTL to offer temperature-sensitive transportation services and creates cross-selling opportunities across their existing customer base.

• HTL CEO Onu Okebie emphasized this continues their deliberate strategy to build a best-in-class freight brokerage through targeted acquisitions that add operational depth and geographic reach. (HTL Freight)

Lineage streamlines import process with newly certified customs bonded warehouse space in Seattle Lineage, Inc., the world's largest temperature-controlled warehouse REIT, has announced that its Seattle-Garfield facility at the Port of Seattle is now certified as a Class 3 Public bonded storage facility.

• This marks Lineage's first customs bonded facility in Washington state and one of the first refrigerated bonded storage facilities in the Seattle market.

• The certification enables the facility to store imported temperature-sensitive goods under US Customs and Border Protection supervision until they're cleared for domestic commerce or re-export.

• The facility offers cold storage, drayage, temperature-controlled rail, and on-demand trucking services, complementing existing USDA and FDA inspection capabilities.

• The Seattle facility joins Lineage's growing network of 10 bonded warehouse locations and 42 USDA-approved I-House facilities nationwide. (Lineage)

Other headlines

KDSA Investment Partners acquired Williams Distributors, the Northwest's leading direct-store-delivery distributor of frozen foods, in partnership with Greyrock Capital Group to build a scaled independent DSD platform across the region.

ITS Logistics launched a national Food & Beverage Logistics Hub network spanning over 4 million square feet across Reno, Dallas, and Indianapolis to provide two-day reach to 95% of the US.

Amazon announced a £40 billion investment in UK logistics and infrastructure over three years, including four new fulfilment centres, upgrades to 100+ existing sites, AWS data centre expansion, and job creation for thousands of workers.

The Africa-Asia Intercontinental Cold Chain Summit 2026 will convene over 500 delegates from 30+ countries in Kigali, Rwanda in April 2026 to establish the Africa-Asia Cold Chain Alliance and adopt a strategic roadmap for building resilient cold chain infrastructure across both continents.

Bimco, the world's largest shipowners organization, warns that shipping threats around the Arabian Peninsula are rising due to Israel-Iran conflict and US strikes, with freight rates surging up to 154% as vessels face increased risks in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea.

IRS Eastern and Carrier Transicold launched the Philippines' first all-electric truck refrigeration unit, the Pulsor eCool series, featuring fast pulldown capabilities and up to 32% energy savings.

The GT Mini is a temperature monitoring system and data logger for medical cold chain applications that provides end-to-end traceability with customizable settings, mobile/web access, and exportable temperature reports.

That’s it for this week!

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