Cold Connection (IARW-WFLO)

2012 IARW Top 25 lists indicate positive industry growth

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

The International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses has released its annual IARW Global Top 25 List of the public refrigerated warehouses with the greatest capacity of warehouse space in the world. Accompanying the Global Top 25 is the IARW North American Top 25 List. Companies on both lists reported increased capacity. The Global Top 25 currently operates 3.15 billion cubic feet (89.28 million cubic meters) — an impressive 7 percent increase from 2011. The North American Top 25 currently operates 2.57 billion cubic feet (72.82 million cubic meters) — a 2 percent increase from 2011.

How does your facility's age compare to national benchmarks?

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

IARW is currently soliciting responses to the 2012 IARW Productivity and Benchmarking Report. In addition to capturing financial and performance benchmarks for the North American public refrigerated warehousing industry, the survey also collects data about facility age and design. In the 2010 IARW Productivity and Benchmarking Report, approximately 19 percent of facilities surveyed were less than 10 years old, 52 percent were 20 years old or less, and 40 percent were more than 30 years old. How will your facilities compare in 2012? Find out by participating in the 2012 survey. All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the report, which is worth $1,000. Responses are due by May 31.

Connie Says: State of the market

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Lockton Companies, the official IARW Insurance Service Partner, recently published an overview of the state of the property/casualty insurance industry. According to the report, the property/casualty insurance industry turned in a mixed performance during the 2011 year. Although profitability declined amid high catastrophe losses and reduction in the flow of excess loss reserves, premium growth is accelerating, investment earnings were more robust than anticipated and policyholders’ surplus declined only modestly (4.6 percent as of September 2011) from its all-time record high of $564.7 billion set as of March 2011. Fundamentally, the property/casualty insurance industry remains quite strong financially with capital adequacy ratios remaining high relative to long-term historical averages. The outlook for 2012 is a cautious one given continued high catastrophe losses and uncertainty in the investment markets. Economic growth is expected to accelerate modestly due to increasing consumer confidence with spending and investments. As exposures grow, demand for commercial insurance is expected to increase.

Impact of consumer grocery trends on the cold chain

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Green, fresh, local to describe the types of food more people are buying. At the 2012 Food Logistics Forum, J.H. Campbell of Associate Grocers Inc., will explain how consumer buying trends at the grocery store will impact the refrigerated and frozen food supply chain in the years to come. Don't miss this session and more at the 2012 Food Logistics Forum, being held June 3-5 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

American Cold Storage announces staff changes

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

American Cold Storage recently announced several new staff changes. Charles Cheatham has been promoted to director of sales and marketing. Christy Ward has been promoted to warehouse manager. Lisa Blackburn has been promoted to office manager. Finally, Robert J. DeRuyscher, ACS vice president of sales and marketing, retired from American Cold Storage in April. DeRuyscher worked in the cold storage business for more than 40 years, serving at Kelloggs, Nabisco, Mr. Smith's Frozen Foods, and Edwards Banking Company, along with American Cold Storage.

Diversified Port Holdings' equity sponsor reaches agreement to acquire Patriot Rail Corp.

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

An affiliate of SteelRiver Infrastructure Partners, Diversified Port Holdings' equity sponsor, reached an agreement May 8 to acquire 100 percent of Patriot Rail Corp. Patriot is a leading operator of short line and regional freight railroads in the United States.

Accellos announces AccellosOne Workspace V2.6

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Accellos announced the latest version of AccellosOne Workspace, its composite application framework that provides the foundation for its current and future products.

Dickman Farms, LLC gains truck tracking, reporting capabilities with Accellos' Prophesy OnDemand cloud trucking solution

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Accellos released a case study of its customer Dickman Farms, LLC. The study illustrates how the New York, USA-based garden center and agricultural hauler moved from a competing product to Accellos' cloud trucking software solution, Prophesy OnDemand.

BAC announces TrilliumSeries Condenser

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Baltimore Aircoil Company introduced the TrilliumSeries Condenser, BAC's newest refrigeration product. The TrilliumSeries Condenser uses a patented Dry-Coil Adiabatic Design that provides up to 18 percent peak energy reduction, uses up to 60 percent less refrigerant charge, and lowers operating costs with a smaller refrigeration system.

Datex debuts new inventory, manufacturing software for cheese industry

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Supply chain software developer Datex Corporation recently introduced a warehouse management software solution which integrates cheese manufacturing and inventory storage. Developed with input from a major U.S. cheese manufacturer, the new inventory software solution includes features specifically used in cheese production such as tracking of vendor lot with vat code, inspection schedules and workflows and lot track and trace by ingredient.

Hannibal Industries announces strategic alliance with Scott PHS

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Hannibal Industries Inc. announced its strategic alliance with New Zealand-based Scott PHS. Scott PHS was Hannibal Industries' integrating partner on the recent Pallet Shuttle by Autosat installation at the Lion distribution center in Chelsea Heights, Australia.

Stellar expands 2 distribution facilities

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Stellar, an architecture, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm, has completed United States Cold Storage's phase-two expansion of its Turlock, California, USA, refrigerated warehouse, and has begun construction on Dot Foods' expansion of its Mt. Sterling, Illinois, USA facility.

Firms to invest in food production for world's poor

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

The Obama administration has drafted some of the world's largest food and finance companies to invest more than $3 billion in projects aimed at helping the world's poorest farmers grow enough food to not only feed themselves and their families but to earn a livelihood as well.

Wegmans opens new warehouse, creates new jobs

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Wegmans has opened a $70 million facility in Pennsylvania, USA, that will handle fresh and frozen products and add more than 200 new job to the region.

More than 15,000 pounds of turkey burger misbranded, recalled

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

California, USA-based Foster Farms is recalling about 15,000 pounds of a turkey burger product because the product contains a seasoning mix with hydrolyzed soy protein, a known allergen, not declared on the label.

Kellogg launches historic rebranding

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Kellogg Co. has undertaken the biggest makeover of the venerable Kellogg's brand in company history. The update is showcased the brand's completely redesigned website, which has launched in the United States and Canada.

How to keep your supply chain cold

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

There are three pieces of information every manager needs to know about perishable products in their supply chain: How many do I have? Where are they? When do they expire?

Lifeway Foods announces major retail expansion

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

Lifeway Foods Inc., a leading supplier of frozen and refrigerated kefir products, announced an agreement nearly tripling distribution of its kefir line in Target stores as well as adding new Lifeway products to Target's dairy cases.

Tuna scrape-related Salmonella outbreak sickens 316 people

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

An outbreak of Salmonella-related illnesses has sickened 316 people to date, in 26 states plus the District of Columbia, USA. Investigators agree that a frozen, raw yellowfin tuna product known as Nakaochi Scrape from Moon Marine USA Corp. is the likely source of the outbreak.

Minnesota, USA, firm recalls steakhouse burgers

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

J&B Group is recalling about 450 pounds of steakhouse burgers because the product contains a seasoning mix with hydrolyzed soy and wheat proteins, known allergens, not declared on the label.

Salad recall widens after Listeria contamination suspected

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

River Ranch Fresh Foods LLC of Salinas, California, USA, is expanding its voluntary recall of retail and food service bagged salads, because they have the potential of being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Products under this recall were distributed throughout the United States and Canada in various sizes, packaged under the brand names of River Ranch and Sysco.

Chile's salmon industry making a comeback

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

An estimated production of 700,000 tons of salmon is expected for Chile this year, a 20 percent increase of the 600,000 tons produced in 2011, according to a recent presentation done for future investors by two important salmon producing companies, Multiexport Foods and Australis Seafoods. The industry officials claim that Chile has a great potential of growth in salmon production, with a capacity of expansion of 70 percent over last year's output.

FDA updates industry on FSMA questions

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

The FDA has posted new information about the Food Safety Modernization Act's requirements for food facility registration, answering two frequently asked questions: Does the Food Safety Modernization Act require a food facility to submit additional information to FDA in order for the facility to receive a food facility registration number? Will food facilities already registered with FDA under section 415 of the FD&C Act be required to renew their registrations during the October–December 2012 registration renewal period?

USDA reopens comment period for proposed mad cow rules

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is reopening the comment period to allow more feedback on proposed rules that would bring U.S. regulations on bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, in line with worldwide standards. The new deadline on the proposal, which was introduced in March, is June 14, according to a document slated for publication in the "Federal Register."

Free trade deal begins between Colombia, US

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

A free trade agreement between the U.S. and Colombia has taken effect after years of negotiations and despite strong opposition from U.S. labor organizations, which are worried about jobs being sent abroad and union-busting violence in Colombia.

FDA: Korean shellfish at risk for feces exposure

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

The U.S. is curbing shellfish imports from South Korea after food safety regulators determined that inadequate sanitation may have exposed oysters, mussels, clams and scallops to human fecal waste.

FSIS, beef industry praised for preemptive E. coli action

22 May 2012 15:34:52 CDT

The U.S. beef industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service have been showered with praise after showing "strong initiative" in their efforts to prevent E.coli contamination during processing, according to a report from the Office of Inspector General.