Hello Cold Chain Colleagues,
We kicked off Q2 with momentum, starting with one of the most energizing senior leadership meetings we’ve ever had. Our theme for the meeting was Mission: Execution and we’re living up to that… with five major projects started last year and two more already approved this year. Two of these are complete, two more will complete later this summer and two more will finish by the end of the year – we are on the move.
This level of execution happens because of the commitment from our Cold Crew. It involves every level, from warehouse associates, operators, engineers, and transportation teams to safety, technology, customer service, HR, Customer Experience, Business Development, and site leadership. This vision is being delivered by hands-on dedication and determination. When every team member owns the mission, results follow.
Our next major collaboration effort was our Customer Advisory Board, a dedicated forum where we gather insights directly from customers about their current needs and future plans. It’s a vital part of how we stay connected, understand where the market is heading, and ensure we’re evolving in step with those we serve. The most recent meeting confirmed some important signals. Industry dynamics are shifting to evolving consumer preferences, economic pressures, and the drive to improve supply chain performance.
Our customers are sharpening their ability to adapt by improving inventory flow, increasing speed to market, and investing in high- impact partnerships. Their priorities are changing, creating leaner, smarter, more flexible networks that can respond to market shifts in real time.
These conversations gave us a front-row seat to how quickly the landscape is evolving and why service, trust, and responsiveness matter now more than ever. As our customers adapt to the future, so is US Cold. They’re evolving to meet new demands, and we are matching that agility in how we support and serve them.
Our Q2 finished strong with Strategy Day 2025, a focused and forward-looking session supported by our Board. This is more than a planning meeting, it was a recommitment to how we grow with purpose. We looked ahead with clarity and urgency, aligning on how we will serve our core customers in the regions where population is growing, where demand is rising, and where we can make the greatest impact.
We identified three hyper-focus areas:
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First, we are applying a data-informed framework that guides where and how we grow. It blends population trends, regional economic indicators, food manufacturing activity, and operational cost factors. We are focused on the right kind of growth, in the right markets, for the right reasons.
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Second, we are continuing to advance our approach to automation and technology. What we have learned and developed in our automated buildings we are now applying across our broader network. Even in conventional facilities, we can increase automation improving processes product flow, using AI, advanced algorithms, and upgrading equipment on the floor. We are creating and integrating smarter systems and programs that allow us to move faster, operate more safely, and deliver even stronger results.
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Third, with major expansions already in progress, we are on track to finish this phase strong. What comes next will be driven by bold thinking, customer alignment, and a clear focus on delivering value where it matters most. That includes new builds in high-priority markets and targeted retrofits that elevate our existing network with the smartest tools and technology available. Swire’s support for our direction remains strong, and our shared vision is clear. Together, we are building more than storage, we are shaping the future of the cold chain.
As we look ahead, Q3 will be a true sprint season for US Cold, with Lebanon and Hebron, IN, and McClellan Park, CA, all nearing completion. And that is exactly where our focus belongs. Some years are about execution and this is one of them.
This is what Mission: Execution looks like in practice. It means clear priorities, shared accountability, and follow-through at every level.
Together, we are proving what it means to be the best in cold, the best in people, and the best in execution.
Have a great summer,
Larry Alderfer | President & CEO
Eyes on the Prize
US Cold Bethlehem, PA, eyes fall 2026 for automated addition.
Northeasterners associate Bethlehem, PA, with the steel industry and longtime leader Bethlehem Steel, which was headquartered there from 1857 to 2003.
Today finds another industry leader, United States Cold Storage, also putting up steel there as part of an automated, Phase IV expansion to its USCS Bethlehem operation.
Interestingly, USCS Bethlehem is even located on a former Bethlehem steel mill site and USCS just broke ground for its latest expansion there in February 2024. Officials now expect by September 2026 to complete the addition, which will represent USCS’s first fully automated system in the Northeast. Upon completion, USCS Bethlehem will operate 13.3 million cubic feet of traditional refrigerated and frozen storage with 45,000 pallet positions. The new 7.6 million-cubic- foot automated section will add 23,436 more pallet positions and utilize an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS).
“To continue fueling our customers’ growth in the Northeast, we’re expanding our footprint,” says Katie McElgunn, Senior Manager, Business Development-North. “This will reinforce our support for existing partners and create new opportunities in a high-demand market.”
For the record, USCS Bethlehem is a strategic, BRCGS-certified location that not only serves key northeast markets (New York City, Washington, D.C.) but also such growing southeast areas as Richmond, VA, and Raleigh, NC. The operation’s logistics offerings include less-than-truckload Coldshare Consolidation transportation in addition to services such as rail, export and repack handling.
What else is there to add? Automation.
Mitch Harper, Area General Manager-Bethlehem, says the expansion will add frozen storage (0°F to -5°F) operated by an ASRS system with five cranes and four aisles. He notes that one crane will feed a fully automated layer- pick system on a mezzanine level above the dock.
A new Dock 4 area will include 16 truck doors, along with a dock pad to manage the workflow, and an equipment lift to the mezzanine. In addition to the layer-pick system, the second level mezzanine area will include a control room, maintenance room, electrical room, fire room, and air compressor room.
“We pushed this project to a proposal phase in 2021 because of a large need for frozen space in the Northeast, post-Covid.” notes Harper.
This expansion will help keep core customers happy and create additional sellable space to secure other national accounts. This also will benefit our Northeast region and provide a training ground in automation for future expansions and buildings.”
Mitch Harper
General Manager, Bethlehem
Small Efforts, Big Impact
USCS warehouses embrace waste reduction, recycling and other earth-friendly activities from coast to coast.
United States Cold Storage joined businesses large and small who took note of “Earth Day” this April 22, 2025. Even so, a closer look suggests USCS embraces sustainability and Earth Day activities not just one day a year—but for 365 days.
And while the company occasionally grabs headlines for large-scale investments and projects, there are any number of smaller actions—day in, day out—that also make a meaningful difference.
“US Cold Storage is a company focused on action and we’re all about connecting our Cold Crew to our communities and the environment,” says Sara Cook, US Cold Sustainable Development Manager. “We celebrated 2025 Earth Day with many successful efforts reflecting this ethic.
Our efforts find purpose in local context and provide a sustainable outcome for all. Meanwhile, I’m proud to say we deliver exceptional value through customer service at locations all across the United States.”
Here are just a few fun and impactful ways US Cold is finding to …
… Reduce Food Waste: US Cold has several scalable projects to minimize waste sent to landfills. These efforts are
(1) eliminating single-use items such as utensils and cups;
(2) recycling; and (3) diverting organic food waste to beneficial use. For example, USCS Wilmington, IL, is eliminating single-use plastic utensils by providing each employee received a portable utensil kit. USCS Lumberton, NC, collects scrap wood waste from broken pallets for recycling.
USCS Quakertown East, PA, installed a baler for cardboard. Some sites also collect and combine packaging materials, plastics and paper for recycling.
The USCS Bethlehem, PA, “Green Team” has been a champion when it comes to diverting food waste in the Northeast Region. It diverted 791,487 lbs of food waste in 2024, and another 236,466 lbs prior to the end of May 2025! USCS Bethlehem was able to identify and divert suitable food—otherwise bound for landfills—to area food pantries and feeding shelters.
Starting in the second quarter of this year, the team also began completing D&D transport orders through USCS Logistics.
Other warehouses that are key contributors to US Cold’s food waste diversion program are McClellan Park, and Turlock, CA; Laredo 1 &3, Arlington and Dallas Cockrell Hill, TX; Quakertown West, PA; both McDonough 1 & 2, GA; and Omaha, NE.
… Reduce Plastic: US Cold warehouses nationwide have installed water re-fill stations for employees in breakrooms and office spaces. This minimizes single-use bottled water and reduces plastic waste that could end up in landfills and waterways. This demonstrates how US Cold is operationalizing sustainable development policies companywide.
Meanwhile, it recognizes local employee needs and contributes to a larger company effort. Some water re-fill units literally count and document the number of bottles avoided and these types of machines are located at Turlock (CA) South and Lebanon IN. There also are re-fill units that provide both hot and cold water and these were installed in Wilmington, IL; Lumberton, NC, and McDonough (GA) 2.
… Partner with US Cold Communities: US Cold Syracuse, UT, observed “Earth Day” when 14 team members traveled to the Utah State Botanical Garden and cleaned up walking trails and fishing ponds. The US Cold crew collected and disposed of more than 100lbs of waste.
Four Your Consideration: Our Takes on Tech
Leaders share updates, insights on USCS growth in four key technology areas.
We live in a three-dimensional world of width, height, and depth. And that certainly applies to the tangible, day-to-day handling, storage, and shipping of refrigerated and frozen foods. But what if there was a fourth dimension, something not exactly visible to the eye, but just as real?
When The Shield wanted a “state-of-the-art” perspective on information technology, Bobby Kareer, USCS Vice President of Technology, explained that it’s not a simple topic. In fact, he noted that the company’s Technology group operates daily across as many as four platforms: Information Technology Operations, Software, Business-to-Business and Customer Technologies, and Data and Process Engineering.
To help provide a broad and yet in-depth look at the company’s latest activities, Kareer invited several USCS executives to sound off. Here’s a fun, across-the-board look at meaningful progress in many areas.
Mike Nassar, Director, Information Technology
Q: What’s “state of the art” in your function area?
Nassar: The state of the art in IT operations today includes a cloud-first infrastructure, AI-driven automation, and proactive monitoring and management. These advancements enable more efficient operations, enhanced security, and improved scalability.
Q: What were your group’s key activities in 2024?
Nassar: I can point to four things—involving data center migration, cloud migration, network enhancements, and IT asset management.
Respectively, we consolidated two New Jersey-based data centers to one new data center in Philadelphia.
In regard to the cloud, we migrated the virtual machines from both New Jersey data centers to a Microsoft Azure platform. We also planned the migration of our Dallas, TX, virtual machines (located on premise) to Azure as well.
We enhanced our network when we implemented MIST, an AI-based network automation tool, across multiple facilities. Finally, we also imported all IT assets into a centralized tool and implemented an asset disposal process.
Q: What are you most proud of from 2024?
Nassar: Last year’s most significant achievement was the successful relocation of the New Jersey data centers to Philadelphia. Our most notable accomplishments also were implementing MIST for network automation and formalizing IT asset management processes.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing your area in 2025?
Nassar: This year’s biggest challenge is to ensure solid internet and network connectivity across all facilities. We want to minimize operational interruptions while we keep up with facility expansions and new buildings. This involves upgrading outdated network infrastructure, implementing reliable connectivity solutions, and managing network upgrades for new and existing facilities.
Q: What are your top three goals for 2025?
Nassar: I’ve mentioned this already but one goal is to enhance an outdated network infrastructure. We need to upgrade our network infrastructure across multiple facilities to ensure reliable and secure connectivity. This includes implementing advanced solutions such as MIST and Starlink Internet to minimize operational interruptions.
Secondly, we want to support digital transformation initiatives. This means we collaborate with various IT teams to optimize cloud infrastructure, streamline server migrations, and enhance security protocols. These efforts will support the organization’s digital transformation and improve overall efficiency.
Finally, we want to strengthen our Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery (DR) capabilities. This will make our organization more resilient and better prepared to handle interruptions across critical systems. This means formalizing processes, conducting regular tests, and ensuring high-availability design in all supported solutions.
Deb Molinski, Director, Product and Integration Chris Carcel, Associate Director, Software Development
Q: What’s “state of the art” in your function area?
Molinski: Our bespoke Phenix Enterprise Warehouse Management System provides our warehouses with a modernized web solution. It offers hundreds of configurations to service our many customers’ needs. Phenix is a robust, intuitive and customizable WMS and presents fully integrated solutions with EDI, Transportation, Automation, Web Customer Portal, Labor and Yard Management.
Carcel: Modern software development that runs seamlessly in the cloud and on-premise. It leverages recent advances in tooling to accelerate application development and it reduces the amount of manual and repetitive coding required.
Q: What were your group’s key activities in 2024?
Molinski: We worked on Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) automation projects involving conveyance and we integrated Dynamic Layer Pick technology. We also re-factored integration with our transportation system (Mercury Gate). We also kicked off PaSS (Phenix as Self Service) and user-driven Data Migration capabilities. This is a companywide initiative.
Carcel: I’m proud to say we achieved zero-downtime deployment, delivered our first Phenix system integrated with full automation, and delivered our Phenix system integrated with layer-pick technology.
Q: What are you most proud of from 2024?
Molinski: I can think of three achievements here. We implemented a multifarious warehousing solution at our Lake City, FL, facility. We integrated very narrow aisles with dynamic layer and case-pick solutions serviced by integrated conveyors. We also worked on Auto Positioning Turret Truck tasking features.
Carcel: Without a doubt, I’d point to zero downtime deployment.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing your area in 2025?
Molinski: I’d simply say capacity versus the number of requested development projects we have at the moment.
Carcel: Balancing on-boarding and our “go-lives” while we continue to roll out our second version of Phenix.
Q: What are your top three goals for 2025?
Molinski: Two of these involve new projects are in Indiana. We want to develop and deliver our AS/RS automation integration for the Hebron facility and for Gorton’s at our Lebanon facility. We also want to evolve our product team RoadMap collaboration and prioritization process.
Carcel: We want to deliver go-lives and expansions, accelerate our development velocity, and put at least one Phenix 2 system in production.
Zafer Louisa, Associate Director, B2B Systems Integration
Q: What’s “state of the art” in your function area?
Louisa: While Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) remains the backbone for the majority of business-to-business transactions, many modern 3PL providers are moving toward more flexible integration solutions such as application programming interface (API), file transfer protocol (FTP), and REST-based services. These provide easier and faster data transfer compared to traditional EDI.
Other alternative solutions like JSON-based APIs or Webhooks are being adopted for more agile, real-time B2B integrations. These technologies, combined with strong partnerships, robust data ecosystems, and a focus on customer experience, are shaping the “state of the art” in the B2B integration ecosystem for 3PL providers offering logistics and freight transportation services.
Q: What were your group’s key activities in 2024?
Louisa: We successfully completed B2B integration involving our Phenix system with customers in Lake City, FL, and Tulare North, CA. More importantly, we have decreased the functional EDI gaps in Phenix substantially, achieving 80% of the necessary functionality.
In other efforts, we upgraded our IBM Sterling Integrator Suite and moved it to Azure. We also successfully migrated from our legacy B2B application and servers.
Q: What are you most proud of from 2024?
Louisa: We maintained 99.9% uptime and optimal performance of our B2B applications and work streams, and closed more than 2,500 support tickets—60% of which were external. We also successfully completed 109 EDI customer projects with outstanding levels of customer satisfaction and positive feedback from our customers. We also achieved an ideal B2B integration cycle for our Phenix rollout at Tulare North.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing your area in 2025?
Louisa: We’re in the process of retiring our final legacy B2B application and this is a significant undertaking for our department. This transition is comparable in size and complexity to approximately 16 Phenix rollouts in terms of size and scope.
Successfully completing this transition, without disrupting our business or our customers, will be a true test of the expertise we’ve built over the years in the B2B space. It also tests our ability to execute with efficiency, careful planning, and precision.
Q: What are your top three goals for 2025?
Louisa: Retiring our Legacy Cleo B2B integration suite, closing the gap on B2B capabilities in Phenix, and enabling API integration for B2B.
Ravi Balike, Senior Manager, Data Engineering
Q: What’s “state of the art” in your function area?
Balike: We are in the process of shifting towards well-designed and documented dimensional modeling of our data warehouse to enable easier consumption by our business intelligence team. This is being further enhanced with semantic models to drive AI chatbots. Another key improvement is the transition towards real-time data to power our new customer portal and reports that require real-time information.
Q: What were your group’s key activities in 2024?
Balike: Development of data pipelines for secure, cost-effective, and robust data integrations. We successfully used a data science solution to detect and address EDI errors at McDonough II, GA. We also implemented LeanIX as our enterprise architecture management tool. Finally, we automated our account receivable follow-ups (dunning process) using a Power Platform solution.
Q: What are you most proud of from 2024?
Balike: I’d point to improvements with our team’s software development practice. We also developed a solution for secure integration of sensitive data.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing your area in 2025?
Balike: It’s facing evolving technologies, competing priorities, and limited resources.
Q: What are your top three goals for 2025?
Balike: I’d say ensuring even easier access to data—including data in real-time. We also want to build a robust data architecture to provide support for self-service analytics and data sharing. We also are looking at machine learning and artificial intelligence innovations and process automations to boost efficiency and achieve greater cost savings.
State of the Industry, Part Two
USCS executives sound off on key trends, topics and technologies impacting USCS and the cold chain.
The Shield sits down with USCS functional department heads to discuss changes, challenges, strategies and successes across all areas. In this first installment, we hear from functional leaders Dan Postlewaite, Dave Carr, and Michelle Grimes.
Executive: Dan Postlewaite, PE, Director
Function: Sustainability & Engineering
Q: What’s “state of the art” in your function area?
Postlewaite: I’ll take an engineering focus here and say we definitely are not afraid of new technology. Although our work and continued implementation of automation systems put us at the precipice of technology, this does not define the extent of our initiatives. Last year we piloted AI- driven refrigeration control software and looked at predictive refrigeration simulation software to assess operational efficiency. We constantly strive to test and integrate new technologies and we are lucky to have the latitude to do so.
Q: What were your group’s key activities in 2024?
Postlewaite: We had a big year in sustainability. We made significant progress on our renewable energy goals—not only by commissioning onsite renewable infrastructure but also by enrolling into green tariff programs at multiple locations. We also took a remarkable step in our sustainability and earned validation from the Science Based Target initiative. We also influenced the creation of a Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) task force that is focused on food waste reduction and energy conservation.
On the engineering front, I’m proud to say facilities in Tulare and McClellan, CA; Lowell and Lebanon, IN; Bethlehem, PA; and Denton, TX, were either in construction or coming to completion last year. Also consider that we had a plethora of solar arrays and technology implementation projects underway.
Engineering has been busy and there is no end in sight.
Q: What are you most proud of from 2024?
Postlewaite: We are most proud of sustainability and our progress in a waste recovery and reduction program. In the beginning of the year, we ran a pilot to find alternatives to landfilling for damages and dump-and-destroy products on behalf of our customers. By the end of the year 53% of the warehouses were able to participate and this resulted in 5,036,191 pounds of food waste diverted from landfills to compost, animal feed, or renewable natural gas. We are striving for full implementation by the end of 2025.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing your area in 2025?
Postlewaite: From an engineering perspective, I would simply say “growth.” We have lots of construction underway and there’s an extensive queue for even more projects in the planning phase. It’s a matter of balancing aggressive growth, staying on top of fluctuating market dynamics and integrating cutting-edge technologies. This makes for a very interesting time in engineering.
With regard to sustainability, we continue to make progress on our actionable initiatives. We’re also streamlining data collection activities and analysis for continued optimization.
Q: What are your top three goals for 2025?
Postlewaite: Although we have many engineering goals, our primary objective is to advance the program so that we can better realize what it means to be “Best in Cold.”
We will continue
(1) evolving and developing protocols
(2) testing new technologies
(3) working with stakeholders to incorporate lessons learned.
These are just some of the levers we utilize.
As for sustainability, we will
(1) implement our waste reduction and recovery activities
(2) advance our renewable energy and carbon reduction strategies
(3) strive for more holistic decision making as we connect insights from data involving operations and greenhouse gases.
Executive: David Carr, Senior Vice President
Function: Business Development
Q: What’s “state of the art” in your function area?
Carr: I’d say it’s our embrace of technology platforms and new tools for both customer resource management (CRM) and contract lifecycle management (CLM). With so many customers and prospective customers from coast to coast, CRM works in conjunction with our customer database to properly track and follow up, ensuring nothing is lost. We utilize tools such as Tableau and ZoomInfo, along with techniques like heatmapping, to more efficiently reach existing customers and scout for new ones. We leverage CLM to synchronize rates and manage all aspects of contract details.
There’s also greater emphasis on overall customer experience. This brings more analytics into the discussion using Tableau and other business intelligence tools. We’ve invested in technology to deliver more real-time reporting. I’m proud to say we are close to finalizing an all-encompassing customer portal, LYNX, which will elevate our service level. It’s quite exciting.
We’ve also brought analytical tools to our customer experience team so they can operate in real time and provide “hyper care.” This can include onboarding new customers or supporting transitions, such as our migration from the former WMS to the new Phenix platform—ensuring communication is proactive throughout. This has made a real difference.
Q: What were your group’s key activities in 2024?
Carr: We reestablished new pillars for our Customer Experience platform and grew our Business Development (BD) team with six new members. Specifically, we added logistics and transportation support within the customer service department. We also grew our Customer Account Management (CAM) training program. We bring these managers together once a year to help them synchronize daily processes and procedures, such as billing and accessorials.
From a broader perspective, customer account specialists and managers are one of the most important groups within our company. We invest in them, and they bring real passion to their work and to our customers.
Q: What are your top three goals for 2025?
Carr: First, we need to fill the significant new capacity that’s coming into our network. Second, we want to grow our LTL consolidation business alongside our full transportation offerings, both of which benefit our customers. Third, we’re focused on the continued development and training of our business development team.
In the end, all of these efforts support our customers by generating meaningful cost-saving initiatives—something that’s absolutely essential in today’s business environment.
Q: What are you most proud of from 2024?
Carr: I’m proud of the overall growth of our BD and customer experience teams and our consistent, proactive engagement with customers. We’re not just communicating—we’re presenting our long-term vision and uncovering opportunities that lead to real savings when implemented.
We’re always re-evaluating network efficiencies and driving programs like our less-than-truckload ColdShare Consolidation (CSC). At the same time, we’re looking for new ways to create smaller wins, such as handling shuttle freight between facilities or other transportation cost-reduction strategies.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing your area in 2025?
Carr: With so much new capacity coming online, our biggest priority is to fill that space while continuing to meet and anticipate customer needs. Meanwhile, we must remain flexible and responsive as the manufacturing and supply chain landscape shifts due to acquisitions, divestitures, and changing volume patterns.
Executive: Michelle Grimes, Senior Vice President
Function: Human Resources
Q: What’s “state of the art” in your function area?
Grimes: During the past several years, we prioritized efforts to automate Human Resources (HR) functions and implement integrated HR support elements or components.
To my first point, this was not just about eliminating manual processes for HR staff. Rather, we have expanded access, visibility, and transparency at all levels. Our leaders now have automated access to staff information, executive dashboards with workforce and business analytics.
Additionally, we have made significant enhancements to USCS workforce time management, which is fully integrated with payroll and leave management as well as benefit administration.
To my second point, we have implemented several integrated modules specifically for workforce management, learning and development, and benefits administration. Respectively, a few examples include online capabilities to track work time and paid time off—all the way to a resource library for online access to content available to support the continued development of our Cold Crew.
We even have a fully integrated module for employee benefit access to enrollment and program options.
Our “self-service” module lets employees update personal information, submit online time-off requests, change banking information, and access pay stubs or W2 forms. Meanwhile, an employee intranet includes company news and announcements, online employee resource pages, policy access, benefit information, etc.
Q: What were your group’s key activities in 2024?
Grimes: Certainly, I’d reiterate everything just mentioned above. Meanwhile, in addition to online leadership coursework, our biggest accomplishment was the start of a formal USCS leadership development program. These programs involve all levels of USCS leadership. Through the first quarter of this year, about 45% of our 650 USCS leaders have completed the programs. These will be ongoing but have a two- to three-year acceleration to include all current leaders.
After implementing a new human resources network platform, Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG), we focused on adoption, which is an ongoing process. With the UKG core fully implemented, we continue to roll out system workflows that eliminated unnecessary processes while they allowed for more streamlined cross-functional access and electronic approvals.
Lastly, we rolled out monthly HR metrics and analytics, which are distributed to senior leadership each month.
Q: What are you most proud of from 2024?
Grimes: HR systems adoption increased. Although there’s still plenty of room for improvement, we saw a much higher increase in engagement in 2024. We also completed our first companywide employee survey. Participation and results were great and set a good baseline for ongoing assessments. This feedback is such a critical aspect of USCS and our goals to recruit and retain “Best in Cold” talent.
One of our chief objectives is to improve the partnership between HR and business and I’m proud of continued progress here. I’ve now seen first-hand examples of these partnerships at local, regional, and national levels.
Q: What are your top three goals for 2025?
Grimes: Improve employee engagement, improve employee retention, and develop a consistent USCS on-boarding experience for all new hires at all locations.
Recruiting: Ride the Tech Wave
USCS expands recruiting; matches rising demand for technology and automation specialists.
They say a rising tide lifts all boats. Could an adage about the economy also apply to automation?
Here’s a case where the cold storage industry’s growing need for greater automation and information technology leads to rising demand for technical specialists. United States Cold Storage is no exception and in late 2023, it hired technical recruiting veteran Anthony Maletestinic as a Technical Talent Acquisition Specialist.
“Recruiting is important in all industries—period. However, with constant growth and technological advancements in the supply chain-logistics industry, recruitment has become a much more important piece,” he says. “That’s because we need specific people to do specific tasks and work with specific technologies. It takes a dedicated recruitment department to help not only ‘fill seats’ but fill those seats with the right people who not only fit technical needs and also fit a company’s culture.”
“Even though I’m still relatively new, it’s clear to me what makes USCS different,” he adds. “We offer something a lot of companies in this space talk about—but don’t always deliver. That’s stability, growth, and a culture that genuinely values people—both during the interview process and well after they’re hired. USCS blends the feel of a long-standing, family-owned company with the innovation needed to thrive in a fast-moving industry. I always explain to candidates that we help feed the country by protecting food through every step of the cold chain—from production to the shelves. That mission matters. If a candidate gets excited about that impact, it’s often a great sign they’ll connect with our culture, values, and the work we do every day.”
Every day, Maletestinic reaches out on USCS’s behalf and covers all facets of Information Technology and Engineering. These types of positions include general technology, software developers and architects as well as engineers and automation engineers.
Maletestinic notes, meanwhile, that USCS strives to balance internal growth and external recruitment.
“When a role opens up, the first step is always to evaluate whether we have internal talent ready to step up,” he notes. “That could either be someone already in line for that next move or someone who could grow into the role with the right support. We work closely with leadership and department heads to assess that.”
He continues, “If the skill set or experience required is highly specialized, or if internal bandwidth is limited, that’s when we look to bring in external talent. Recruiting externally gives us a chance to inject fresh ideas and skill sets, especially in technical areas like IT, automation, or advanced analytics. But we’re just as focused on helping our current team members grow. Internal mobility and development are key parts of our long-term talent strategy.”
Maletestinic also supports USCS’s broader teams and recruits on behalf of USCS’s Logistics, Finance & Accounting, HR, Marketing, and Business Development departments. He notes that “no two days are the same” as he holds in-take meetings with hiring managers, sources candidates, reviews resumes, coordinates interviews, and strategizes on hard-to-fill roles. Maletestinic assesses the first half of 2025.
“It’s been a wild year but a rewarding one. In recruiting, when things are busy, it usually means the company is growing and that’s definitely been the case here at USCS. Supporting that growth through hiring has been exciting, especially as I continue to build relationships across departments at our head office.”
Maletestinic is growing as well and he is pursuing one of his own personal goals for 2025: a master’s degree in human resources at Temple University.
Reasons to Celebrate: Safety
Last year saw three USCS sites reach 1 million hours worked without a lost-time injury.
At first it might seem odd to celebrate something that doesn’t happen. But then consider that a company’s most important asset is its workforce. When that’s the case, employee safety—day in and day out—becomes a meaningful goal and something to celebrate.
This year and last saw USCS recognize three sites—two in Texas and one in Georgia—for each reaching 1 million hours worked without a lost-time accident.
“To make this accomplishment involves a true team effort,” says Lisa Battino, Vice President, Compliance & Safety. “It includes our forklift drivers, supervisors, safety leaders, HR leaders and the management team at each facility.”
Here are brief profiles of each USCS site.
USCS McDonough 2, GA, reached its injury-free milestone in October 2024 and its previous lost time injury occurred on April 19th, 2022. To celebrate, USCS presented McDonough 2 with its Safety Milestone Award during the week of March 16th, 2025.
USCS Laredo 1, TX, reached its milestone moment in November 2024 and its previous lost time injury occurred back in July 2021. USCS presented Laredo 1 with a Safety Milestone Award during the week of December 9th, 2024.
USCS Laredo 3, TX, reached its injury-free milestone in June 2024 and its previous lost-time injury occurred back on June 13th, 2020. USCS presented Laredo 3 with a Safety Milestone Award during the week of September 16th, 2024.
“Thanks for continuing to make United States Cold Storage ‘Best in Safety,’” adds Battino.
Facility Focus: Hebron, IN
USCS’s new Hebron, IN, site features future-forward engineering in every way.
United States Cold Storage expects this October to open an automated, state-of-the-art warehouse in Hebron, IN, less than an hour and a half from Chicago. Upon completion, the 13.6 million-cubic-foot operation will showcase the company’s best-in-class investments in sustainability, automation, real-time inventory data control, worker and food safety. Here’s an inside look at all these features.
SUSTAINABILITY / EFFICIENCY
Energy-efficient technologies such as LED lighting, motion sensors, and high-efficiency HVAC systems will reduce energy consumption. Utilizing advanced insulation materials and designing for optimal airflow will also minimize heat transfer, enhancing overall energy efficiency.
Renewable Energy Integration: Incorporating renewable energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal systems will help reduce reliance on traditional energy sources, lower carbon emissions, and enhance the facility’s resilience.
Smart Monitoring and Control Systems: Installing sensors and advanced monitoring systems enables real-time tracking of temperature, humidity, energy usage, and equipment performance.
Sustainable Refrigeration Systems: Opting for environmentally friendly refrigerants, CO2-based transcritical systems, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with stricter regulatory requirements.
Water Conservation: Incorporating water-saving fixtures, recycling wastewater, and implementing water-efficient cooling technologies will reduce water consumption and minimize environmental impact.
Climate Change Mitigation: Renewable energies produce little to no greenhouse gas emissions during operation, helping to reduce the carbon footprint and mitigate climate change.
Energy Security: Unlike finite fossil fuel resources, renewable energy sources are abundant and inexhaustible. This enhances energy security by reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and mitigating the risks associated with fuel price volatility.
Transcritical Cooling: Precise temperature control, crucial for maintaining the integrity and quality of temperature-sensitive goods stored in the warehouse. This ensures compliance with temperature requirements for various products, including pharmaceuticals, perishable foods, and other sensitive items. This system utilizes carbon dioxide (CO2) as a refrigerant, which has a much lower environmental impact compared to traditional refrigerants like HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons). These systems achieve high levels of energy efficiency.
These systems are known for their reliability and safety features. With advanced monitoring and control systems, potential issues can be identified and addressed promptly, minimizing downtime, and ensuring continuous operation of the refrigerated warehouse.
AUTOMATION
Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS): AS/RS cranes automate the process of retrieving and storing goods in the warehouse. They can operate continuously without breaks, leading to faster throughput and increased productivity compared to manual handling methods.
Equipped with sophisticated control systems and sensors that ensure precise positioning and movement of goods. This results in higher inventory accuracy levels, reduced errors, and improved order fulfillment rates, enhancing customer satisfaction.
AS/RS cranes can retrieve and deliver goods to picking stations or shipping areas quickly and efficiently. This reduces order processing times, shortens lead times, and enables US Cold to meet tight delivery deadlines.
Space Optimization: Turret forklifts are designed for very narrow aisles, allowing US Cold to maximize storage space by reducing aisle width. This enables more efficient use of available space, leading to increased storage capacity.
Increased Productivity: Turret forklifts can maneuver in tight spaces with precision, allowing for faster picking and replenishment operations. Their ability to rotate the mast and fork assembly independently of the chassis enables operators to access pallets from both sides of the aisle without repositioning the truck, reducing travel time and improving productivity.
INVENTORY DATA CONTROL
Enhanced Efficiency: USCS’s Phenix platform, an advanced electronic warehouse management system (eWMS) utilizes automation, real-time data, and optimization algorithms to streamline warehouse processes. This leads to improved workflow efficiency, faster order fulfillment, and reduced labor costs.
Optimized Inventory Management: With features like real-time inventory tracking, demand forecasting, and automatic replenishment, our advanced eWMS helps optimize inventory levels, minimize stockouts, and reduce excess inventory holding costs.
Improved Accuracy: Automation and barcode scanning capabilities of advanced eWMS minimize manual data entry errors and ensure accurate inventory counts, order picking, and shipping. This reduces the risk of costly mistakes and improves overall order accuracy.
Better Visibility and Traceability: Our eWMS provides comprehensive visibility into inventory movements, order statuses, and warehouse operations in real-time. This enhances traceability, allows for proactive decision-making, and facilitates compliance with regulatory requirements.
Scalability and Adaptability: Phenix is designed to scale with growing business needs and adapt to changing market conditions. It can accommodate increased order volumes, and new product lines, ensuring long-term scalability and flexibility.
EMPLOYEE SAFETY
Employee Wellbeing: Designing the facility with ergonomic workspaces, adequate ventilation, natural lighting, and comfortable break areas enhances employee comfort, productivity, and satisfaction. Investing in training programs and career development opportunities fosters a skilled and motivated workforce, essential for long-term success.
Wearable Safety Technology: Wearable safety devices can monitor various aspects of worker health and safety in real-time, including vital signs, posture, movement, and environmental conditions. This enables early detection of potential hazards or health issues, allowing for timely intervention and preventive measures.
Enhanced Safety Awareness: Wearable devices provide workers with immediate feedback on their actions and surroundings, increasing their awareness of safety protocols and potential risks.
Accident Prevention: By continuously monitoring worker movements and interactions with equipment and machinery, wearable safety technology helps prevent accidents and injuries in the warehouse. Proximity sensors, collision avoidance systems, and audible alarms can alert workers and equipment operators to potential dangers, reducing the risk of accidents and near misses.
Mezzanine Access: With mezzanine access, warehouse personnel can quickly and safely retrieve pallets of food from elevated storage locations using the AS/RS system and providing space for a custom-tailored automation solution with full integration to standard shipping and receiving models. This streamlines the order fulfillment process, reducing picking times and improving overall operational efficiency.
Improved Ergonomics: Turret forklifts are equipped with ergonomic features such as adjustable operator controls, comfortable seating, and intuitive controls, reducing operator fatigue and minimizing the risk of injuries. The ability to rotate the mast and fork assembly provides operators with better visibility and control, enhancing safety and efficiency.
Mezzanine access platforms are equipped with safety features such as guardrails, handrails, and non-slip surfaces to ensure the safety of warehouse personnel working at elevated heights.
PRODUCT SAFETY / QUALITY
Protection from Freezer Burn: Freezer-grade cellophane wrapping provides a barrier against moisture and air, preventing freezer burn and dehydration of frozen foods. This helps maintain the quality, texture, and flavor of the products during storage and transportation in sub-zero temperatures.
Preservation of Freshness: By sealing in moisture and flavor, cellophane wrapping helps preserve the freshness and nutritional value of frozen goods, extending their shelf life and reducing food waste. This is especially important for perishable items such as fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood, which are susceptible to degradation over time.
Transparent Packaging: Cellophane wrapping is transparent, allowing for clear visibility of the packaged products without the need to unwrap or open the packaging. This facilitates easy identification, inventory management, and quality control, streamlining warehouse operations and reducing handling time.
Flexible and Lightweight: Cellophane wrapping is lightweight and flexible, conforming to the shape and size of the packaged items without adding significant bulk or weight. This makes it suitable for packaging a wide range of frozen goods, including irregularly shaped or delicate items, while minimizing packaging waste and transportation costs.
Get a Quote for Hebron
Hebron isn’t just another facility. It’s a bold step forward for the cold chain—engineered for energy efficiency, operational precision, and meaningful partnerships. If you’re exploring storage or logistics solutions in the Midwest, I’d love to give you a tour and show you what makes this building truly exceptional.”
Julia Giarratana
Business Development Manager
