New Client Customer Demand Behind Addition of 12,000 Pallet Positions to Chicago Consolidation Center
St. Joseph, MI — The decision to make east of Chicago the domicile for Velocities™ Multi-Vendor Consolidation program has been validated once again, as Hanson Logistics announced today the Phase 3 expansion of the company’s temperature-controlled Chicago Consolidation Center, located in Hobart, Indiana. This third expansion in five years reflects the rising momentum of Hanson’s Velocities Multi-Vendor Consolidation program, a solution to the on-demand complexity of filling multiple SKU frozen food orders shipping to all major retail, wholesale, and foodservice DCs throughout the US. Construction of the project will be handled by Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Tippmann Construction.
“It was a new business model in an unproven location,” said Andrew Janson, president, Hanson Logistics, referring to the company’s 2007 decision to build a new consolidation center on the unorthodox east side of Chicago. “We were, pardon the pun, breaking new ground in terms of both traditional refrigerated warehousing service and predictable warehouse location. There are many Hanson associates to thank for their ‘Yes, We Can!’ commitment in making this vision a reality.”
The 100,000 sq. ft. expansion, slated for completion in the third quarter of 2013, will feature energy saving LED lighting, 12,000 new pallet positions and 14 dock doors. This innovative receiving dock allows the trailer doors to be opened from inside the facility, reducing loading times, energy loss, and increasing food security. The Chicago Consolidation Center will increase to 11 million cubic feet, virtually all of which is devoted to high-volume throughput, including flexible racking for quick-pick consolidation and cross docking of temperature-controlled food products. The Hanson Transportation Management Services and refrigerated truck fleet operates from the facility, and provides inbound, shuttle service and nationwide truckload and less-than-truckload service. Velocities™ Multi-Vendor Consolidation program encompasses Walmart’s Vendor Pool 391, with scheduled vendor-shared truckloads to all major retail, wholesale and foodservice distribution centers throughout the US.
“It’s great to be working with the Hanson Logistics team on this expansion,” said John Tippmann, Jr., President of Tippmann Group. “We’ve known them for a long time as colleagues in the industry, and we are looking forward to providing them with an excellent addition to their building.”
Located adjacent to the I-80, I-94 and I-65 interchange in northwest Indiana, the Chicago Consolidation Center offers the optimum combination of location, business climate, and robust infrastructure. Velocities has become the ‘go-to’ consolidation program in the greater Midwest for mid-tier food manufacturers that are unable by their order mix to achieve the economies of truckload delivery.
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About Hanson Logistics
Hanson Logistics is a leading provider of temperature-controlled supply chain services, and is one of the largest privately-held refrigerated warehouse networks in the country, with eight facilities totaling 37,000,000 cu. ft. of deep frozen, refrigerated and dry warehousing space. Through its transportation management services and company fleet, Hanson Logistics provides seamless temperature-controlled distribution services across the US. Hanson Logistics corporate offices are located at 2900 South State Street, Suite 4 East, St. Joseph, MI 49085. (269) 982-1390. www.hansonlogistics.com.
About Tippmann Construction:
Tippmann Construction offers more than 50 years of experience in the refrigeration industry, specializing in construction and management of refrigerated/ frozen distribution centers. Tippmann has designed and built distribution centers for some of the largest companies in the food industry, from retailers to food service to food processors.
