Vertical Cold Storage has entered into an agreement to purchase the frozen distribution center from Dothan Warehouse in Dothan, Alabama, USA. Acquisition of its ambient and refrigerated facilities in not included in the deal, which is expected to close in August.
Focusing on poultry bound for export markets, Dothan Warehouse is located close to several interstate highways, enabling less than one day delivery to the ports in the southeastern United States at Jacksonville and Panama City, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Savannah, Georgia.
“This latest acquisition shows our commitment to the protein industry and to building a nationwide network of high-performance frozen and refrigerated warehouses. We look forward to supporting the many great processors and retailers in the region, and to welcoming the Dothan team members on board,” said West Hutchison, president and chief executive officer of Kansas City, Missouri-headquartered Vertical Cold Storage.
The USDA-certified Dothan facility features more than 109,000 square feet of space and 10 dock doors. The warehouse, which opened in April 2019 and was expanded in January 2023, is suited for a wide range of frozen foods and provides high-capacity blast freezing, export services, case picking, cross docking, and kitting capabilities.
“We’re confident that Vertical Cold Storage will carry forward the success of our frozen distribution center. We trust West and his team to take great care of our customers and employees, just like we’ve always done. This move means our facility will keep growing and improving, and that’s really important to us,” said Turner Jones, president of Dothan Warehouse.
As with other recent acquisitions, Vertical Cold Storage will be implementing its customized warehouse management technology and will deploy new best practices focused on improving product throughput while maintaining the highest levels of food and worker safety.
The Dothan Warehouse addition to Vertical Cold Storage’s portfolio is the 10th facility to join the growing network sponsored by real estate investment firm Platform Ventures. Its other warehouses are located in Texas, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, North Carolina, Indiana and Missouri.
