It’s been a busy month for Preferred Freezer Services (PFS).
The Chatham, N.J.-based cold-stage provider on Wednesday announced that its first cold-storage warehouse in China is now open in Lingang Park, Shanghai. The 25,000-square-meter, semi-automated, temperature-controlled facility is the largest in PFS’ global network and is located just minutes from Yangshan, the world’s largest cargo port. PFS broke ground on the facility in July 2009.
The company’s second Chinese facility is scheduled to open in Waigaoqiao, also located in Shanghai, in the first quarter of 2012, and its third Chinese facility is under construction in Tianjin, just southeast of Beijing.
The facilities are being developed through PFS YiDA Logistics (HK) Group Co. Ltd., a joint venture between PFS and YiDA Group, one of China’s largest commercial and residential developers.
Cold storage is in high demand in China. According to a China Daily report early this month, the country’s food industry demand for cold-chain logistics has expanded at an annual rate of more than 8 percent. But existing cold-storage volume can only satisfy 20 to 30 percent of the market demand.
Growing middle-class demand for clean, safe and convenient food is fueling the need for more cold storage in China.
“The high quality facility construction, inventory management systems and customer service that we provide in the United States is the same high quality that is now available to our customers in China,” said Tim McLellan, managing director of international development at PFS, in Wednesday’s press release. “In addition, PFS offers a complete logistics solution, having partnered with Sinotrans. Our transportation provider is equally known for the quality of service they provide in the Chinese market today.”
PFS now has 25 cold-storage warehouses worldwide. Its first Vietnamese facility opened in Ho Chi Minh City in April 2010.
