AGRO Merchants Group has started to develop a new temperature-controlled warehouse in the Port of Rotterdam to bolster storage for imported and exported produce.

The new building has a capacity of 18,000 pallet positions and will focus on import-export handling and storage for both chilled and frozen products. 

The 9,000 square meter site will also include mobile racking and pallet conveyor systems with additional space for product repacking, blast freezing and tempering services.

The global cold chain solutions company says the new facility will have BREEAM Excellent certification, the highest energy efficiency classification for cold storage in Europe. This is part of the AGRO Merchants Group strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from its operations and become more sustainable.

It will also feature an Integrated Border Inspection (BIP) with separate office facilities.

"We are extremely excited to build a new facility that will provide industry leading solutions in the Port of Rotterdam," says AGRO Merchants Group president, Carlos Rodriguez.

"This is phase one of the development in which we expect to double capacity in the next two years. Veterinary inspection point facilities along with other related services will be relocated to this site from Coldstore Wibaco.

"We are reinforcing our commitment to customer and companies of AGRO Merchant Group in the Netherlands."

The Rotterdam Maasvlakte site is expected to be operational in December.

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