After years of deliberation, Dutch cold chain logistics provider NewCold chose Tacoma for its first facility in the U.S. Why? The region’s ideal location, transport infrastructure and business-friendly environment provide a launchpad for NewCold to deliver automated logistics services to its customers.

In 2018, Netherlands-based NewCold Advanced Cold Logistics held the grand opening of its fully automated, 130-foot-tall warehouse in Tacoma, WA. The Dutch cold chain logistics provider rolled out the figurative red carpet for Trident Seafoods, the first customer to utilize the cutting-edge facility for its food distribution operations.

NewCold’s decision to locate its operations in Tacoma-Pierce County can be attributed to the numerous advantages that the region has to offer – namely, a stellar location in the South Sound, access to global transport hubs, a business-friendly environment and a wealth of skilled talent.

“This is our first U.S. automated cold storage operation,” said Jonas Swartthouw, NewCold’s U.S. Country Manager.

“For us, Tacoma was a very important location, because it was important to our customers [Trident Seafoods, Simplot, and Dreyers]… The fact that you have a good international airport, so it’s easy to fly international as well as domestic, makes it a very good location for us. And of course for our customer, the Port of Tacoma remains one of the biggest assets for our location to be here.”

NewCold fits right into the dynamic logistics sector and business community of Tacoma-Pierce County. In fact, New Cold’s Tacoma, WA facility served as the venue for the EDB to launch its Trade-Logistics Strategic Plan in 2021.

NewCold Tacoma also ranks as the nation’s #2 most efficient cold storage warehouse, thanks to an innovative partnership with Tacoma Power and BPA’s Energy Smart Industrial program.

“Working in Tacoma has been great, right from the get go,” said Matt Richardson, Site Manager of NewCold Tacoma. “We’ve found a very business-friendly environment here – so working with all the partners from around the city and the state has been very good. From a recruiting standpoint too, there’s been a lot of talent that we’ve found right here in Tacoma.”