Business Times Est. 1991
April 2022
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In print and online Business Times is published in Northamptonshire for the county’s business community www.Business-Times.co.uk
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Founders complete sale of insurance company. P5
FE AT UR E
On show, the best of Northamptonshire business. P8
FE AT UR E
Forterra CEO: Manufacturers must move with the times. P13
PR OP ER TY
Daventry: Occupiers pick up new park’s signals. P16-17
Campus tackles later living challenge. P20-21
Prime location: NewCold is building its new facility at Corby in response to growing demand
Deep freeze brings red hot investment and employment Europe’s largest cold store nears completion as demand outstrips supply
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urope’s largest ‘deep freeze’ on former steelworks land in Corby is months away from completion. Automated cold storage specialist NewCold started work on the development in late 2020 to meet growing demand from the food manufacturing sector. The company, which already has a demand for its services at its Wakefield site, sees Corby as a prime location in the logistics ‘Golden Triangle’, close to frozen distribution centres of large retail and food service customers. This will enable NewCold to help customers to reduce food miles and cut costs.
When fully operational the site will employ more than 250 staff but industry-leading automation will play a key part in the facility’s operation, says NewCold, which has headquarters in the Netherlands and operates 14 locations on three continents. The site at Wakefield, which opened seven years ago, handles four million pallets a year. Supply chain director Ross Hunter said: “We have seen an increase in demand for our warehouse and transport services and although the Wakefield facility is the largest of its kind in the country, demand has outstripped supply.” It meant that a decision to establish another facility further south came easily for the company which promises to bring additional benefits for customers including frozen food manufacturers and importers. Mr Hunter said: “A focus on sustainability at both the Wakefield and Corby sites, our unique cold store design - which uses around 50 per cent less energy than conventional stores - coupled with our ability to reduce food miles by using high-volume trailers,
The new plant will bring more than 250 jobs to East Northamptonshire will greatly reduce CO2 emissions and energy use.” The Corby operation will enable NewCold to offer their services to customers for whom Wakefield may not be geographically well-situated or who have run out of space. >> To page 3