Airclima adds 11 CO₂ cold stores to Cuppen Logistics' 67-store horticultural storage network

Airclima has completed the installation of eleven new CO₂ cold stores for Cuppen Logistics, expanding the family-run company's refrigerated network to 67 facilities with a combined capacity of around 40,000 pallet spaces. The expansion, driven by growth in horticultural plant-stock storage, was delivered on a tight schedule to meet the autumn planting season.

Specialised storage for plant stock

Cuppen Logistics has developed into a specialist in the storage and transport of fruit and vegetable products and nursery stock. A substantial part of its operations involves storing strawberry and raspberry plants, which require very specific storage conditions. Michiel Sanders of Cuppen Logistics explained that planting stock is stored at temperatures of around −1 to −2 °C and that the work is quite specialised, requiring attention to air velocity, product temperature, and ensuring that products stored together do not have excessively large temperature differences, making refrigeration a precise process.

Kiran Cluckers of Airclima noted that such applications involve products each with their own specific storage requirements, and the refrigeration system needs to be carefully adapted accordingly. The company considers not only the required cooling capacity but also how the products need to be cooled and stored.

Technical specifications of the new expansion

The latest phase includes eleven large cold stores that further increase the company's total storage capacity. Key parameters of the installation:

• Refrigerant: CO₂
• Two large refrigeration units
• Combined cooling capacity: approximately 750 kW
• Evaporator capacity: around 1,000 kW
• Temperatures in individual cold stores precisely controlled according to the products being stored

Airclima supplies the refrigeration systems for the vast majority of Cuppen Logistics' 67 facilities.

Why the expansion was needed

The latest expansion was prompted by Cuppen Logistics' growth and the need to organise its storage operations more efficiently. The company had temporarily rented additional premises at Freshpark Venlo, but this required additional transport movements. Sanders noted that the company regularly had to travel between different locations to pick orders and move products, which was not the most efficient way to operate, and that was why they decided to expand at their own site.

The storage services also complement the company's transport operations: Cuppen Logistics collects plant stock from growers, stores it at its facilities, and returns it to the growers in the spring, offering customers both storage and transport services.

Tight implementation schedule

One of the biggest challenges was the limited preparation time. Because planning permission was granted later than expected, construction could not begin until 1 April. The team completed the new building first, followed by work on the cold stores in early August. The entire refrigeration installation then had to be completed within a few months.

Kiran Cluckers noted that the schedule was quite tight. Normally, there is more time to prepare the various components and place orders well in advance, but this time a lot had to be done within a relatively short period, requiring careful coordination of materials, installation teams, and project planning.

Completing the expansion on time was also essential for Cuppen Logistics, as the planting stock storage season begins in autumn, when plants are collected from growers and placed in storage. Sanders stressed that the company had to be ready in time for the start of the season. Construction was completed on schedule and everything was handed over in good order, which he said was the most important thing.

A partnership built on experience

The partnership between the two companies dates back to 2012. Sanders said they first came into contact with Airclima in 2012; before that, the company worked with another supplier but was not satisfied with their services. Since then, Airclima has been responsible for maintenance and has been involved in all renovations and expansions, developing into a very good working relationship.

Kiran Cluckers stated that over the years the two companies have developed a proven concept together. Each expansion has been larger than the last, but the foundation of the partnership remains strong. Michiel is responsible for the layout of the rooms, among other things, while Airclima contributes its expertise in engineering and determining the appropriate cooling capacity. Because they know each other so well, they can respond quickly.

Sanders particularly appreciated that construction work almost always runs smoothly. He added that maintenance is also very important: the company almost always works with the same team of Airclima technicians who now know the site and its systems well and can work independently. With 67 cold stores, he noted, it is extremely useful to work with the same technicians who know exactly how everything operates; if there is a problem, they can call them directly, communication is straightforward, giving confidence and allowing a quick response when necessary.

Kiran Cluckers emphasised that after working together for so long, the two companies understand each other's needs and ways of working, a quality noticeable not only during construction but especially during maintenance and servicing, allowing them to keep moving forward together.

Looking ahead

With the completion of the eleven new cold stores, Cuppen Logistics now has sufficient capacity to support further growth for the time being. In the coming years, the focus will primarily be on making the most of its existing facilities. Sanders concluded that this has been quite a substantial expansion and that it will meet the company's needs for the time being. If the market continues to develop as it has, he said, they would not rule out considering another expansion in a few years.

© Airclima

© Airclima

© Airclima

For further information:

Airclima BE address: Veldkant 8 B, 2550 Kontich, Belgium NL address: Afmijnstraat 111, 1187 ZZ, Amstelveen, Netherlands +32 (0) 3 451 34 90 [email protected] www.airclima.be

Cuppen Logistics Venrayseweg 143, 5961 NS Horst +31 (0) 77 3977070 [email protected] www.cuppenlogistics.nl

Source: www.freshplaza.com.