Americold Acquires PortFresh, Plans Expansion

Georgia- Americold Realty Trust broke ground on a new cold- storage facility next to its PortFresh warehouse in Bloomingdale, which it said will be another step in bringing more jobs to the area.

While the town of Bloomingdale lies within Chatham County, officials said the land on which the new facility sits is within the boundaries of Effingham County.
Americold Chief Executive Officer Fred Boehler said the facility is 290,000 square feet, with 15 million cubic feet of refrigerator space. "The Port of Savannah is the fourth largest port in the United States. It's big in fresh and frozen food, from an export standpoint," Boehler said.

The current PortFresh warehouse already handles the distribution of fresh produce, such as fruits and vegetables. The new facility, which places an emphasis on its flash-freezing capabilities, will join Americold's 179 storage facilities across the globe.
According to Georgia Ports, the Port of Savannah has been the fastest-growing port in the United States for the last 10 years. Forrest Floyd,with the Effingham County Board of Commissioners, said the new facility will change the narrative of doing business in the area.

"A lot of people from Effingham County drive to Chatham County. We're looking to promote jobs and get industry into Effingham,"Floyd said Tuesday.

The new facility is projected to be completed by March 2020. Boehler mentioned that,based on growth, Americold could develop even more land after the new building is completed.