Americold Realty Trust’s facility in Russellville, Arkansas, has been awarded the 2024 Built By The Best Award by the Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA). This accolade highlights Americold’s excellence in design, construction innovation, and operational capabilities. The facility was also recently honored as the Site of the Year by a major customer for its seamless startup and full-capacity ramp-up.
The prestigious Built By The Best Award celebrates trailblazing projects in the controlled environment sector. In partnership with Stellar, Americold expanded the Russellville site to a 136,000-square-foot, 140-foot-tall cold storage and distribution center, adding 42,000 pallet positions and 13 million cubic feet.
The multimillion-dollar project includes a cutting-edge ammonia refrigeration system, insulated metal panel exterior walls, an automated truck unloading system, an advanced fire protection system, and a state-of-the-art automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS). Additional features include a modern breakroom, offices, and a conference room with a focus on sustainability, achieving a 25% reduction in water use.
George Chappelle, CEO of Americold, stated, “This facility was built with state-of-the-art automation to support production and the supply chain for a leading North American branded food company. We continue to innovate to provide best-in-class service for our customers and recognition like this is a testament to our capabilities in design, build, and operations as we help feed the world.”
