06/18/2024
Erlen Group company Cold Zone announces $57 million expansion
Cold Zone, a leading provider of cold storage logistics solutions and a subsidiary of the Erlen Group, is expanding with a $57 million investment in Springfield's Partnership Industrial Center West. The Chamber's economic development arm, the SBDC, announced that Cold Zone will break ground on June 20 on a new 170,000-square-foot facility, creating numerous job opportunities in the region.
Located within Springfield's Enhanced Enterprise Zone, the state-of-the-art facility will feature temperature zones for both frozen and cooler products, further solidifying Springfield's role as a hub for food production and distribution.
"We are proud to unveil our latest project, which represents a significant milestone from Cold Zone and the Erlen Group,” said John Griesemer, CEO of Erlen Group. “With the demand for temperature-controlled storage and distribution solutions on the rise, our new facility in Springfield will enable us to better serve our clients while driving innovation in the industry.”
The new facility will be constructed on PIC West's Site K, a 46-acre site certified through the Missouri Department of Economic Development by the SBDC in 2008 to provide a shovel-ready location for a business expansion like this pre-qualified Certified Site, demonstrating the region's commitment to providing shovel-ready locations for business expansion.
By creating capacity in Cold Zone's current location at Springfield Underground and with the new facility's potential to expand up to 800,000 square feet, Springfield is well-positioned for continued growth in the manufacturing and logistics industries.
"As the primary facilitators of economic development for the Springfield region, we are proud of the locally driven economic growth that this project illustrates,” Chamber President Matt Morrow emphasized the importance of this project to the community. “A $57 million expansion like Cold Zone's, an existing and homegrown business, sends a message that Springfield has a great ecosystem to grow. Our team looks forward to telling this story to the consultants and businesses considering our region."
The Chamber and SBDC celebrate Cold Zone's investment in our community as an existing employer contributing to the economic prosperity of the larger Springfield region.
