Sioux City, IA, US: A green energy initiative formed a major part of an US$8m upgrade by Cloverleaf Cold Storage of its recently purchased Sumter, SC warehouse.
The Sumter plant was purchased by Cloverleaf in June last year along with facilities in Chesapeake, VA and Benson, NC. Since the transaction, all three warehouses have undergone intensive programs to complete deferred maintenance to the refrigeration systems, racking, and floors.
The Sumter project deployed several technologies that will dramatically reduce the facility’s energy consumption. A computerized control process developed by Eagleson Systems will monitor the newly reconfigured and enhanced ammonia refrigeration plant. Energy consumption is monitored in real time, providing both conservation and increased product protection.
Cloverleaf has replaced all conventional battery chargers with opportunity chargers which can deliver power savings of up to 30%.
The exterior walls of the plant, installed in the original 1977 construction, were replaced with high RF rated panels, increasing the insulating capabilities as well as updating the overall look of the warehouse. The original ballasted roof was replaced with a fully adhered membrane over new insulation. The white colour of the roof considerably decreases energy consumption through increased reflectivity.
In addition to the green initiatives implemented in the renovation, the racking system has been reconfigured to increase the storage capacity of the warehouse by 40%.
An extension to the Benson, NC facility was completed in May, adding 3500 pallet positions of storage as well as increased loading dock space.
Cloverleaf is a family-owned and operated warehousing company with over 1.7m3 (60m cubic feet) of refrigerated space in 14 locations in Central and Eastern United States. It is among the ten largest public refrigerated companies in the United States according to industry trade group, International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses.
