Grimsby, UK: Constellation Cold Logistics, the new name for HSH, has been cleared by the Competitions and Markets Authority, allowing its takeover of ACS&T to complete. Constellation Cold Logistics now expects the construction of a new cold store in Grimsby to begin in September.
HSH Coldstores has backed a long-held plan to develop Grimsby’s cold store capacity – a vital element of the seafood cluster. Europarc was awarded £5m in the first of the UK Seafood Fund grants back in November to build a new cold store on Grimsby’s Europarc. Work is set to begin in early September.
HSH Coldstores, now Constellation Cold Logistics following a majority acquisition HSH, is in the process of appointing a principal contractor as it awaits final planning consent. The update on the successful UK Seafood Fund Round One applicant comes as the second tranche of grants was confirmed last week.
HSH secured £5m towards the build after long-held plans had been put on hold due to rising construction costs, while capacity reached a choking point in the town as supply chain demands changed post-Brexit. Lewis Howard, publicity manager for Constellation’s UK arm, said: “Our cold store project has recently gone into the second round of tender negotiations. Subject to planning approval, we are expecting to start work in the first weeks of September.”
The Constellation’s deal for ACS&T created a business with 137,000 pallet positions in the UK, with the majority in Grimsby and further operations in Redditch, Tewkesbury and Wolverhampton. The Europarc addition will add 30,000 more pallet positions.
Fastnet Fish secured £1.2m to add further pallet capacity to storage on South Humberside Industrial Estate, within its existing site. New England Seafood International also received £3.8m to support the overhaul of neighbouring premises, also on Europarc, to double its operations there.
Pictured is a an artists impression of Constellation’s new site.
