welcome to
Minooka, IL
COLD SPECIFICATIONS:
22,115,000 Cubic Feet
73,000 Racked Pallet Positions
Temp. Range -20°F to 0°F
STRATEGICALLY LOCATED:
Chicago, IL – 1 hour
Milwaukee, WI – 2 hours
Madison, WI – 2.45 hours
Indianapolis, IN – 3 hours
ADDRESS:
601 Twin Rail Drive
Minooka, IL 60447
(815) 467-0455
Matt Reed
General Manager
It’s my honor to welcome you to our Minooka facility.
Minooka stands out as a beacon of excellence in the cold storage industry. As General Manager, I am incredibly proud of the dedicated team and the state-of-the-art operations that make Minooka a leader in cold storage and transportation.
Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the recent honor of receiving the Warehouse of the Year Award from Gorton’s. This accolade underscores our dedication to superior customer service, safety, sustainability, and innovative logistics solutions. Our facility is designed to meet the highest standards, ensuring that our clients’ products are handled with the utmost care.
I am pleased to highlight our Minooka facility’s exceptional management of customer accounts. Led by Customer Account Manager, Donna Tortorello and Customer Account Supervisor, Sharon Petersen, our team ensures timely and accurate communication.
Our Minooka facility also offers comprehensive logistics services. We efficiently ship consolidated freight to all 48 states, enabling our customers to benefit from shared costs on fuel, detention, and lumper fees. Spearheaded by Brian Magnus, General Manager of Logistics and Logisitics Manager, Brittany Vadeboncoeur, our logistics solutions are designed to optimize efficiency and reduce expenses for our clients.
Safety is our top priority at Minooka. We have implemented rigorous safety protocols, achieving one million hours without a lost-time accident in 2023. Our dedicated focus on safety ensures that our employees work in a secure and healthy environment.
Our commitment to sustainability includes recycling corrugate and shrink wrap for over a decade. Additionally, we participate in ComEd’s energy credit rebate program to reduce our energy consumption. These efforts reflect our dedication to minimizing our environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices.
Our Minooka facility is at the forefront of automation in the cold storage industry. With a new 26,000-pallet automated addition and cascade layer pickers, we have revolutionized our case picking process, reducing manual labor and improving efficiency. This ensures our customers receive their products on time and in perfect condition.
Our shipping and receiving processes are designed for efficiency. From scheduling appointments to check-out, we aim to provide a seamless experience for carriers and drivers. With the leadership of Operations Manager, Kevin Sears and Operations Superintendent, David Dicharo, we are implementing the Vector automated system to further enhance our capabilities with electronic documentation and reduced check-in times.
What truly sets Minooka apart is our people. Our team embodies collaboration, innovation, and dedication, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability. This spirit is what makes Minooka a special place to work and a trusted partner for our clients.
Explore our Minooka facility and discover why we are the best in cold storage solutions. Our commitment to excellence, safety, sustainability, and innovation ensures unparalleled service to our customers.
Minooka is Best in Warehousing
We are proud to announce Minooka has been awarded Gorton’s Warehouse of the Year!
This prestigious award was presented by Nicole Black, Gorton’s Senior Fulfillment & Warehouse Manager, at the biennial Gorton’s Operations Conference. We are honored to be part of this event, which brings together leaders in the cold chain industry to collaborate and share best practices. Our commitment to food safety, sustainability, and innovation drives us to continuously improve and evolve, ensuring we meet the highest standards for our clients and partners.
In Minooka, we believe we are the best in warehousing because we have the best in people, whose dedication and expertise make our success possible.
The Minooka team provides phenomenal support to our team and to Gorton’s business overall. The team provides strong day to day communication and execution along with the incredible support! Their hard work makes a difference!
Nicole Black
Senior Fulfillment & Warehouse Manager, Gorton's
Minooka is Best in Cold Storage
Our Minooka, IL facility is a state-of-the-art warehousing powerhouse, designed to meet the highest standards of the cold storage industry. Featuring advanced automation systems, we provide efficient and precise handling of goods, ensuring timely and accurate order fulfillment.
Our facility boasts a 26,000-pallet automated addition, which enhances our capacity and throughput, while our cascade layer pickers streamline the case picking process, reducing manual labor and improving safety. We excel in managing customer accounts with a dedicated team that ensures seamless communication and support.
Committed to sustainability, we have implemented robust recycling programs and energy-efficient practices. These features make Minooka a leader in cold storage warehousing, delivering exceptional service and reliability to our clients.
76 Dock Doors
Efficient loading and unloading with secure, streamlined access for the movement of goods in and out of our facility.
Rail Service
Join our consolidation program so you can reduce your freight charges on LTL shipments. Our program is the best in the US with deliveries made across the country every day.
BRCGS Certified
Globally recognized for food safety and quality, ensuring rigorous international standards throughout the supply chain.
Export
Specialized handling and storage to maintain optimal temperatures, ensuring the products reach their international destination with their quality and freshness intact.
Repack
Efficiently and accurately reconfiguring your products into different packaging or quantities, for a completely customized shipment.
eWMS
Our eWMS solution streamlines inventory control, order processing, and distribution, enhancing efficiency and accuracy within the warehousing operations.
Automation
Multi-farious automated components ensure that we are able to consistently make delivery times in a challenging labor market.
Minooka is Best in Safety
Safety is the cornerstone of our operations at the Minooka, IL facility. We have implemented rigorous safety protocols that have led to remarkable achievements, such as reaching one million hours without a lost-time accident in 2023. Our commitment to safety ensures that our employees work in a secure environment, enabling our Cold Crew to perform their tasks with confidence and care.
This focus on safety extends to the products we handle, maintaining the highest standards of cold storage to ensure product integrity and quality. Our team is dedicated to protecting both our people and the perishable goods entrusted to us, making Minooka a model of excellence in safety within the cold storage industry. Safety has become more of a culture about expectations. It’s not just a talking point; it’s ingrained in everything we do.
Our Minooka Cold Crew prioritizes safety through the annual Innovators Grand Prix, part of a “Race to Safety” initiative. This company-wide competition engages each warehouse in essential safety tasks, fostering innovation and excellence. Minooka proudly won 1st place in both 2022 and 2023, showcasing our unwavering commitment to safety.
Minooka is Sustainable
Our Minooka facility integrates best practices in sustainability, reflecting our commitment to environmental stewardship. Aligning with Swire’s overarching sustainability initiatives, we focus on reducing our environmental footprint through innovative solutions and responsible operations.
Our dedication to sustainable practices not only meets but exceeds industry standards, ensuring we contribute positively to our community and the global environment. By harmonizing our sustainability goals with those of Swire, we reinforce our pledge to create a more sustainable future for everyone we serve.
The following efforts reflect our dedication to creating a more sustainable future for our community and our clients:
-
Recycling pallets by sending them out to be refurbished instead of discarding them.
-
Installing variable speed drives (VFDs) to evaporators and other equipment to enhance energy efficiency.
-
Transitioning the building to LED lighting to reduce energy consumption.
-
Partnering with ComEd’s energy credit rebate program for energy-saving upgrades.
“Being able to lessen the strain on the grid through our energy-efficient initiatives has been a big win for us.”
– Kevin Sears, Operations Manager
Minooka is Best in Automation
Our Minooka facility features a 26,000-pallet automated addition, enhancing our capacity and throughput. The cascade layer pickers have revolutionized our case picking process, reducing manual labor and improving efficiency. “The cascade layer picker has taken us from manually picking thousands of cases to significantly reducing the strain on our team,” says Kevin Sears.
The automation allows us to handle higher volumes with greater precision, ensuring our customers receive their products on time and in perfect condition. This innovative approach supports both people safety and product safety, making our operations more efficient and reliable.
Minooka is Best in Logistics
Minooka’s COLDshare consolidation optimizes deliveries by leveraging efficiencies from nearby warehouses for on-time, single-stop shipments, employs AI for smart load building to enhance route efficiency and timeliness, and provides cross-docking capabilities to facilitate efficient goods movement between different transportation modes.
COMPLETE
From raw materials to the shelf, we can optimize your supply chain so your team can focus on making and selling your product. Our 4PL is your complete logistics solution.
COLDshare Consolidation
Join our consolidation program so you can reduce your freight charges on LTL shipments. Our program is the best in the US with deliveries made across the country every day.
Custom Analytics
Get analytics tailored to your needs sent proactively to you every week. Real-time data helps you make decisions quickly and with accuracy.
Shuttle Services
Seamlessly transporting perishables, we ensure optimal temperatures, safeguarding your goods' freshness. Our fleet is tailored for reliability, rapid response, and customizable solutions.
Brokerage Services
With a vast network of reliable carriers, we craft tailored solutions for every cargo need. Our expert brokers use industry insights and cutting-edge technology to ensure timely deliveries.
Network Analytics
Streamline your logistics and maximize every node of your supply chain. At US Cold, we harmonize inventory management, reduce lead times, and minimize costs.