Constellation’s Nordic Success: New facilities, new technology and future plans for the Nordic region

Constellation Cold Logistics has undergone remarkable growth in the Nordic region over the past two years. With groundbreaking investments in new facilities, innovative new technologies and sustainable energy projects, our work in the Nordics region is an undeniable demonstration of our continued commitment to excellence to cold logistics and our customers. 

There is a great variety in the work which has taken place across our Nordic projects, with major developments in Tønsberg and Fredrikstad in Norway and upcoming projects in Sweden.

Kenneth Daugård Terkelsen, Project and Property Manager, Constellation 

As we continue to deliver development projects on time and on budget, below is a breakdown of the exciting work Constellation is doing in the Nordic region. 

Tønsberg – Greenfield Project

The recent completion of the Tønsberg greenfield project in April 2024 marks a significant milestone for us. This new facility was built to serve Nortura, one of Norway’s largest food producers and a key Constellation customer, adding 13,000 pallet positions of capacity. 

Despite the complexities inherent in greenfield projects – building on an otherwise undeveloped site -, we delivered this facility on time for our customers, adhering to strict budgetary and environmental constraints. Phase 2 of this project is now awaiting approval.

Project management for the Tønsberg greenfield project was handled internally at Constellation, ensuring direct oversight and control over every aspect of the project. Our in-house expertise was key to this project’s success, with a smooth go-live process free of operational issues.  

Tønsberg – Microwave Tempering and Plate Freezing

At our new Tønsberg facility, we are taking freezing technology to the next level with the introduction of microwave tempering and plate freezing. 

The ammonia plate freezer rapidly freezes products. This allows us to handle fast-turning product for our customers, and ensures that goods remain high quality when tempered at a later date. 

Microwave tempering uses microwave energy to bring frozen product back to chilled temperature in a controlled manner. With the latest technology installed at our Tønsberg facility, this method greatly improves efficiency, enabling pallets to be ready for further processing in just 2 hours instead of the 48-96 hours required for traditional tempering. The rapid freezing process also minimises drip loss, which is of particular importance to meat customers.

Projects like our Tønsberg facility aren’t just increasing our storage capacity – these latest innovations in technology ensure that customers receive a high quality and efficient service with short lead times.

Fredrikstad – Seafood Brands partnership

In May 2024, we were proud to announce a new long-term and comprehensive partnership between Constellation and Seafood Brands, part of the Blue Resource Group. Seafood Brands, known for its commitment to sustainable seafood, collaborates with importers worldwide to promote top-quality Norwegian seafood products.

As part of this partnership, Constellation handles transportation, packaging, freezing, and storage of various products for Seafood Brands. This involves daily transportation of fresh seafood from Seafood Brands’ facility to our storage facility in Fredrikstad, where we also handle packaging and freezing for Seafood Brands products.

Denmark – Acquiring Agri-Norcold

We are excited to announce our largest acquisition to date: Agri-Norcold A/S. This acquisition represents our first entry into the Danish market and significantly strengthens our position in the Nordic region.

Agri-Norcold operates 10 strategically located facilities with a total capacity of 266,000 pallet positions. This addition not only boosts our cold storage and logistics capabilities but also adds unparalleled freezing capability to our network, and enhances our ability to serve customers across the Nordics.

The integration of Agri-Norcold into our network aligns with our growth strategy, expanding our service offerings and reinforcing our commitment to excellence and sustainability in cold logistics. We look forward to leveraging Agri-Norcold’s strong market presence and established relationships to drive further growth and innovation across the Nordic region.

Looking Forward – Expansion in Sweden

While many of our recent projects in the Nordics have been based in Norway, and now in Denmark, we are planning further expansion in Sweden. Constellation Cold Logistics Sweden is expanding with a new cold storage facility in Rollsbo/Kungälv. This strategically located site in the Rollsbo Industrial Area will offer 32,000 pallet places to meet the region’s high demand for cold storage from current and prospective customers.

This upcoming development will continue our trend of leveraging advanced technology and sustainable practices to meet growing customer demands. 

Our Nordic operation has undergone massive expansion and technological advancements over the past two years. These strategic investments enhance service quality and efficiency, demonstrating a firm commitment to sustainability and customer satisfaction.