Coastal Group Opens $41.8M Missouri Cold Storage Facility
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An affiliate of Missouri-based Coastal Group has opened a $41.8 million cold storage facility in its home state, at a site that’s being touted as sitting within a 10-hour drive of a majority of the U.S. population.
“Missouri stands out as a prime destination for industry-leading companies like Coastal Group,” July 30 during an event to herald the facility’s opening. “Our strategic location, ideal business climate and skilled workforce are driving economic growth that’s making a positive difference for Missourians.”
The new Coastal Cold Storage facility in located in the town of Foristell, which sits along Interstate 70 about 40 miles west of St. Louis in Warren County. It replaces a facility about 15 miles north that sat near U.S. Route 61.
“Foristell’s strategic centralized location allows for 70% of the U.S. population to be reached in a 10-hour drive. This geological advantage enables faster product turnaround times, reduced freight costs, and broader market access,” said the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The agency helped advance the venture via the state’s Missouri Works program, an economic development effort that offers incentives like tax credits to companies that bring business to the area. Coastal Group said the facility will create 52 jobs.
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Focusing on food distribution and storage, Coastal Group provides warehousing, transportation and logistics services through a family of logistics-focused companies including Coastal Carriers Truck Lines, Coastal Carriers, 61 Leasing and 61 Sales.
John Dunard, owner of Coastal Group, said, “This facility represents more than cold storage. It’s about generating jobs, empowering Missouri’s workforce, and helping businesses nationwide move their products more efficiently.”
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The 125,000-square-foot facility will offer 15,500 pallet positions amid 55,600 square feet of freezer space and 29,300 square feet of cooler space.
“This investment in a new, state-of-the-art refrigerated and freezer warehouse by Coastal Group in Warren County is a testament to our region’s pro-business environment,” said Tom Wolff, president of the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council. “It also speaks to our focus on sustainable development and elevates the synergies being created around food production and food processing, which leverages the region’s agricultural heritage.”
The state’s freight tonnage volume is expected to soar 20% by 2045, according to the “” issued by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
This Coastal Group facility follows other cold storage operations launched in Missouri. Vertical Cold Storage announced earlier this year it opened a multimodal 311,000-square-foot location in Kansas City. a $127 million cold storage facility there.
Americold said at the time, “The new 335,000-square-foot facility in Kansas City is part of a strategic collaboration with Canadian Pacific Kansas City to co-locate Americold warehouse facilities on the CPKC network.” Americold ranks No. 27 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest logistics companies in North America.
The U.S. had 900 refrigerated warehouses located across the nation in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At 492, the number of public warehouses outpaced the 408 private and semiprivate facilities. This year, numerous cold storage facilities are being built throughout the country in states such as Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina and Texas.
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