Lineage Logistics Holdings, the world’s largest provider of temperature-controlled logistics solutions, announced it has signed definitive agreements to acquire Emergent Cold, the global cold chain services provider.
This acquisition strengthens the Company’s leading port presence in the United States and signifies its entry into the Australian, New Zealand, and Sri Lankan temperature-controlled logistics markets, building on Lineage’s existing presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
“Food producers, manufacturers and retailers are looking for cold chain partners who can offer a dynamic and truly end-to-end temperature-controlled logistics solution, and one that can reach every corner of the world,” said Greg Lehmkuhl, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lineage.
“Welcoming Emergent to the Lineage family not only adds significant capacity to our international footprint, but also deepens our commitment to our port strategy and international trade. We are better able to help customers respond to constantly shifting market dynamics, such as global network optimization, tariff impacts, consumer preference shifts, and much more, while at the same time unlocking new potential market opportunities to sell their goods,” Lehmkuhl added.
Following closing of the transactions, the combined company will feature over 1.7 billion cubic feet of temperature-controlled capacity across 260 facilities in 10 countries, with a global footprint that now spans North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
With the acquisition, Lineage adds a newly constructed distribution center in the Dallas-Fort Worth market as well as four U.S. port facilities in New Orleans, Houston and Charleston to its expansive network of locations supporting import, export and customs brokerage services for its customers. The transaction also includes the purchase of real estate at select facility sites currently leased by Emergent under long-term lease agreements.
The transactions also position Lineage to take advantage of growing demand for cold storage space in Australia – a sector valued at $5 billion – and in neighboring New Zealand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
The sector is rapidly evolving and is an integral part of Asia-Pacific’s domestic and international supply chains for food products including dairy, seafood, raw and cooked meat, poultry, frozen vegetables and other frozen or chilled foods. Once the deal closes, Lineage will be poised to help customers meet growing export demand and their need for a more expansive supply chain.