You might think New England’s naturally cooler climate would make cold storage simple. Think again. Between limited available land, strict environmental regulations, and a booming food manufacturing sector, running cold storage here requires creative solutions and exceptional people. CORE X COMPLETE in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, masters both—using innovative mobile racking technology to maximize tight spaces while building a team culture that treats every customer as a valued partner, not just another pallet position.
What You’ll Learn
- Why team culture directly impacts cold storage operational excellence in New England
- How mobile racking technology delivers 45-50% more capacity in limited space
- What makes CORE X COMPLETE’s people-first approach unique in the cold storage industry
- How supporting both enterprise clients and small businesses strengthens the regional supply chain
- Why New England’s geography makes innovative storage solutions essential
New England Cold Storage: Space Constraints Drive Innovation
CORE X COMPLETE’s Sturbridge facility, built on just seven acres (versus the typical 15-20 acres), shows what’s possible with creative engineering. The site had 76 feet of slope and required significant blasting, leading to solutions like underground water retention tanks and strategic building orientation. The result: 83,300 square feet housing 17,000 pallet positions through mobile racking technology—nearly double what conventional design would allow.
The CORE X COMPLETE Difference: People Make Performance Possible
“The team we’ve got here is a difference maker,” a team member said. This is an operational reality that customers experience daily.
The leadership team, which had previously worked together in various operations before joining CORE X Partners, brought decades of collective expertise. This continuity shows in seamless coordination and problem-solving abilities. The team includes:
- Sue (General Manager) – Provides oversight and solves complex operational challenges
- Justin (Operations Manager) – Oversees product flow, space optimization, and the mobile racking system
- Mike (Customer Service Manager) – Handles rates, contracts, and scheduling with precision
- Caitlin (Executive Assistant) – Ensures smooth administrative operations and team coordination
When a frozen bakery customer’s cranberry shipments arrived with different case weights from two vendors, causing inventory headaches, the team didn’t panic. Sue and her team quickly implemented a catch-weight solution that maintained accuracy while accommodating the variance.
The company philosophy is simple: “Take care of your employees, and they will take care of customers.”
There’s a shared camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose. As Justin puts it: “The warehouse team holds each other to a high level of standard. Being a small facility like we are, nothing can really fall between the cracks.”
Another Revolution Starts in Massachusetts: Enter Mobile Racking
While Europe has used mobile racking for years due to land constraints, CORE X COMPLETE was an early adopter of this technology in New England’s cold storage sector. The system works like sliding file cabinets—entire rack sections move laterally to create aisles only where needed, eliminating permanent aisle “dead space.”
Mobile-racking offers a myriad of benefits:
- Efficiency gains through eliminating double-handling of pallets
- Better inventory accuracy with simplified put-away and retrieval
- 45-50% more storage capacity in the same footprint
For CORE X COMPLETE’s primarily full-pallet-in, full-pallet-out customer base, the technology excels. Traditional double-deep racking forces operators to move front pallets to reach rear ones, creating errors and inefficiency. With mobile racking, operators retrieve any pallet directly in one smooth transaction.
The mobile rack sections, loaded with nearly 700,000 pounds, move on just three half-horsepower motors. The system requires careful housekeeping—no debris can interfere with the rail system—but this attention to detail enhances the overall safety and cleanliness of the facility.
Supporting Every Business: From Sixty Pallets to Six Thousand
CORE X COMPLETE’s customer mix reveals their community commitment. While 60-70% of capacity serves major frozen bakery producers, the facility intentionally supports smaller operations that other national providers typically reject.
This inclusive approach strengthens New England’s entire food ecosystem. Small businesses get essential cold storage access, CORE X COMPLETE maintains community relationships, and the regional food economy benefits from supporting businesses at every growth stage.
Where Team Culture Meets Operational Metrics
The connection between culture and performance at CORE X COMPLETE shows in concrete results. High pallet counts per hour metrics come from warehouse teams who compete daily, track individual productivity, and challenge each other to improve.
“They’re very competitive with each other out on the floor,” notes Justin with a smile. This friendly competition keeps the work light, but the results are high efficiency and excellence.
This culture extends to customer-facing processes. The receiving team meticulously verifies:
- Product dimensions and tie heights
- Case weights and pallet configurations
- Temperature requirements
- Special handling needs
When issues arise, the team collaborates quickly. Advanced technology like the mobile racking system only works because skilled operators understand both the equipment and customer needs. The facility’s size means accountability comes naturally—everyone sees their impact on success.
Your Implementation Process: Systematic Yet Flexible
Getting started with CORE X COMPLETE follows a clear path designed by people who’ve done this hundreds of times:
Initial Setup Sue establishes contract terms while Mike configures rates and scheduling in the warehouse management system. You’ll have accurate billing and inventory tracking from the first pallet delivery.
First Shipment Justin’s operations team performs comprehensive receiving verification—measuring actual dimensions, confirming weights, and documenting special requirements with Mike’s team. This upfront diligence prevents the inventory discrepancies that plague many operations.
Ongoing Partnership You’ll have:
- Real-time inventory visibility through the customer portal
- Direct access to team members who know your business
- Flexible scheduling for seasonal changes
- Proactive communication about opportunities or issues
Growing Together When one customer recently doubled from 3,000 to 6,000 pallets, CORE X COMPLETE accommodated the expansion seamlessly with three-year contract stability. The facility also coordinates with CORE X Freight for integrated transportation solutions, including shuttle services and LTL consolidation.
New England Cold Storage Excellence: Technology and People Working Together
CORE X COMPLETE’s approach—maximizing space through mobile racking while maintaining genuine human relationships—offers a sustainable model for the growth of cold storage in New England.
The facility demonstrates that advanced technology and people-first culture reinforce each other. For businesses seeking New England cold storage, temperature control, and pallet positions are just the beginning. True partners deliver innovation, operational excellence, and a team that treats your success as their own—whether you need 60 pallets or 6,000.
Ready to experience the CORE X COMPLETE difference? Contact our team to discuss how our people-first approach and innovative solutions can support your New England cold storage needs.
CORE X Partners operates a network of temperature-controlled facilities across North America, with CORE X COMPLETE serving as the New England regional expert. Learn more about our complete cold storage and logistics solutions at corexpartners.com.