CORE X Partners highlights the entrepreneurial leaders within its network, featuring Josh, General Manager at CORE X CROWN, who brings a valuable perspective on enterprise-level cold chain solutions and business continuity excellence.
Building on Legacy Foundations
Josh’s journey with CORE X Partners began at CORE X HUTT, a legacy site within the network. Josh was drawn to CORE X CROWN by the chance to build something new. “We had the opportunity to build a state-of-the-art facility,” he explains, highlighting how the move allowed him to grow professionally while building a strong team from the ground up.
This balance of preserving what works while adding new resources is at the heart of how CORE X Partners helps family businesses thrive.
Maintaining What Works While Adding Support
When businesses join the CORE X Partners network, they keep their successful operational practices while gaining additional resources. Josh explains that when his facility became part of CORE X Partners, their day-to-day operations and team management stayed the same, but they gained valuable support from the larger organization.
“Nothing changed,” Josh explains of the transition. “It was just now opportunities of having support at a higher level.”
This approach ensures customers continue receiving the service they expect, while the facility gains the ability to improve and expand its offerings.
Enterprise-Level Solutions with Regional Expertise
What makes CORE X Partners stand out in the marketplace? According to Josh, it’s the combination of family-business service with the support of a broader network of legacy sites. This unique structure ensures that every customer receives personalized attention, regardless of size.
This approach means customers get the best of both worlds: they work with people who know them by name and understand their specific needs, but also have access to the resources and capabilities of a larger network. It’s a local partner with national reach.
Automation that Makes a Difference
The freezer at CORE X CROWN isn’t just cold—it’s smart. Josh proudly explains how their automated system moves products directly from trucks into temperature-controlled storage and back out again when needed, all while sorting items in the exact order they’ll be loaded for their next destination.
This implementation addresses a critical enterprise risk by eliminating food safety concerns related to extended dock storage. The automation system in freezer three accommodates 5,311 pallets and includes comprehensive business continuity measures, including a backup generator that provides uninterrupted operations even during power outages.
From quick-sorting capabilities to power redundancy, every aspect of the system was designed with one goal in mind: keeping products at the perfect temperature no matter what challenges arise.
Making Community Impact Through Cold Chain Expertise
Beyond commercial operations, CORE X CROWN exemplifies the mission of preserving food and providing access to those in need through strategic regional relationships.
“We have partnered with the Northwest Indiana Food Bank, where we can store product that they would not have the means of storage,” Josh explains. “We support 120-plus food banks within their network.”
In one notable example, CORE X CROWN connected a Michigan producer with the food bank, facilitating the donation, storage, and distribution of ice cream. Specialized cold storage capabilities can make a meaningful difference in community support efforts, providing items that would otherwise be inaccessible to food pantry recipients.
"When Our Customers Succeed, We Succeed"
To ensure mutual success, Josh and his team invest time in truly understanding each customer’s business. “For all our customers, we have many meetings where we discuss their business, their business models, what their opportunities are,” he explains. “We are a service industry where we want to serve them and not tell them, ‘This is how we do it.’”
This collaborative approach stands in contrast to standardized, one-size-fits-all solutions. By developing deep insight into customer operations and challenges, CORE X CROWN can tailor its services to address specific needs, whether for a regional producer or a national brand. The result is a true partnership that drives success for both parties.
Technology in Service of Relationships
While CORE X CROWN boasts cutting-edge technology, Josh emphasizes that these tools exist for one purpose: serving customers better.
“We are able to make a truck driver experience where they’re in and out as quickly as possible,” Josh explains, describing their mobile check-in system and automated scheduling platform. For Josh, technology doesn’t replace the human touch. It removes friction so his team can focus on what really matters: understanding and addressing customer needs.
This culture of service ripples through everything at CORE X CROWN—from the automated freezers to the scheduling software, each innovation serves a single purpose: turning customer challenges into success stories.
CORE X Partners delivers enterprise-level cold chain solutions through its network of regional cold storage experts. Contact CORE X Partners to learn how the network can support business continuity needs and provide strategic implementation support for cold chain requirements.
