BCS History

Cheers to 75 years supporting the cold chain industry!

Acknowledgements

The First 50 Years: 1946 – 1996


Established in 1946
Arch thought local fishermen and farmers could benefit from cold storage warehousing services. So in 1946 he completed the construction of warehouses 1 and 2 (18,000 sq. ft. total) and formed Bellingham Cold Storage. Some of BCS’s earliest customers included Stokely Van Camp (carrots, peas and berries) and Wakefield Seafoods (crab and fish). BCS also made block ice for local fishermen. The cold storage, like the shipyard, was built on property leased from the Port of Bellingham, which has played a critical role in helping BCS and its customers prosper ever since.
Expanding through the 1950s


New leadership
New technology, new customers


Orchard expansion
By 1979, BCS had run out of space for more buildings at the waterfront property, now known as the Squalicum Facility, so a 45-acre tract of land near Interstate 5 was purchased. At this new Orchard Facility site, warehouses 12, 13 and 14 were built in quick succession during the 1980s. Artificial crabmeat (kanebo) processors Icicle Seafoods and Trans Ocean Products located their plants at the Orchard Facility next to the new cold storages. Warehouses 15 and 16 were built soon after, bringing BCS´s total space to its current 170 million lbs. (77,000 metric tons) capacity.
Marine Resources Company International

Through the 1990s
BCS grew dramatically in the 1990s under the leadership of president Stew Thomas. Stew strengthened ties with BCS’s existing core of on-site seafood customers, while diversifying into non-traditional activities such as distribution services, cooler storage, and freighter vessel loading.
President change
In January 1999, Stew’s son Doug took over the position of president and Stew became Chairman of the Board. Ownership of the company remains with the Talbot family. Today BCS continues its reputation for quality and innovation by leading the industry in warehouse information technologies and expanding further into the international marketplace.


Purchased by Joshua Green Corporation
Celebrated 75 years

Stan McCammon, Doug Thomas, Jose Roques, Stowe Talbot, and Stew Thomas.
For more information on recent events at Bellingham Cold Storage, please visit our news page.