BCS is Strategically Placed for Logistics
Do you know, just how strategically positioned Bellingham Cold Storage is logistically?
BCS is a significantly resourceful regional hub to some of the largest 3PL logistics, trading, and shipping companies in the world. We are a Distribution Center (DC) supporting some of the biggest international food companies and their 3PLS, grocery and food service (restaurants) supply chain networks.
BCS’ private ocean terminal and proximity to Canada
These are substantial logistic features that make BCS unique, and enable the growth of our 20 warehouses and 12 leased value-added processing facilities. Our large portside warehouses with rail service offer formidable logistic advantages, significant to the largest food and 3PL customers.
Photography by BCS
Boat being unloaded at the dock.
Supporting domestic + international storage and
logistics growth
BCS was founded upon local fisheries and agriculture production in the 1940s. By the 1960s our growth was expansive, we added many warehouses and built food processing facilities to lease to our ‘tenants’ to value-add their products. We were thrust logistically into their supply chains and became part of their customers 3PL networks at many levels: supporting the largest grocery and food-service distribution across the US and Canada.
“Having our own private ocean terminal dramatically increased our international and Alaskan volumes since the 1960s. Many other food companies have come to utilize us in their supply chain networks, international, including US 3PL companies storing at BCS to handle their Canadian distribution.”
Since 2020 we have experienced waves of new interest from international conglomerates and their 3PL providers to support their worldwide supply chains. Our dock is private so we can offer excellent value and service. In the last year we have shipped and received meat and vegetables to and from new customers in the southern hemisphere and Asia, as well as growing our regular shipping customers doing business in Europe and Alaska.
Boat arrives at the dock, and its cargo is unloaded and moved into BCS warehouses.
This spring international 3PL providers that import fruits and export vegetable products across our dock, realized BCS could be an excellent warehousing hub in their large Canadian pork supply chain, and to consolidate several of their US food manufacturers products in Bellingham for distribution to a national Canadian retail chain: full trucks of each food product from across the Southwest US to Bellingham, then mixed loads (full or LTL) to the Canadian Chains DCs in BC and Alberta. Now we are looking at USDA certification to handle imported beef across our dock and stage pork and other value-added meat products into Canada.
We are also now loading specialized reefer ships full of French fries and other vegetables heading to Asia, and these shipping companies are studying other food commodities to bring back to BCS to complete the loop. More than ever, all palletized Pacific Rim food products that are toted, cased, or sacked from around the Pacific are studying BCS as a North American distribution point. We are also growing our historic seafood ships departing for Europe and arriving from Alaska.
“BCS is well positioned logistically to support domestic and international supply chain networks. Our private dock, large dockside warehousing and rail service are very unique and cost effective, and make us a valuable and resourceful 3PL partner.”
BCS future growth plans
- Expand our dock capabilities
- Add more dry, chill and frozen capacity to our two large food campuses in Bellingham
- We also have 20 acres to develop in our Interstate 5 Campus to add more food processing facilities directly attached to warehouses
We look forward to the future of BCS and the enhanced support we can provide our customers. Please let us know how we can help your domestic and international logistics and growth.
For more news on BCS, see here.
If you’re looking to expand in the US, we have space.
Contact Jose Roques at bcsmarketing@bellcold.com