Santiago, Dominican Republic.- In response to the growing logistical needs of the northern region of the country, the company Emergent Cold LatAm announced the construction of a modern temperature-controlled storage plant in the North Ring Road Park of Santiago.
The project includes 16,000 pallet positions distributed in two phases and is scheduled to open in the summer of 2027.
The initiative is part of a comprehensive investment plan in the Dominican Republic valued at $100 million, aimed at boosting the national cold chain, reducing food waste - which reaches 301,000 tons globally due to inadequate temperature management - and optimizing distribution for local producers, distributors and supermarket chains.
PPedro Bretón, the company's general manager in the Dominican Republic, explained that Santiago was chosen due to the rapid growth of the Cibao region and the logistics park's strategic location to act as a hub for neighboring provinces. He also indicated that the hiring process will formally begin in early January to fill more than 70 direct positions in operations, warehousing, forklift operation, and administration.
The new facility will feature state-of-the-art technology for preserving refrigerated foods (such as dairy and vegetables), frozen foods (meats), and deep-frozen foods. In terms of sustainability and operational continuity in the event of power outages, the infrastructure will be supported by emergency power generation systems, solar panels, and a thermally efficient design certified under the EDGE Advance environmental standard, capable of maintaining the internal temperature of products for up to nine consecutive days without electricity.
With this project, the company's operational network in the country will encompass facilities at the Caucedo Multimodal Port, the Duarte Industrial Park in Santo Domingo, and the new headquarters in Santiago, reaching a combined capacity of 43,000 pallet positions. Similarly, the company plans to expand eastward with a new plant in Punta Cana, scheduled to open in 2028.
EMeanwhile, Juan Pablo Benítez, the company's general manager for Mexico and the Caribbean, emphasized that the presence in the province of Santiago is fundamental within the regional expansion plan, as it allows them to offer comprehensive logistics solutions at key points for Dominican trade.
