The Longos Warehouse Expansion: A Major Milestone for Neelands Group

At Neelands Group, we’re proud to have recently completed the expansion of the Longos warehouse, a project that began in late 2023. This expansion was essential for increasing the capacity of Longos’ main distribution center. We were tasked with delivering the refrigeration, electrical, and plumbing solutions required to support the larger facility.

The expansion effectively doubled the size of Longos’ refrigerated spaces, adding approximately 85,000 square feet. The new areas include additional produce and grocery storage, inbound and outbound refrigerated loading docks, meat coolers, a general freezer, and dedicated ice cream freezers.

For this project, we provided a comprehensive in-house refrigeration design and installation. This included the supply of HVAC rooftop equipment and a specialized in-slab glycol heated floor system, ensuring optimal temperature control for the freezer, ice cream freezer, and meat cooler areas.

Key components of the refrigeration system include state-of-the-art CO2 penthouses, two adiabatic gas coolers, and backup condensing units. The gas coolers were piped in stainless steel, utilizing both our TIG and orbital welding expertise to ensure precision and durability. In total, the installation required nearly 10,000 linear feet of copper and stainless piping and insulation.

The facility is equipped with a Micro Thermo monitoring and control system to maintain efficient operation. To mitigate the risk of downtime and potential loss of product due to power outages, the facility is equipped with a backup generator capable of running our equipment.

The scale of this project was significant, with a total refrigeration capacity exceeding 2.1 million BTUH. The installation included 54 evaporator coils, most of which weigh around 700 pounds and are suspended 35 feet in the air. The two CO2 penthouses, each weighing 33,000 pounds, were lifted 125 feet onto the roof using a 450-ton crane.

The project was completed over approximately 30 weeks, with our crew ranging from 4 to 8 members depending on the phase of construction. This project highlights Neelands Group’s ability to deliver large-scale, complex refrigeration solutions on time and to the highest standards.

We’re proud to have partnered with Longos on this expansion and look forward to supporting their continued growth.