MANILA -- ORCA Cold Chain Solutions, a pioneering company aimed at introducing technology and innovation to the supply chain management industry, recently inaugurated the Philippines’ first-ever fully automated cold storage facility in Bagumbayan, Taguig City.
Cold chain is vital for food safety and security. In fact, for most countries, this temperature-controlled supply chain and storage system is widely considered as infrastructure, as it allows produce to be safely transported and stored while maintaining its quality and freshness.
ORCA, a subsidiary of ISOC Holdings Inc., provides cold chain logistics services including storage, handling, transportation and distribution to supermarkets, food processing companies, meat and seafood importers, and other industries.
The multibillion-peso ORCA facility in Taguig, which awarded Pioneer Status by the BOI, features a high bay storage racking structure that is equipped with an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) and a Warehouse Management System (WMS). Both technologies allow increased efficiency in the storage and retrieval of pallets in the facility while ensuring minimal human interaction in order to limit pilferage, contamination and spoilage.
World-class cold chain
“The Philippines is a very rich country. We are bountiful on all agricultural fronts, from land to water. And yet, a lot of Filipinos remain hungry or cannot have the freshest food possible," Mr. Yerik C. Cosiquien, ISOC Cold Chain President and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement.
Cosiquien said the country has a lot of untapped potential to be world-class as a food-producing and food-making country.
"And all of these have motivated us in investing and putting up this state-of-the-art facility. The technology has been present in other Southeast Asian countries and in the most advanced countries of the world. This is an achievement not just for ORCA, but for the country," he said. "We are not just a business, we are here to make a difference."
Taguig Mayor Lino S. Cayetano warmly welcomed the launching of ORCA Taguig and remarked on its alignment with the city's agenda on economic dynamism.
"It is not just a slogan that in Taguig, we want it to be the best place to do business. Every day we work with our fellow officials to continuously think of ways to serve you better," Cayetano said during the launch.
Mr. Jesus G. Chua, Jr. ISOC Holdings Group president, emphasized that ORCA Taguig is unlike any other, with its height of 14 stories and capacity of 20,000 pallets.
Moreover, the company's commitment towards automation is one of a kind as well, “From an investment standpoint, what we’ve done and what we plan to do are considerably substantial and unprecedented in the cold chain industry,” he said.
Chua also noted that ORCA Taguig is the only cold storage facility vying for a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design certification.
Meanwhile, BOI Managing Head and Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo congratulated ORCA and emphasized that the facility addresses growing food consumption and the demand for reliable cold chain logistics service in the country.
In his speech, Rodolfo said that ORCA Taguig is registered under the Preferred Activities -- Infrastructure and Logistics including LGU PPPs of the Investment Promotion Plan (IPP).
Mr. Michael C. Cosiquien, ISOC Holdings Chairman and Founder, for his part, said that as the company embarks in bringing world-class cold chain infrastructure, it is earmarking PHP10 million to fund scholarships and programs aligned with the government’s National Food Safety Program mandated under the Food Safety Act of 2013.
“The amount we will set aside will fund programs that would allow the industry to grow in terms of both technology and talent pool for cold chain, food safety and supply chain management. We want to help modernize the industry and create more knowledge on the benefits of cold chain logistics in improving the lives of all stakeholders from small- to large-scale farmers, fisherfolk and livestock and poultry growers,” Cosiquien said.
Also present during the launch were Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Taguig Rep. Cong. Lani Cayetano, and Bohol Governor Arthur Yap. (PR)