From Day One: How Integrated Construction and Racking Design Maximizes Cold Storage Efficiency

When designing the most operationally efficient cold storage facilities, every square foot counts when it come to the initial capital investment through the life cycle of the facility. That’s why Cold Summit’s partnership with Level-Up Racking Co. isn’t just about the Material Handling Equipment. It’s all about the pallet.  We design, engineer and build a smarter, faster, and more efficient approach to our cold chain solutions.

Too often, racking is treated as an afterthought that is slotted in after columns and walls go up, and the refrigeration systems are installed. Cold Summit takes a different approach. From the earliest stages of site planning, we collaborate with Level-Up to ensure that racking, construction, and cold storage pallet systems are fully aligned with pallet throughput focusing on both present and future state. This integrated model allows us to maximize cubic storage capacity, streamline build timelines, and optimize the entire facility for real-world operational demands.

Mike Smith, co-founder of Cold Summit, says, “We tell our clients, ‘We build buildings around the pallet—it all starts there.’ By engaging Level-Up early in the process, we can quickly develop the size requirement for a client in a build-to-suit scenario or create flexibility around any pallet configuration or temperature for our speculative builds. This approach has saved clients millions in construction costs and enabled us to secure tenants faster, at competitive rates. Our partnership creates a dynamic unrivaled in the industry.”

Why Early Integration Matters

When racking and building teams work in silos, the results are unpredictable: wasted space, costly redesigns, and missed opportunities for efficiency. By contrast, Cold Summit and Level-Up begin every project as a unified team—identifying pallet requirements while coordinating fire suppression, ceiling heights, slab loading, refrigeration design, and racking layout in tandem.

Our Pallet Approach:

• Unlocks higher pallet density with customized racking configurations tailored to each client’s throughput and product mix
• Reduces rework and downtime by resolving spatial and engineering conflicts before construction begins
• Accelerates project delivery through parallel workflows and coordinated installation schedules
• Supports automation and future upgrades by ensuring infrastructure is designed with flexibility in mind

Josh Rouse, founder of Level-Up Racking Co., shares, “Our mission is to transform racking integration in building design. Cold Summit’s commitment to understanding clients’ storage needs and involving us early has been transformative. Together, we’ve optimized warehouse layouts, reduced building footprints, and increased storage capacity—saving clients up to 10% on construction costs in some cases. Each project pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, delivering smarter, more efficient facilities.”

Built for Cold Chain Demands

Whether we’re building for frozen or chilled foods, pharmaceuticals, or flex-temp distribution hubs, our integrated model ensures that every decision, down to the last pallet position, supports our clients’ bottom line. The result? Cold storage facilities that don’t just stand up to the test of time, they maximize profits and perform.

At Cold Summit, we’re not just constructing buildings. We’re building partnerships that raise the bar for cold chain logistics. And with Level-Up Racking at our side, we’re making sure performance is engineered into every square inch, from Day One.