On October 15, 2024, the Fort Worth City Council approved a tax abatement to facilitate the expansion of Americold, one of the largest temperature-controlled warehousing and distribution providers in the world. Americold, which currently operates 239 facilities worldwide and employs 15,000 people, is expanding its presence in Fort Worth, where it already has four locations. The company also has sites in nearby Dallas, Grand Prairie, and Mansfield.
The abatement, part of the city’s effort to support the growing logistics industry, is projected to generate over $2.5 million annually in gross new net taxes, allowing Fort Worth to recover the value of the incentive in just over three years. This expansion is timely, as demand for cold storage facilities—critical for housing perishable goods, pharmaceuticals, and other temperature-sensitive items—continues to rise due to national trends like the growth of e-commerce and the shift toward supply chain onshoring.
Fort Worth’s existing cold storage facilities are at nearly 99% occupancy, leaving limited room for new clients. As of the fourth quarter of 2023, no new cold storage units were under construction in the city. Americold’s expansion will help alleviate the shortage, providing additional capacity for businesses across the western Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and supporting vital sectors like healthcare. Medical professionals rely heavily on cold storage for the safe transport of medications, equipment, and other critical supplies.