At PacificLink, an “urban industrial” business park located in Surrey, BC, we’ve been turning our environmental policies into action since the start, first through extensive site remediation, and then through innovative initiatives like our transport reduction and soil amendment programs.
So when Frito Lay Canada, a snack food company with a strong environmental record, approached us about locating within the PacificLink project, we quickly realized that this was an association we wanted to make.
When Wesgroup purchased PacificLink in 2004, it was because our management team saw huge potential in the property. A brownfield situated south of the Fraser River on Scott Road, the site offered exceptional access to road, rail and sea transport, making it an ideal location for any business that wanted to build an efficient supply chain and/or distribution network.
Frito Lay Canada shared that vision. For Frito Lay Canada, shortening distribution-related “drive distances” is the key to reducing costs and environmental impact. When the company decided to establish a distribution facility in Metro Vancouver, it set out to identify the centralized geographic location that would minimize delivery times.
Traditionally, this hub has been located on Annacis Island, a small, industrialized island that offers easy access to the Trans-Canada Highway and the International Airport. Now, with changes in population distribution and developing infrastructure (including the planned opening of the South Fraser Perimeter Road in 2013), Frito Lay Canada’s sophisticated analysis programs indicated that the hub had shifted to PacificLink.
Armed with this data, Frito Lay Canada purchased just over 11 acres of the 83 acre site. In August, 2007, the deal closed…a mutually beneficial agreement that placed Canada’s largest snack food company exactly where they wanted to be, and gave the still nascent PacificLink a significant boost in profile.
Typically, the vendor steps back once the sale is complete. In this case, Wesgroup continued to provide ongoing advice and support to its new neighbour. That assistance proved invaluable when Frito Lay decided to seek LEED certification for its facility, despite the attendant costs and lengthier construction timelines. With opening day commitments already established, the company needed to expedite permit approvals and begin construction – fast. Wesgroup helped out, efficiently guiding the Ontario-based company through the City of Surrey approval process, and positioning it to make the April 16, 2009 grand opening.
Today, the Frito Lay distribution facility is a model of energy efficient, eco-friendly construction choices, from its highly insulated envelope, Energy Star-rated reflective roof, water-efficient landscaping and useage, and energy efficient lighting and heating technologies.
To learn more about how Frito Lay and Wesgroup are working to reduce their environmental impact, please visit www.fritolay.com and www.wesgroup.ca
