Robotics and AI at the center of largest cold chain logistics leader in Cebu

A cold chain warehouse seems an unlikely pick for a technology feature, but when one of the country's top businessmen points out this imposing and mysterious edifice on Cebu's northbound Nautical Highway in the Municipality of Consolacion and says "That entire building doesn't require lights inside. Fully automated robotics runs in the dark, managed fully by AI, then it must be pursued."

- Maria Rodriguez Java

Driving into Big Blue Logistics compound, I immediately noticed that everything was exceptionally clean. There were very few staff for what one would expect of a typical Filipino warehouse operation. Trucks and trailers came in and out in relaxed but rapid succession. No trash, no spitting, no milling around. The efficiency and order seemed almost... Nordic.

For the past 21 years, Big Blue Logistics Corporation has run and quietly expanded into one of the largest public-refrigerated warehousing operations in the country, specializing wholly in food storage.

Big Blue CEO, Steve "Bong" Castillo walked me through the basics of Philippine cold chain logistics, why he invested in German automation, and he walked me straight into the largest -20°C refrigerator in the Philippines.

ROBOTICS EVERYWHERE Each truckload comes in, stacked onto pallets, wrapped securely by robotic arms, barcode tagged, assigned temp-controlled shelving, in the dark. The main warehouse area holds dozens of rows of steel shelves easily a kilometer deep and up to 10 levels high. All serviced by robotic arms, and next to no human intervention after the unloading.

AI analyzes and decides when and how much food quantity to recommend to its clients to use first considering multiple data points not just expiration dates.

Castillo says, "We operate 7 warehouse locations in Cebu. We only do food storage; we do not do pharmaceutical refrigeration as the requirements for that are completely different."

We cater to a wide range of requirements for holding temperature. Much like your refrigerator at home, you have a freezer, a crisper, where you place soft drinks versus vegetables, or wine. We also have different rooms for different kinds of food.