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Australian Meat Group Deploys High-Density Shuttle Automation in Live Cold Storage

Source: MHD Supply Chain

Australian Meat Group’s Cold Storage Automation Project Sets a New Benchmark for High-Density Frozen Warehousing

Ce qui s'est passé

Australian Meat Group has delivered a high-density cold storage automation project at its Cootamundra processing facility in regional New South Wales, working with Stow Australia.

The project uses the Movu Atlas 2D Shuttle system inside a live cold storage environment. According to the published report, it is Australia’s first fully operational Movu Atlas 2D Shuttle system deployed within an active cold chain facility.

The system is designed for freezer and chiller applications and can operate in temperatures as low as -25°C. It combines high-density pallet storage with shuttle-based automation to support higher throughput, improved pallet accessibility, safer working conditions and long-term scalability.

Pour les opérateurs de la chaîne du froid, this is more than a warehouse automation story. It shows how frozen and chilled facilities are moving from conventional pallet racking toward automated storage systems that reduce manual handling, improve storage density and help control energy-intensive freezer space more efficiently.

Comment ça marche

A shuttle-based cold storage automation system is designed to move pallets through deep-lane storage channels with less reliance on forklifts operating inside freezer zones.

In a conventional cold store, pallet storage density is often limited by the need for fixed forklift aisles. Every aisle consumes refrigerated volume, and every cubic meter of freezer space carries construction, isolation, refrigeration and energy cost.

The Movu Atlas 2D Shuttle model changes the storage logic. Instead of keeping wide manual access aisles throughout the warehouse, shuttle automation can move pallets within dense racking structures. This allows operators to store more product inside the same building footprint while reducing the total freezer volume required per pallet.

For Australian Meat Group, the system has been designed to support freezer and chiller operations, where low temperatures create challenges for both people and equipment. Working inside cold storage can reduce labor comfort, increase safety risks, and limit the time staff can spend in the environment. Automation reduces the number of manual movements required in the cold zone.

The system is also designed to support storage density levels of up to 85–90%, according to the source report. That matters because higher density can reduce the volume of air that must be continuously refrigerated. In a freezer environment, storage density is not only a space-utilization metric; it is also an energy and operating-cost metric.

The installation stands just under 20 meters high and is designed as a scalable platform. This indicates that the system is not only solving a current storage need, but also allowing the operator to expand capacity as demand changes.

Pourquoi ça compte

Cold storage automation is becoming more important because frozen and chilled logistics face several pressures at the same time.

Food producers and cold chain operators need higher throughput, but skilled labor is increasingly difficult to secure. Energy costs remain a major operating burden. Building new freezer space is expensive. En même temps, détaillants, foodservice buyers and export markets expect more reliable inventory access, shorter lead times and stronger product integrity.

A high-density automated storage system can address several of these challenges together.

D'abord, it improves space utilization. Instead of expanding the physical footprint, operators can increase capacity inside the existing building envelope.

Deuxième, it can reduce manual handling. This is especially valuable in low-temperature environments where forklift operation, staff rotation, protective clothing and safety procedures affect productivity.

Troisième, it can improve pallet accessibility. Deep storage is efficient, but poor accessibility can slow order preparation. Shuttle automation helps balance density and access by moving pallets according to system logic instead of relying only on manual retrieval.

Quatrième, it can support better temperature discipline. Fewer manual movements and better-controlled workflows can reduce door-open time, traffic congestion and unnecessary exposure inside the cold room.

The Australian Meat Group project also suggests that cold storage automation is moving beyond showcase pilots. The system has reportedly been operational for more than six months, which makes the case more useful for B2B readers than a simple product announcement.

Impact B2B

Pour les exploitants d’entrepôts frigorifiques, this project provides a practical signal: automation should be evaluated as part of the thermal design of the warehouse, not just as a material-handling upgrade.

A shuttle system can improve pallet density, but operators must still check airflow, evaporator placement, racking load, protection incendie, maintenance access, battery performance, control software, emergency retrieval procedures and integration with the warehouse management system.

For frozen food manufacturers and meat processors, high-density automation can support larger inventories without immediately building more freezer space. This is especially relevant for export-oriented meat, fruit de mer, frozen meals and ingredients where batch control, product rotation and pallet traceability matter.

For automation suppliers, the opportunity is clear. Cold storage users do not need generic warehouse automation. They need systems engineered for low-temperature operation, risque de condensation, battery behavior, maintenance access and hygienic conditions. Equipment that works well in an ambient warehouse may not perform reliably at -25°C.

For refrigeration contractors, automated storage changes the facility design calculation. Higher density may reduce freezer volume requirements, but airflow and heat-load management become more complex. Refrigeration design must account for racking density, shuttle movement, equipment heat, access zones and future expansion.

Pour les équipes de sécurité et qualité alimentaires, automation data can become part of product integrity management. If pallet location, movement time, dwell time and temperature records are connected, operators can build stronger traceability and faster exception review.

For investors and developers, the case supports a broader trend: modern cold storage is becoming more technology-heavy and capital-intensive. Facilities are no longer judged only by pallet count and location. Buyers and tenants increasingly want energy efficiency, automation readiness, contrôle de la température, operational safety and digital visibility.

The wider lesson is that cold chain infrastructure is moving toward integrated freezer platforms where storage density, automation, energy efficiency and product integrity are designed together. Australian Meat Group’s Cootamundra project shows how that shift is already happening in real operating environments.