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Swisslog, a leading provider of data-driven intralogistics automation, has announced its appointment as automation partner for Magnavale’s new frozen storage facility in Avonmouth, Bristol. The project, known as Magnavale Bristol, will be the second frozen high bay warehouse Swisslog delivers under a framework agreement with Magnavale (Sadel Group).
A framework partnership for long-term growth
The award follows the successful delivery of Project Phoenix, Magnavale’s first automated frozen high bay warehouse at Easton in Lincolnshire, which became fully operational at the end of 2024. That project established a framework agreement under which Magnavale plans to construct up to eight frozen high bay warehouses across the UK and EU, with the goal of becoming the market leader in frozen pallet storage. Swisslog’s selection reflects the confidence Magnavale has placed in its engineering capability, collaborative approach, and ability to deliver at scale in one of the most demanding operational environments in the industry.
Shane Faulkner, Swisslog UK Managing Director said: “Winning a second project with Magnavale is a strong signal of the trust they place in Swisslog’s technology and our ability to deliver. With plans for up to eight frozen high bay warehouses across the UK and EU, this is a partnership with real long-term significance, both for Magnavale’s growth and for Swisslog’s position in the UK cold storage market. What sets us apart in this sector is our willingness to commit to minimum throughput levels, even in the event of a system disruption. That level of confidence in our own engineering is something Magnavale’s customers can rely on, and it is central to why this partnership works.”
Andrew Lawrence, Director at Sadel Group said: “We are delighted to be continuing the partnership with Swisslog for our development in Bristol. Having successfully delivered the automation at Magnavale Easton in partnership with Swisslog, we have a deep shared understanding of the standards this project demands and are confident that Swisslog’s systems can and will deliver the throughput, reliability and flexibility that Magnavale Bristol requires.”
Building on proven engineering with site-specific enhancements
Swisslog’s engineering and design teams drew directly on their experience at Easton to shape the Bristol solution, bringing proven technology to the Avonmouth site while incorporating targeted enhancements specific to Magnavale Bristol. Simulation modelling played a central role early in the design process, allowing Swisslog to test and validate throughput levels across a range of operational scenarios, including resilience modes, well before finalising the system design.
Working closely alongside racking and cladding suppliers from the outset, Swisslog’s teams coordinated the detailed interface between the low bay and high bay warehouse environments.
A high-resilience solution for extreme conditions
The Avonmouth facility can operate down to -28°C within an approximately 45-metre high clad-rack structure housing 90,000 total pallet locations across the site. Ten Vectura stacker cranes will manage pallet movements throughout the high bay, comprising two manual dual load handling device cranes and eight double-deep dual load handling device cranes. A two-tiered monorail system and approximately 1,500 metres of ProMove conveyor across two levels will support product flow, with all operations orchestrated by Swisslog’s SynQ Warehouse Control System, delivering real-time stock visibility, intelligent load sequencing, and FEFO/FIFO stock management.
A defining feature of the solution is Swisslog’s commitment to guaranteed minimum throughput rates in the event of a monorail disruption. This resilience requirement, built into the system design and validated through simulation, gives Magnavale the operational confidence to fulfil customer commitments even during periods of disruption.
Strengthening Swisslog’s position in UK cold storage
Magnavale Bristol reinforces Swisslog’s credentials as a specialist in large-scale frozen automation, with resident site engineering teams experienced in operating within frozen environments forming part of the ongoing service offer. With Magnavale’s expansion programme still in its early stages, the framework agreement represents a significant pipeline of future opportunity and a growing body of proven cold storage expertise within the UK market.