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COLD STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Cold storage racking for more pallets in the space you cool

Dexion plans, installs and services racking for cold stores and frozen warehouses down to −30 °C.

Request a capacity review Explore cold storage systems
−30 °C Racking for frozen storage
6 systems From MOVO to pallet flow
One partner Plan, build and service
CONNECT · THE SITUATION

Why cold stores are under pressure

Demand for temperature-controlled capacity keeps growing, while new cold stores are expensive and slow to build. At the same time, many operators have to renew their refrigeration and find staff for work at freezing temperatures. A good first step is to check how well the existing cooled volume is used.

What we hear in almost every cold store project

These issues come up in nearly every conversation with cold store operators.

The cold store is full

Extra pallets end up in external storage or force an extension, a second site or a relocation.

Every aisle is cooled

The whole building volume has to be kept cold, whether it holds pallets or open aisles.

Work in the cold is hard to staff

Handling at freezing temperatures is demanding, and staff are hard to find.

CONNECT · YOUR TEAM

Who decides, and what each role needs to know

A cold storage project involves several decision-makers. We answer their questions in one concept.

Managing director and CFO

Extend, relocate or densify? You need a capacity figure and a cost comparison first.

Warehouse and operations manager

Throughput, access to every SKU and safe work at freezing temperatures, in every shift.

Logistics service provider

Customers and articles change. The racking has to adapt without rebuilding.

Engineering and project planning

Floor, rails, fire protection and the refrigeration interface must be planned together.

Quality and food safety

FIFO rotation, batch control and clean, accessible storage are part of the requirements.

Investor and developer

The storage concept decides the footprint and the future flexibility of a new cold store.

BUILD · COLD STORAGE SYSTEMS

Cold storage racking systems from Dexion

Six systems for chilled and frozen storage. Which one fits depends on SKUs, access, rotation and throughput, and many cold stores combine several of them.

MOVO mobile pallet racking in a cold store
Mobile Racking (MOVO)
Only one working aisle opens at a time. Up to 80% more capacity than conventional racking, operation down to −30 °C.
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Pallet Shuttle in P90 racking
Pallet Shuttle System
A remotely controlled shuttle moves pallets in deep channels, FIFO or LIFO. Freezer model down to −30 °C, loads up to 1,500 kg.
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Drive-in pallet racking
Drive-in Pallet Racking
Large quantities of the same product in deep lanes. Up to 90% better use of space than conventional pallet storage.
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Push-back racking in a fruit cold store
Cart Push-back Racking
Up to 6 pallets deep and 1,400 kg per position, loaded and unloaded from one aisle. Ideal for cold stores.
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Pallet flow racking
Pallet Flow Racking
Gravity flow with automatic FIFO rotation. Uses up to 60% less floor space than conventional pallet racking.
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Dexion P90 pallet racking
P90 Pallet Racking
Direct access to every pallet, from wide aisle to narrow aisle, up to 30 metres high. The base of all Dexion racking.
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BUILD · CUSTOMER STORY

MOVO mobile racking in a new freezer facility in Hirtshals, Denmark

Denmark's leading cold store and freezer plant group had outgrown its premises and kept looking for extra storage space around town.

MOVO mobile pallet racking in the Claus Sørensen freezer store in Hirtshals
Cold store · Denmark

Four MOVO systems for a new freezer facility

Together with the customer, the team chose MOVO mobile pallet racking for the new temperature-controlled building. Four separate systems run on 936 m of floor tracks, and each block is served by two or three reach trucks.
12,400 Pallet spaces
936 m Floor tracks
430 t MOVO racking
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"The new plant increases our freeze capacity by more than 40%, and we now have more than 28,300 pallet places at the Port of Hirtshals."
Morten Jensen
Cold store manager
Claus Sørensen
BUILD · MORE CUSTOMER STORIES

More cold storage case studies

From frozen food to fruit, see how operators use their cooled volume more effectively.

Orkla Foods cold store in Norway

Orkla Foods

Cold store, Norway
MOVO mobile racking at J&A Asian Food

J&A Asian Food

MOVO in frozen storage, Netherlands
Fruit Services Collective cold storage

Fruit Services Collective

Push-back in cold storage, Belgium
Pallet shuttle at GC Rieber Salt

GC Rieber Salt

Pallet shuttle for cold or ambient use, Norway

Existing cold store or new build?

Both start with the same question. How many pallets can the cooled volume hold? Tell us where you stand, and we will prepare the next step.

Assess my existing cold store Plan a new facility
PERFORM · COLD CHAIN NETWORK

Member of the Global Cold Chain Alliance

Gonvarri Material Handling, the group behind Dexion, has joined the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA).

The GCCA connects organisations working across temperature-controlled warehousing, transport, construction and refrigeration worldwide. For customers, the membership means that storage, building and refrigeration questions can be addressed together and early in a project.

Gonvarri Material Handling AS is listed in the GCCA member directory.

Member of the Global Cold Chain Alliance

Refrigeration upgrade due? Re-plan the cold store racking at the same time

Many operators are renewing their refrigeration systems in the coming years, for example because of the EU F-gas Regulation. When the building is touched anyway, it is the best moment to check whether a denser layout can store more pallets in the same cooled volume.

  • Use the existing cooled volume more effectively
  • Extend the life of existing racking through retrofit
  • Plan refrigeration and storage as one system
Talk to a cold storage specialist
COLD STORAGE QUESTIONS

Cold storage racking FAQ

Short answers to the questions that shape capacity, technology and investment decisions.

What is cold storage racking?

Cold storage racking is pallet racking planned for chilled and frozen warehouses. Because every cubic metre has to be cooled, the aim is to store as many pallets as possible in the cooled volume while keeping the required access, rotation and safety. Typical systems are mobile pallet racking, pallet shuttle, drive-in, push-back and pallet flow racking.

How can I add capacity to an existing cold store without building?

Start by checking how much of the cooled volume holds pallets and how much is permanent aisle. Depending on the number of SKUs, access and throughput, MOVO mobile pallet racking, drive-in racking, push-back racking or a Pallet Shuttle can store considerably more pallets in the same room. MOVO offers up to 80% more capacity than conventional pallet racking.

Is mobile pallet racking suitable for frozen storage?

Yes. MOVO has a guaranteed operational safety down to −30 °C. Light control and a night position for air circulation are designed for cold store use. Floor, loads, trucks and throughput are checked during planning.

Can a pallet shuttle operate in a freezer?

Yes. The Dexion Pallet Shuttle is available as a freezer model for −1 °C to −30 °C, a standard model for 0 °C to +45 °C and a hybrid model for both ranges. In cold stores the working range per battery charge is about 6 hours.

Does high-density storage reduce access to pallets?

Not with MOVO. Every pallet stays directly accessible through the opened aisle. Drive-in, push-back and Pallet Shuttle systems store several pallets per lane and suit products with fewer SKUs.

Which system is best for FIFO in a cold store?

Pallet flow racking is loaded from one side and picked from the other, so stock rotates automatically. The Pallet Shuttle can work as FIFO or LIFO.

Can an existing MOVO system be modernised?

Yes. At Atlas Holz, the control, safety and operating systems of a MOVO installation from 2003 were renewed in five working days, without replacing mechanical components.

How often should cold store racking be inspected?

EN 15635 covers the inspection of storage equipment. Dexion offers annual and weekly rack inspections, each with a documented report and advice on repairs.

What do you need for a cold store capacity review?

Building dimensions, temperature zones, current and required pallet positions, pallet dimensions and weights, number of SKUs, throughput, rotation, handling equipment and growth plans. We then show which storage concepts are worth considering for your facility.

Is Dexion part of the cold chain community?

Gonvarri Material Handling, the group behind Dexion, is a member of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), the international network of temperature-controlled warehousing, transport, construction and refrigeration.

Request a cold store capacity review

Find out how many more pallets fit into your cold store. Tell us about your facility. We review your data and show which storage concepts are worth considering.

CONNECT WITH A COLD STORAGE SPECIALIST
  • Existing or planned facility
  • Temperature range
  • Current and required pallet positions
  • Pallet dimensions and loads
  • Number of SKUs and rotation
  • Handling equipment
Request a capacity review
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