Stow Australia and AMG deliver a high-density cold storage automation milestone at Cootamundra.
As Australia’s food and cold chain sectors continue to face increasing pressure around costs, labour availability, energy efficiency, throughput, and storage density, automation is becoming an increasingly important focus for operators looking to future-proof their facilities.
At Australian Meat Group’s Cootamundra processing facility in regional New South Wales, that shift is already underway.
In partnership with Stow Australia, AMG has delivered Australia’s first fully operational Movu Atlas 2D Shuttle system within a live cold storage environment, a milestone for high-density automation in the local market.
Designed specifically for freezer and chiller applications, the automated solution was engineered to maximise storage density while improving operational efficiency and reducing reliance on manual handling in demanding cold storage conditions.
Operating in temperatures as low as –25°C, the system combines high-density pallet storage with advanced shuttle automation to support increased throughput, improved pallet accessibility, and long-term operational scalability.
For operators within the cold chain sector, where rising energy costs and facility footprint constraints continue to present ongoing challenges, storage efficiency remains a critical consideration. The Movu Atlas 2D solution addresses this directly, delivering storage density levels of up to 85–90 per cent while reducing overall freezer volume requirements and associated energy consumption.
“We have been operational with the Stow Atlas 2D shuttle for over 6 months now and we are very happy with how it’s working,” says Gilbert Cabral, Managing Director, Australian Meat Group.
Standing just under 20 metres high, the system has been designed to maximise storage capacity within the facility footprint while supporting AMG’s future growth requirements. Its modular design also provides flexibility for future expansion as operational demands evolve.
According to Stow Australia, projects like AMG show rising demand for integrated warehouse solutions combining storage, automation and safety.
Stow Australia says it combines Stow Group’s European-engineered automation technologies with local engineering, project delivery and service support.
Beyond the technology itself, the project reflects a broader shift occurring across the warehousing and logistics sector, with more businesses viewing automation not simply as a way to increase throughput, but as a long-term operational investment.
For AMG, the successful commissioning of the Movu Atlas 2D Shuttle system positions the Cootamundra facility at the forefront of cold chain automation in Australia and demonstrates how advanced storage technologies are beginning to reshape the future of temperature-controlled logistics locally.
Paul Johnson, Managing Director at Stow Australia, said the project demonstrates the growing role automation will continue to play across Australian supply chain operations.
“This project is a strong example of how high-density automation can help businesses maximise storage capacity, improve operational efficiency, and create safer working environments, particularly within demanding cold storage applications,” he said.
Ultimately, The result is a system designed not only to meet AMG’s current cold storage needs, but to provide a scalable platform for future capacity as demand grows.
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