Magnavale cold store in Easton near Grantham nears completion with latest monorail installation

Work is nearing completion for a £130 million cold-storage unit with its latest installation.

High-speed monorails have been installed at Magnavale, a cold-storage unit in Easton near Grantham.

The works took four months to complete as the monorail system was one of the most technically challenging aspects of the overall infrastructure.

Spanning almost half a kilometre, the monorail system’s track extends over two levels within the facility.

Magnavale chief operating officer Amanda Cogan said: “We are pleased to see our development coming together.

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“The incorporation of automated cranes and the recent addition of the monorail systems at Magnavale Easton signify a significant evolution in temperature-controlled storage.

“The Easton facility holds particular significance for us, not merely due to its size or technological advancements, but more importantly, because of the pivotal role it is poised to play in enhancing food production in Lincolnshire and supporting our partners in the surrounding area.”

The monorails will have the ability to adapt their speed to match the volume of pallets entering the cold store.

The 54 trolleys on the monorail will be able to carry more than 1,200kg and are maintained via specially designed maintenance areas on each level.

Magnavale’s new development, which is the former site of McCain’s, is set to become the most efficient cold store in Europe, accommodating a capacity of 101,000 pallets, alongside an existing 44,000 already onsite.

It will also create over 100 new jobs for the area and is planned to officially open in late 2024.