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45,000-pallet ASRS deep-freeze DC — Netherlands
Pan-European frozen 3PL replaced two conventional −25 °C warehouses with a single high-bay ASRS deep-freeze DC to serve retail and QSR customers across the Benelux, Germany and France.
Venlo, Netherlands 45,000 pallets · 28 m clear height −25 °C bulk, −28 °C ASRS core
Challenge
- Labour shortage forcing shift-based operations; picker productivity flat 3 years.
- EU F-gas quota tightening on legacy HFC plants (R404A phase-out).
- Dutch grid connection capped at 4.2 MVA — no expansion available before 2029.
ColdMatch solution
- Turnkey ASRS: 8 stacker cranes, 45k pallet positions, 28 m clear-height high-bay.
- NH₃/CO₂ cascade central plant, 6 low-charge NH₃ packs (<180 kg per pack).
- Ice-bank thermal storage + 1.8 MWp rooftop PV for peak-shaving under grid cap.
- ColdMatch tendered EPC + ASRS integrator + refrigeration OEM in parallel workstreams.
Project scope
- Civil: 26,000 m² slab, insulated envelope (250 mm PIR), sub-floor heating grid.
- Mechanical: NH₃/CO₂ cascade 3.2 MW cooling, 6× low-charge packs, glycol heat recovery to office HVAC.
- Automation: 8× ASRS cranes, monorail transfer, conveyor sortation, WMS/WCS integration to SAP EWM.
- Electrical: 4.2 MVA connection, 1.8 MWp PV, 2.4 MWh ice-bank, LV/MV switchgear.
- Commissioning: FAT/SAT, 90-day performance test, ISO 50001 & BRCGS Storage certification.
Key engineering metrics
- Cooling load
- 3.2 MW
- Specific energy
- 22 kWh/m³·yr
- COP (system, annualised)
- 2.35
- Refrigerant charge
- 1,050 kg NH₃ · 1,400 kg CO₂
- Availability (SLA)
- 99.95%
- Pick lines / hour
- 1,850
peak, −28 °C ASRS + −25 °C bulk
vs 38 kWh/m³·yr legacy benchmark
goods-to-person, 4 stations
ROI & financial performance
- Capex
- €62M
- Annual savings
- €6.8M/yr (energy + labour + leasing)
- Payback
- 6.4 yrs
- IRR
- 17.8% (10-yr)
- NPV
- €38M @ 8% WACC
- Energy reduction
- −42% kWh/pallet-yr
- CO₂ reduction
- −4,900 t CO₂e/yr
“The parallel EPC / ASRS / refrigeration tender saved us nine months versus a sequential process — and the low-charge NH₃ design got us insurance approval first time.”
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