NewCold Sweden Opens AUD 200 Million Automated Freezer Expansion in Melbourne's Truganina Logistics Hub

NewCold Sweden has officially opened a AUD 200 million automated high-bay freezer expansion at its Melbourne facility in Truganina, Victoria, increasing the site's capacity to approximately 180,000 pallet positions and bringing the company's combined Melbourne campus total to roughly 405,000 pallet positions across two Truganina locations.

Founder and CEO Bram Hage joined employees, customers, partners, and government representatives at the opening ceremony, marking what the company described as a significant milestone in its Australian operations since entering the market in 2017.

Facility Details and Capacity

The new freezer structure at 19 Agar Drive, Truganina, VIC 3029, stands 40 metres high, covers 10,453 square metres, and is maintained at −23°C. The automated high-bay design relies on an integrated system of stacker cranes, conveyors, and shuttles that automatically inspect, track, and store every pallet entering the facility, reducing manual handling throughout the cold chain.

The expansion adds 80,000 pallet positions to NewCold's existing Melbourne I operations, taking that facility's capacity to approximately 180,000 pallet positions. A second NewCold facility at 108 Agar Drive, also in Truganina, contributes additional capacity, bringing the combined campus total to approximately 405,000 pallet positions across frozen, chilled, and ambient storage.

Principal customers at the expanded facility include McCain Foods, Peters Ice Cream, and Patties Foods.

Executive Commentary

"As consumer demand for frozen and convenience foods continues to grow, our customers require highly efficient, scalable, and sustainable supply chain solutions," said Bram Hage. "When we entered Australia in 2017, we saw an opportunity to introduce a new standard in cold chain logistics through automation, technology, and operational excellence. Together with our customers, we have built a platform that has continued to grow and has since become a benchmark for our global network."

Hage added that automation serves purposes beyond productivity. "It also enhances product integrity, reduces handling risks, and improves overall operational performance," he said. "By creating an intelligent environment where products move efficiently through the warehouse with minimal intervention, we can deliver greater reliability and value for our customers."

On energy efficiency, Hage noted that the high-bay design allows the company to store more product within a smaller refrigerated volume. "Cold storage is inherently energy intensive," he said. "Our high-bay design allows us to store more product within a smaller refrigerated volume, reducing energy consumption while maintaining world-class operational performance."

Ross Fallon, Regional Vice President Supply Chain APACSA at McCain Foods, said the additional capacity would support continued growth in frozen food demand. "Frozen food continues to play an increasingly important role in meeting consumer needs. The additional capacity and technology provided by NewCold allow us to scale efficiently while maintaining the high standards of quality, reliability, and service our customers expect," Fallon said.

Emma-Jane Collins, CEO of Peters Ice Cream, also welcomed the expansion. "For a business supplying frozen products across Australia, maintaining product quality and ensuring dependable distribution are essential," Collins said. "This expansion strengthens the capacity and resilience of the supply chain and supports future growth opportunities."

Strategic and Market Context

The Melbourne expansion reflects broader supply constraints in Australia's temperature-controlled logistics sector. More than 300,000 square metres of temperature-controlled requirements were seeking space in Australia for the 2025–27 period, against only six buildings expected to become available during that timeframe. That imbalance has made Truganina's western Melbourne industrial corridor an increasingly competitive location for cold-chain operators, given its access to major freight routes and the metropolitan Melbourne food-manufacturing base.

Australia's cold-chain logistics market is estimated at USD 4.62 billion in 2025, with projections pointing to USD 5.89 billion by 2031, equivalent to a compound annual growth rate of approximately 4.06%. Deep-frozen and ultra-low-temperature applications are identified as faster-growing segments within that market, with projected annual growth of 5.23% through 2031. Separate estimates place the 2025 market at USD 5.2 billion, growing to USD 6.67 billion by 2031 at a 4.24% compound annual rate. These figures reflect different methodological definitions and are not directly comparable.

Australia was the starting point for NewCold's relationship with McCain Foods, which the company now identifies as its largest customer globally. NewCold's 2023 acquisition of Karras Cold Logistics expanded its Australian offering beyond warehousing into transportation and integrated supply-chain services.

NewCold Sweden's Global Network

NewCold Sweden operates 27 highly automated, temperature-controlled facilities across three continents, with a combined capacity exceeding two million pallet positions. The company commissions between five and seven new facilities globally each year and has stated a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

The vertical, high-bay design used in Truganina is central to NewCold's approach to energy efficiency. By maximizing storage density within a reduced refrigerated footprint, the company aims to lower energy consumption per pallet stored compared with conventional cold storage configurations.

Sources

NewCold — NewCold expands Melbourne operations with major capacity increase