15 July 2025
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Star Refrigeration has completed the second phase of a project to double cold storage capacity at a fully automated high bay warehouse in Northamptonshire.
NewCold, a global leader in advanced cold chain logistics, partnered with Star to increase cooling capacity at the Corby site, its second UK facility, as part of a wider three phase expansion. The work supports NewCold’s continued growth and enables the business to meet rising customer demand while maintaining energy efficient and reliable operations.
The project added 2,000kW of additional cooling for the high bay warehouse and 750kW for the low bay, providing storage space for a further 75,000 pallets. The site has a maximum capacity of 150,000 with storage temperatures maintained at -22°C.
Star Refrigeration was chosen for its expertise in designing and delivering ammonia refrigeration systems for high bay, automated warehouses. The company has 29 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, installing, and maintaining cooling systems for high bay, automated warehouses – a journey which began in 1996 with a project for Frigoscandia in Grimsby. Today, Star maintains refrigeration plants at six high bay warehouses across the UK.
The company’s collaboration with NewCold’s engineering team helped shape a solution that aligned with operational needs, prioritised safety, and simplified ongoing maintenance.
Focusing on adding cooling capacity, finding opportunities to further optimise the existing system and enhancing access for ongoing maintenance and service, the work involved extending the existing refrigeration plant while the site remained fully operational 24/7. The project team identified optimal locations for valve stations and electrical panels to reduce the time engineers spend in low-temperature environments. Additionally, off-site prefabrication of the ammonia pipework and drains enabled easier installation within the high-bay steelwork structure, eliminating the need for welding and insulation at heights.
Richard Russell, NewCold’s Managing Director UK, said: “Expanding our Corby facility was a critical step in scaling our operations to meet growing customer demand. The success of Phase 2 hinged on close collaboration, and Star Refrigeration brought deep technical expertise and a practical, safety-first mindset to the table. Their ability to seamlessly integrate new capacity while optimising our existing system has allowed us to operate more efficiently, sustainably, and reliably. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together and look forward to continuing that momentum in the next phase.”
NewCold’s Corby facility comprises a fully automated 41-metre-high cold storage with a footprint of 152 x 123 metres. It operates around the clock, using cranes and conveyors to handle a high volume of perishable goods with precision and consistency.
Phase 2 has now been successfully completed, and work has begun on Phase 3, which includes the installation of a new standalone, single-stage ammonia pump system for an additional cold store under construction on the site.
Star’s Derby branch will continue to support the Corby site with maintenance and technical services. With a team of 16 qualified ammonia field engineers and a comprehensive service infrastructure, including management, engineering, design, consultancy, energy management and admin teams, the company is committed to ensuring long term performance and reliability for NewCold’s growing operations.
To find out more about the case study and watch a video of the project, click here.
