Zowell VNA Cold Storage Forklift Delivered to North American Customer, Enabling a Brand-New High-Density Warehouse from Scratch

Project Overview

Recently, Zowell successfully delivered a customized man-up VNA turret forklift for cold storage to a North American cold chain enterprise. The equipment will be deployed in a brand-new cold storage warehouse, helping the customer build a high-efficiency, high-density warehousing system from the ground up.

With extremely narrow aisles, ultra-low operating temperatures, and high operational cost pressure, the customer required a solution that could achieve optimal balance between operational efficiency and total cost control. Zowell’s customized cold storage VNA solution became the key foundation of this new warehouse project.

Project Background

The customer is a North American cold chain logistics operator preparing to launch a new cold storage facility. The warehouse adopts a gravity racking system, with aisle widths limited to only 1950 mm, while the operating temperature is strictly controlled at -25°C.

Due to the high daily operating costs associated with cold storage facilities, the customer aimed to select highly efficient, stable, and energy-saving material handling equipment that could ensure:

Reliable operation in extreme low temperatures

Maximum space utilization under narrow aisle conditions

High-efficiency pallet handling and order picking

Project Challenges

1. Stable Operation in Extreme Low Temperature

Cold storage environments present major challenges to forklift performance:

Continuous operation at -25°C

Icy and slippery floors caused by frosting

High risks of equipment malfunction and safety incidents

The customer required the forklift to maintain high stability, safety, and precision under long-term low-temperature operation, avoiding downtime and operational risks.

2. High-Density Storage and Integrated Picking

The forklift had to perform high-level stacking within 1950 mm narrow aisles, ensuring every pallet position could be fully utilized.

At the same time, the customer expected integrated order picking capability, enabling efficient and flexible daily order processing without additional equipment.

Zowell Solution & Advantages

Based on the customer’s operational conditions and technical requirements, Zowell delivered a customized man-up VNA turret forklift specifically designed for cold storage environments, effectively addressing all project challenges and laying the foundation for efficient cold warehouse operations.

1. Customized Cold Storage Design for -25°C Operation

To ensure stable and safe performance in ultra-low temperatures, Zowell applied comprehensive cold storage modifications:

Special cold storage coating and anti-corrosion treatment

Professional anti-freeze processing for hydraulic oil, gear oil, solenoid valves, and hydraulic systems

Anti-slip tires designed for icy warehouse floors

These upgrades significantly enhanced driving stability, operational safety, and long-term reliability in -25°C environments.

2. Maximum Space Utilization in Narrow Aisles

Zowell man-up VNA turret forklifts require only 1.75 meters minimum operating aisle width, enabling exceptional maneuverability within the customer’s 1.95-meter aisles.

This allowed the warehouse to fully achieve the planned high-density racking layout, maximizing storage capacity and delivering the highest possible pallet density.

3. Integrated Stacking & Picking for Higher Efficiency

The man-up VNA turret forklift features a synchronously elevating operator cabin, enabling simultaneous stacking and order picking during travel.

This design merges traditional “storage” and “picking” processes into a single operation, allowing:

One operator

One forklift

Dual functions: stacking + picking

As a result, the solution directly boosts order processing speed, reduces labor demand, and lowers cold storage operating costs.

Project Results

With Zowell’s customized cold storage VNA solution, the customer successfully achieved:

✅ Stable forklift operation at -25°C

✅ Maximum warehouse space utilization under 1.95m narrow aisles

✅ Integrated stacking and picking for faster order fulfillment

✅ Lower overall cold storage operating costs

This project demonstrates Zowell’s strong engineering capability and extensive experience in cold chain and narrow aisle warehouse solutions, delivering reliable, high-performance logistics systems to global customers.