Automated Wooden High Bay Warehouse

Timber replaces steel in automated warehouse extension.

This 4,800 m² extension for Rothoblaas is a 21-metre-high, fully automated timber warehouse. Completed in 2021, the prefabricated post-and-beam structure includes LVL, CLT, and glulam, housing 18,200 pallet positions with four automated stacker cranes. The project replaces conventional steel with timber, reducing embodied carbon while maximising storage density on limited land. It highlights industrial-scale timber’s potential in logistics, a sector rarely associated with sustainable construction.

Containing 2,549 m³ of wood, the building sequesters 1,978 tonnes of CO₂. Locally sourced materials and suppliers within 65 km reduced transport impacts, while a 250-kWh photovoltaic system and regenerative braking improve efficiency. Fully screwed connections enable disassembly and reuse, making the warehouse a carbon sink and exemplar project for circular logistics construction.

 

 

 

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