Magway
Magway is a UK-based company developing an all-electric, zero-emission goods transport system using proprietary linear-motor technology and modular underground/overground pipelines. It sells installed systems to enterprise e-commerce, bulk materials, port and Smart City customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersWembley, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Magway does
Magway is a UK-based private company founded in 2017 by Rupert Cruise, a linear-motor expert, and Phill Davies, formerly chair of parcel carrier Yodel and a Deloitte alumnus. The company has developed a zero-emission, all-electric goods transport system that uses proprietary linear motors to propel autonomous carriages through modular 1-metre-diameter pipes installed above or below ground, dispensing with batteries and operating at atmospheric pressure rather than as a Hyperloop-style vacuum system. Each carriage carries up to 250 kg, the system runs at an optimised 54 km/h, carriages can be dispatched every 0.5 seconds, and the track tolerates gradients from 0 to 90 degrees, enabling deployment across ports, distribution centres and urban corridors.
The core product portfolio comprises the linear-motor drive, modular pipe/containment infrastructure, payload carriages and a Beckhoff TwinCAT 3-based control system. Magway serves two primary end-markets — e-commerce parcel delivery between consolidation and distribution centres, and bulk materials handling (sand, clinker, ore) for ports and trading operations — with secondary interest from Smart City and urban development projects. The control technology partnership with Beckhoff and test/measurement partnership with Tektronix indicate an industrialised engineering stack.
Commercially, Magway sells complete installed systems on a project-by-project basis to enterprise customers, with revenue treated as a one-time licence rather than recurring SaaS. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. As of 2024 the company has signed two commercial contracts (one Fortune 500 customer, one Smart City), maintains a reference showcase with Wincanton, and is funded primarily through founder/family/HNWI capital (over £5M cumulatively) and Crowdcube equity crowdfunding (over £630,000 raised in late 2023), with no disclosed institutional VC backing.
Magway firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Magway
- Legal name
- Magway Limited
- Website
- https://magway.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Magway is a UK-based company developing an all-electric, zero-emission goods transport system using proprietary linear-motor technology and modular underground/overground pipelines. It sells installed systems to enterprise e-commerce, bulk materials, port and Smart City customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Magway industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automated Pipeline Goods Transport Systems
- NAICS
- Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (336), Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (333613), General Freight Trucking (4841)
- SIC
- Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spot Load Boards (Open Marketplace) (TLAEAJAA)
Keywords
Where Magway is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wembley
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Magway business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Goods Transport System Sales: Magway generates revenue through selling/installing its proprietary goods transport systems to enterprise customers including Fortune 500 companies and Smart City projects. The system includes pipes, linear motors, carriages, and control infrastructure.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels10 records
Magway product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Magway designs, manufactures and installs an all-electric, zero-emission goods transport system consisting of a network of 1m-diameter underground or overground pipes through which autonomous carriages (up to 250 kg payload) are propelled by proprietary linear motors without batteries. The system is sold as a complete infrastructure solution to enterprise customers for e-commerce parcel delivery, bulk materials handling and Smart City urban logistics.
Product overview
Magway offers a unified goods transport system centered on its proprietary linear motor technology integrated into a pipeline network. The core system comprises the Magway transport system (linear motors propelling autonomous carriages through underground/overground pipes), supported by modular pipe infrastructure, specialized carriages with up to 250kg capacity, and an industrial control system using Beckhoff platforms. The system operates at atmospheric pressure, dispatches carriages every 0.5 seconds (1200 carriages per minute capacity), achieves speeds up to 50mph, and handles gradients from 0-90 degrees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Magway Goods Transport System An all-electric, zero-emission automated goods transport system using proprietary linear motors and a network of 1m-diameter underground or overground pipes to propel autonomous carriages carrying up to 250 kg of payload at up to 50 mph, with carriages dispatched every 0.5 seconds. Designed for sale and installation to enterprise customers in e-commerce parcel delivery, dry bulk materials handling at ports and mines, and Smart City urban logistics.
Quantifiable outcome
- Zero harmful greenhouse gas emissions and no toxic tire particle emissions during operation
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Magway
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Magway technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature5 records
Magway partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WincantoncoreWincanton Innovation Centre showcases Magway's magnetic propulsion technology. Wincanton, one of the UK's largest delivery companies, is exploring how Magway's forward-thinking approach could revolutionise logistics in the UK. Chief Executive James Wroath noted Magway fits requirements for improving productivity, service levels and sustainability.
- BeckhoffcoreBeckhoff provides automation platform for Magway's control systems. Using Beckhoff's TwinCAT 3 target for Simulink, Magway implemented control algorithms directly on an industrialized platform, resulting in fewer components, decentralization, higher system availability, and shorter development cycles.
- Prodrive TechnologiescoreTechnology partner for Magway's goods transport system development, providing expertise in technology solutions.
- ZenzicminorMagway participated in Zenzic CAM Innovation Day 2024, an event focused on connected and automated transport. Zenzic works to establish the UK as a global leader in automated transport solutions, with Magway contributing to the broader CAM ecosystem.
- Plug & PlayminorPartner in organizing CAM Innovation Day 2024 alongside Zenzic, bringing together innovators, partners, investors, and the public to advance automated transport solutions.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Magway competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Siemens Logistics: Division of Siemens providing airport, parcel, postal, and warehouse logistics automation. Comparable as a broad incumbent that large enterprise buyers (Fortune 500, ports) already procure from.
- BEUMER Group: Global incumbent in conveyor systems and bulk material handling for mining, cement, and ports. Direct competitor for Magway's bulk materials use case, with entrenched customer relationships and aftermarket revenue.
- Vanderlande: Material handling systems integrator for airports, warehouses, and parcel hubs. Comparable as an established integrator that Magway would need to displace or partner with in parcel-DC use cases.
- Dematic: KION-owned supply chain and intralogistics automation provider. Direct overlap on automated goods movement within distribution centres, with global enterprise customer footprint.
- FLSmidth: Incumbent supplier of bulk material handling and processing equipment to mining and cement. Direct competitor for Magway's port/bulk materials positioning where conveyor replacement is the wedge.
Direct peers
- Mole Solutions: UK-based developer of underground pipe-based parcel and freight transport using linear induction. Closest direct peer to Magway in technology category, geography, and use case, also targeting e-commerce and bulk freight.
- Cargo Sous Terrain: Swiss planned underground tube-based logistics network for palletised cargo. Same core category (tube/pipe freight infrastructure) with similar zero-emission urban freight thesis, though larger-scale and earlier-stage.
Emerging players
- Virgin Hyperloop: Pioneer in tube-based high-speed transport. Magway positions itself as an atmospheric-pressure, cargo-first alternative; useful comparable for capital intensity, regulatory pathway, and customer education dynamics.
- Hardt Hyperloop: European cargo-focused hyperloop developer. Adjacent technology category with shared 'tubular freight' narrative; comparable for EU smart-city and sustainability-led funding dynamics.
- AutoStore: Public-listed warehouse automation provider using robotic storage grids. Comparable as a venture-backed automation disruptor inside the same enterprise-logistics buyer set that Magway is targeting.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Magway social profiles
Digital presenceMagway financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Magway leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Magway funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Magway M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Magway
What does Magway do?
Magway designs, manufactures and installs an all-electric, zero-emission goods transport system consisting of a network of 1m-diameter underground or overground pipes through which autonomous carriages (up to 250 kg payload) are propelled by proprietary linear motors without batteries. The system is sold as a complete infrastructure solution to enterprise customers for e-commerce parcel delivery, bulk materials handling and Smart City urban logistics.
Is Magway a public or private company?
Magway is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Magway founded?
Magway was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Magway based?
Magway is headquartered in Wembley, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Magway make money?
One revenue line is on record: goods Transport System Sales.
Who are Magway's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Siemens Logistics, BEUMER Group, Vanderlande, Dematic and FLSmidth. Direct peers are Mole Solutions and Cargo Sous Terrain. Emerging players are Virgin Hyperloop, Hardt Hyperloop and AutoStore.
Does Magway have an API?
No public API is recorded for Magway.
What industry is Magway in?
Magway's product category is Automated Pipeline Goods Transport Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAEAJAA, Spot Load Boards (Open Marketplace). Its NAICS code is 333924 and its SIC code is 4210.