Abstract: A magnetic device (100) for lifting and/or holding ferromagnetic work-pieces comprises a ferromagnetic housing block (10) and a switchable magnet arrangement accommodated within a cavity of the housing block (10). The housing (10) is formed to define two longitudinal sides that are substantially decoupled magnetically from one another. The switchable magnet arrangement comprises a series of interleaved dipolar magnet units (40, 42) arranged along a longitudinal axis of the housing block (10) between the two sides. The magnet units (40, 42) comprise a series of fixed permanent magnets (40) and rotatable permanent magnets (42) that are cylindrical, or more particularly annular in shape, and traversed by an actuation shaft (24) that rotates the rotatable magnets (42) with respect to the fixed magnets (40) about the longitudinal axis of the housing block (10).