UK-based food and drink supply chain specialist Culina has ordered 83 refrigerated trailers as part of its 2015 fleet investment strategy.
The trailers, supplied by Montracon and Gray & Adams, are equipped with Vector 1550 trailer refrigeration units from Carrier Transicold and include 73 standard length 13.6-metre vehicles as well as ten 14.6-metre Longer Semi-Trailers (LSTs).
The LSTs will be part of the UK Department for Transport’s (DfT) trial of longer articulated goods vehicles, allowing Culina to increase load capacity and efficiency on selected routes.
The new trailers will be used to deliver temperature-sensitive goods from food manufacturers to retailers, distribution outlets and regional distribution centres, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, only stopping for a few hours on Christmas Day.
“Our fleet is on the road 365 days a year, so we’re focused on eliminating unexpected fleet downtime altogether,” said Mark Matkin, Group Manager of the 1,000-piece strong Culina fleet.
“In the rare event that we do have a problem with one of our units, it’s paramount that we get it fixed and back on the road as soon as possible.
In line with recent industry trends, the Vector units are covered by an eight-year service, maintenance and repair contract. They are also said to be able to integrate with Culina’s fleet telematics solution, providing the customer with access to temperature-critical information at any point in the journey.