A UK-based owner operator has taken delivery of a custom-built Schmitz Cargobull drawbar trailer designed to operate with an existing 26-tonne Mercedes-Benz Actros.
Temperature-controlled transport business, P&S Logistics, has a 2016-plate rigid that features Schmitz Cargobull bodywork, and the new combination will allow owner, Phillip Hudson, to boost payload capacity from approximately 13 to 24 tonnes. The loads will split between three temperature zones for maximum customer flexibility.
“I’ve been planning this project for the best part of 12 months, so it was fantastic to collect my new trailer for the first time,” said Hudson.
“It means I can now accommodate a further 12 pallets per journey, which will be great for my business.
“This is a fairly unique specification vehicle for the UK, but it offers me far more flexibility than moving up to a tractor and trailer. If I don’t need the extra capacity, I can simply park the drawbar and just run at 26 tonnes,” he said.
Twickenham-based P&S Logistics – which has just secured FORS Bronze accreditation – specialises in carrying temperature-sensitive loads throughout the UK and across Europe. Hudson has specified the new trailer with a tail-lift and full telematics, offering live tracking of the vehicle’s location, set point and temperature inside the load space.
The new drawbar has been built to the same high specification as the rigid truck, featuring Schmitz Cargobull’s Ferroplast side panels, which are stronger yet thinner than glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) bodywork – helping to increase the loading aperture inside the body.
It is also mounted with a Carrier Transicold Supra multi-temp refrigeration system, offering set points from -30 to +30 degrees Celsius and the ability to carry any mix of ambient, chilled and frozen cargo.
“Adding a drawbar trailer is a big move for the business, but after careful planning and some expert advice from Schmitz Cargobull I knew it was the right decision,” said Hudson.
“One of my key priorities was ensuring maximum reliability, which is another reason I chose to stick with Schmitz Cargobull. From experience I know their products are robust and dependable – perfect for an owner-operator like me, where any unscheduled downtime could stop me from working,” he said.
Hudson will benefit from full access to Schmitz Cargobull’s pan-European service centre network, with expert technicians at more than 1,700 authorised workshops across the continent offering peace of mind wherever he operates.