UK fleet, James Hall & Co, has taken delivery of a Gray & Adams 11.4m urban double-deck trailer.
The trailer is built on a tandem-axle wheel box chassis and is fitted with a Thermo King Spectrum multi-temperature refrigeration system and a hydraulically tilting 1,500kg Dhollandia column tail lift.
Gray & Adams stated that the driver can use a key fob to operate the JR Industries electric shutter door.
“Not only does this solution enhance load security, but it also contributes to increased health and safety by eliminating risks of strains or other injuries,” said Gray & Adams.
James Hall & Co runs approximately 70 vehicles built by Gray & Adams, including other 11.4m urban double-deck trailers, 13.6m single- and double-deck trailers, rigid trucks and dry freight trailers.
“By delivering fresh food to store six days a week, we allow our retailers to improve product availability and maximise product life, order hundreds of fresh items in small volumes, control waste and react to changes in demand,” said James Hall & Co Fleet Engineering Manager, Ian Farnworth.
“We maintain an excellent distribution service level of 99 per cent, and that is only possible because we use the finest transport equipment. Crucially, while other manufacturers struggle to provide anything beyond an ‘off the peg’ product, Gray & Adams will design and build bespoke trailers and truck bodies which are perfectly tailored to our needs.
“To underline this point, our latest trailer is based on one that Gray & Adams first produced for us back in 2012, but it’s been revamped to incorporate a number of refinements. These include the electric shutter door, which is still a relatively new concept for us, but has proved very popular with our drivers from a practicality point of view,” he said.
The fleet’s primary motivation, according to Farnworth, is improving health and safety for its vehicle operators by investing in electric shutter doors. The added benefit, he explained, is the enhanced security benefit as the door restricts the amount of time it remains open during deliveries.
“We know that we can rely on our Gray & Adams equipment to give us at least 10 years’ trouble-free service,” he said. “The manufacturer has consistently met our delivery deadlines and, although it’s only seldom that we’ve needed anything, provides reassuringly efficient back-up. It is a partnership that we value very highly indeed.”