The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the entire Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of countries currently lack regulation for the transportation of perishable goods. GORICA Group would like to see something similar Europe’s ATP in action. There are practically zero regulations for refrigerated transport like refrigerated semi-trailers.
Refrigerated delivery vans that work in the supply chain allow transport companies to import outdated reefers that have expired their eight-year European ATP Standard. Such equipment would not be legally approved for service in Europe but are instead only alloed to function as dry box semi-trailers or exported for sale. As a result, fleets that operate in these countries unfortunately use trailers that cannot adequately hold temperature.
GCC traffic is busy with reefers that have been in service for a decade with many cases of units being up to 20 years old.
“It is unfortunately common to see many of these units having internal fungus accumulation growth which goes without saying that the impact on health and safety is detrimental,” said GORICA. “In our view GORICA would like to bring attention to these issues and hope that the region’s cold chain will soon be regulated with guideline by the relevant authorities to ensure health and safety standards, especially to consumers.”
Lifting the standard
Food manufacturing companies who run their own fleets within the cold chain are becoming increasingly aware of cold chain issues when using outdated refrigerated semi-trailers. Some have even started to invest in their own reefers.
The market is slowly starting to understand the key benefit, which is safety of their products and positive implication on their subsequent brands.
Also, are numerous transporters of perishable goods that are solely driven by their own profits. They choose to disregard the health and safety elements. Such practices will unfortunately continue until firm regulation is in place for the transportation of perishable goods.
On a positive note, GORICA saw in April this year in KSA where authorities have prohibited the importation of any trailers and trucks which are older than five years. In view of the overall GCC landscape, this is still a small step but a rather important one going in the right direction.
An economic outlook
It is important to first understand the structural economic transformation of the region coming from its primary economy, Oil/Gas based GDP to evolving into a secondary economy that is more service based, and focuses more and more on non-oil revenues. How does this translate into market tends? Basically, the service sector and sub sectors among the transportation of perishable goods is gaining importance and generating first base demand for quality and safe products. More scale of educating the market on the health and safety aspects needs to be done, but there are already beginning signs of cold chain players placing importance on this.
Change is necessary
GORICA has witnessed drastic changes in last 20 years. Back in the late 1990s a lot of fresh food was still transported in cargo bodies, with seafood/meat buckets covered by ice, to then using second- and third-hand insulated bodies/trailers that expired their eight-year ATP Standards in Europe but were still permitted to be imported to the GCC. In the past few years there is much greater awareness of the importance to have adequate quality products and safety of the cold chain, but due to lack of regulations many companies and clients are operating old cheap imports from Europe especially when it comes to refrigerated semi-trailers. This will need to change, especially due to the harsh hot weather conditions that can reach up to 50-plus degrees Celsius in the region, and where transporters are required to run long distances route.
GORICA positions fleets to be competitive
The OEM’s focus together with European truck manufacturers and cooling unit suppliers is on the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the refrigerated semi-trailer and other types of trailers for transportation of perishable goods. When a company/fleet invests in new refrigerated semi-trailers with new cooling units there will be practically zero down time, zero result in rotten foods at destination, and very low maintenance cost, not to mention the positive image generated in the eyes of their clients. Furthermore, despite the fact that there is higher initial investment into the assets, the overall total cost of ownership in a period of 7 years will be by a minimum of 25 per cent lower when they operate their brand new GORICA fleet.
A look at GORICA’s design and manufacture capabilities
The GORICA Frigo division was founded in 2010 when GORICA group bought its first machinery line for Frigo body and Frigo semi-trailer manufacturing. The purchase of the Canon polyurethane injection machine with a Manni hydraulic press, as well as the metal (PPGI) de-coiling line marked the beginning of this era.
The GORICA Frigo division then went through vast expansion in 2013 when plans took place to set up a new Factory in Dubai Industrial City (DI) that would specialise in the manufacturing of reefers and trailers. The milestone took place when GORICA Industries LLC acquired a Krone GRP Reefer factory that was based in Denmark. This acquisition marked the establishment of GORICA Industries’ fourth factory which was finalised at the end of 2015, and which now specialises in the manufacturing of reefers, dry box semi-trailers, refrigerated bodies and dry cargo bodies. These products complement the existing GORICA Industries products by adding to the full range of products which includes all types of trailers.
The GORICA Frigo factory is unique to the Middle East, as it is one of the few trailer and body factories that specializes in the manufacturing of products that are made of Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer of Plastic (GRP), alongside the typical Polyester coated galvanised steel (PPGI).
The OEM’s line-up on GRP skin insulated refrigerated semi-trailers starts with the standard 12.4m and 13.6m semi-trailer, with the most common being at 15m and up to 16m long single peace/seamless GRP panel. These units are without joints which helps to eliminate any possibility of thermal bridges. This same line is also diversified into different application trailers. For example, GORICA’s applications are many, and can cater to the medical/vaccine transportation requirements, to different applications such as for fresh and frozen meat transportation where the entire trailer is equipped with roof hanging system for meat carcasses. In recent years GORICA has produced more and more special refrigerated semi-trailers for automatic loading with autonomous operation of loading and unloading the refrigerated semi-trailer.
Solid aftersales support
One of the key competitive advantages of GORICA products including but not limited to trailers for perishable goods is the complete aftersales support that it provides through its local GORICA entities in UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. Beside that the OEM has mobile service teams supported by five regional spare parts hubs with the main one being located in Dubai, UAE. GORICA focus on strong aftersales support of its products and even more when it comes to transportation of perishable goods being in many cases temperature controlled trailers where prompt and adequate support gives a complete new dimension to overall product experience. clients will feel the peace of mind when working with GORICA.
Industry partnerships
GORICA has a strategic global partnership with Carrier Transicold for all type of cooling units used on refrigerated semi-trailers, rigid mounted refrigerated bodies, sales vans – so basically a cold chain road freight business needs.
GORICA also has a regional partnership for several markets in the Middle East and Africa with Thermo King.
In both cased clients get a ‘turn key’ solution from GORICA for a simple and transparent buying process along with the complete aftersales support via GORICA service centres in the region along with cooling unit manufacturers service centres.
Fast Fact
GORICA is rapidly expanding our customer based, initially out of UAE in all the GCC markets (especially in KSA), following by the expansion in East African markets like Sudan, Ethiopia and further. Beside that we have a strong presence with institutional clients and other agencies who are focused on the transportation of medicine and vaccines.
Fast Fact
GORICA refrigerated semi-trailers operate all across GCC and Middle East. Beside that with new supplies in recent years they operate in East Africa.
GORICA reefer technical specs
- GRP panels are the key in construction of GORICA refrigerated semi-trailers with unique technical details. GORICA refrigerated semi-trailers are unique and exclusive in the region (locally produced in state of the art factory in Dubai) specially produced and made of GRP – Glass reinforced Polymer of Plastic.
- GRP panels are much lighter in weight and NON conductors of heat.
- Insulated (internally) with high density extruded Polystyrene (sides and front) with low ‘K’ value of thermal migration.
- Internal and external GRP laminate skins are seamless – without joints; so single piece.
- Fully repairable if damaged due to accidental or incidental reasons – no need for complete replacement of the panel. Repairs are economical and faster and the repaired area remains strongly bonded together.
- Being seamless they are very suitable for regular washing and very suitable for any kind of branding if required.
- Fully water and moisture resistant and abrasion proof.
- Highest value in industry in temperature retention and temperature recovery.
- High impact resistance and does not dent on normal impact.
- Lightweight which results in saving on fuel, reduced tyre wear, vehicle service duration and reduction on maintenance costs.
- All railing for movable partition and for side panel lashing profiles is recessed into the panel giving complete loading height and width.
- Five lip custom designed seal gasket for all doors (rear and side) – made of extruded rubber. All corners are machine welded (not glued) which is unique.
- GRP coated floor of 5mm is seamless – no joints to prevent any water or moisture to enter the floor or side panel which could cause delamination comparing to ALU chequered plate floor with high impact resistance and does not dent on normal impact.
- Proven track record by high demanding clients in Middle East.
