Food Logistics Provider Fowler Welch Buys 56 Schmitz Cargobull Reefers
Fowler Welch has bought 56 Schmitz Cargobull reefers to act as reliable workhorses on its intensive food delivery operations.
The new assets replace older trailers in an impressive 780-strong fleet and will be in operation seven days a week, spread across the company’s nine depots.
The food logistics provider has used Schmitz Cargobull equipment since 2010 because its high-quality and durable build means it can handle demanding multi-drop work transporting ambient, fresh and frozen payloads across the UK, with minimal downtime and damage.
Paul Allera, Head of Fleet at Fowler Welch, says: “Our trailers are used very intensively and travel thousands of miles a year in all weather conditions, so we need them to be as tough as possible for our work.
“We know we can rely on Schmitz Cargobull trailers to get the job done with minimal downtime and repairs. That means trailer availability in the fleet is high, so we can provide a high level of customer service and competitive rates.”
Manufactured at a state-of-the-art production facility in Vreden, the new trailers have a greater internal width that allows Fowler Welch the flexibility to transport different loads in one trailer, including flower cages and supermarket pallets.
Additional buffer protection under the rear doors offer drivers more confidence when reversing up to narrow supermarket loading bays, and a multifunctional PIEK floor allows for low noise loading and unloading when making urban deliveries early in the morning or late at night.
Incorporated in the trailer is the latest generation of the Schmitz Universal Sliding Interface SUSI rail. It allows the coupling plate to be moved beyond the width of the trailer to make it easier to connect the electrical and pneumatic couplings.
Once the connection is complete, the coupling plate is returned to the normal sliding operation within the swing clearance to reduce strain on the connecting lines. By sliding the coupling plate beyond the width of the trailer, the operator can stand on the ground and not have to go between the truck and trailer on a catwalk.
As well as providing ambient and temperature-controlled distribution, Fowler Welch also provides packaging, warehousing and waste management services across the UK.
Source: Schmitz Cargobull