Tractors and reefers sold by one-stop shop
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• Nisa Today's latest vehicles—a combination of 55 Volvo FM tractors and 11 new Schmitz Cargobull reefer trailers—are the first to be sold through a ''one-stop shop" scheme being operated by Schmitz with Volvo Truck dealers.
The Nisa trucks and trailers have been supplied on a full maintenance conTact hire package by Hartshorne Motor Group of Burton on Trent, but all Volvo Truck dealers should be able to offer similar packages.
Most of the vehicles will be based at the new Exel logistics cold store in Stoke-onTrent, with others at seven satellite depots. The trailers incorporate a full-length longitudinal partition and a "frozen lane" end wall to allow mixed chilled and frozen loads to be delivered to Nisa member stores. These vehicles replace a fleet of dedicated chilled or frozen rigid vehicles.
Exel engineering operations manager Dave Bassett says disruption at the store is reduced, and "Nisa's controlled-temperature food distribution has become much more cost-effective".
A typical run will involve eight to 12 drops a day, and will comprise two-thirds chilled and one-third frozen product. The trailers use Thermo King SB-III DE fridge units, and the Volvo tractive units are a mixture of FM? 290 i and FM12 360 4x2s.