Trafpak's vote of tanks to the 'family hauliers
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Bulk transport in containers is this firm's business and it does it rather well. Mike Rutherford investigates its round-the-world activities
THE WORLD'S leading independent tank container operator — Trafpak — has its UK headquarters not, as one might expect, in the heart of a heavily industrialised region but in a quaint Aylesbury back street.
The company's Buckinghamshire premises house no vehicles, no tanks, and no workshops. Its fleet of more than 500 container tanks when moved by road are carried by a select band of outside hauliers. When the demountable tank containers are not in transit (by road, rail or sea), in a foreign country or when being used by Trafpak's clients for bulk storage, they are retained by these sub contracted hauliers. Tanks are also stored at Trafpak's depot at Ashton-in-Makerfield, near Haydock Park, which is used primarily for tank cleaning and repairs rather than storage of "empties."
Trafpak is a member of the giant Pakhoed Group, a multinational based in Rotterdam, with an annual turnover of about E400m.
Trafpak was once part of Traffic Services, London and is now part of Pakhoed. Hence, Trafpak.
Formed in 1964 to develop the concept of bulk liquid transport in containers, Trafpak has developed into one of the world's largest international standards organisation tank container fleet operators. The company also specialises in the development of advanced container design and operational techniques.
One major aim is to supply its expertise to solving bulk transport problems for its clients.
Increasingly, claims Trafpak, such problems are related to hazardous (regulated) loads involving the movement of flammable, toxic, corrosive and "otherwise demanding materials." With its own research and development resources concentrated on these areas, the company is now primarily concerned with the transportation of bulk liquids.
Much of the company's work is domestic, but it also moves bulk chemicals in Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and the Far East. It has offices in the USA, Netherlands and Germany with an agency network in cities such as Oslo, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Lisbon, Madrid, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Johannesburg, Sydney and Montreal.
Trafpak prefers to transport most of its tanks in the UK by road rather than rail. The rail lobby would do well to listen to its reasons why. Road transport is more flexible and more reliable than rail, says Trafpak. The company's nominated hauliers can be relied upon totally and the same cannot be said for rail transport, especially during the last 12 months or so.
These — do not forget — are the claims of a tank container operator and not of the Road Haulage Association, who would, I'm sure, agree with Trefpak totally.
While the rail network is useful for the positioning of "empties", it cannot seriously compete with the service that Trafpak's road hauliers provide. In Trafpak's own words: "We've been caught out by the railways before."
If a tank has to be moved from say, a chemical plant to the nearest docks for shipment overseas, Trafpak's road hauliers are better equipped than the railways to respond to the needs of customers.
Trafpak prides itself on its service and if a customer wants a load collected at three in the morning, the company's road hauliers will oblige. When a cargo is being kept at a controlled temperature, flexibility is obviously all-important.
An insulated tank can be transported from production plant to quayside "in the quickest pos
sible time over the shortest possible distance by road," according to Trafpak. Its tanks can then be plugged in at the docks while waiting to be loaded on to a ship and can again be plugged in on board.
Trafpak has three main hauliers working for it: Phoenix (Tank Freight), based in East London, Springfield Haulage Co (Hull), and B&R (Freight Service) of Immingham and Liverpool.
Trafpak gives the hauliers specific instructions on what tanks are needed for each job. Every tank has its own "doctor's record" and is closely monitored. From the outset a record is made of each cargo that is carried in each tank. All but a few of them are painted in the blue, red and white Trafpak livery, though several tanks that contain hazardous goods (or are stored in extreme climates) need to be painted white.
The most popular tanks that Trafpak uses are the 20,000-litre or the 23,000-litre single compartment ISO tank containers for hazardous liquids. Both the 20,000 and 23,000 litre tanks are 6,058mm (19ft 10.5in) long and 2,438mm (8ft) wide. The carrying capacity advantage of the l,000-litre tank comes from its light of 2,591mm (8ft Sin). The 1,000-litre tank is 2,438mm (8ft) gh.
The tanks are constructed )m stainless steel, and are 'out 5mm thick, depending on e size of the tank and the loads carries. For instance, the shell Trafpak's 19,600-litre (4,300illon) single compartment ISO ink container for non3zardous liquids is only 64mm thick and 5mm thick at ich end.
Tank insulation is provided by )Iyurethane foam with outer adding of glass reinforced astic panels. The electrical 'stems differ from tank to tank. Trafpak, while clearly vouring road rather than rail 3nsport, has no desire to )erate its own fleet of vehicles.
le company is satisfied that the 3u hers working for it are totally lequate. The hauliers are iown and respected by the cuemere and are "part of the• mily," according to one of rafpak's operational staff. ihey as good as work for us. ney're our bread and butter."
Regular meetings take place etween Trafpak and its Dminated hauliers to discuss ifety and new regulations. ReJlations change so frequently
iat Trafpak has a technical de3rtment which monitors the -nendments.
Trafpak's customers also keep on its toes and frequently re iind the company of such hanges. There are regular ieetings between company and
Jstomer. Liaison is excellent. rafpak prides itself on its safety cord and the service it proides. It does not claim to be the, neapest (a familiar story, this) ut it aims to satisfy, and reckns that it provides a service that hard to beat.
One of the hauliers which has layed a part in Trafpak's sucms is Phoenix (Tank Freight). he company has been working lmost exclusively with Trafpak sr 11 years. Now Phoenix has Dread its wings slightly and rorks to a minor extent, for a iw other companies in addition ) Trafpak.
Phoenix operates a mixed eat of vehicles, including IANs, Volvos and Guys. The 3mpany has nothing but praise )ir the MAN 280s which it uses 3Ielyfor long hauls. Theyare all leepers, return good fuel conamption figures, and provide xcellent driver comfort, accord1g to Phoenix director, Peter urtis.
The company's seven-yearId Guy Big Js and its Volvo 86s are used on local work, each of the vehicles (long or short haul) being fitted with pumps for discharging liquids.
In the last few years, Phoenix has increasingly moved away from using conventional skeletal trailers and now uses drop frame "load loaders", says Peter Curtis. They are safer, with the tanks about 3ft from ground level instead of 4ft 6in as with conventional skeletals. Most of the trailers in the fleet are Overlanders.
The number of Trafpak empties that Phoenix stores at its East London depot varies considerably. No more than about 12 are stored at any one time, as most are usually in transit.
Tanks are either cleaned on the premises by Phoenix or taken to a company which specialises solely in tank cleaning. Peter Curtis knows of at least a dozen in the area.
B&R (Freight Services) is another sub-contracted Trafpak haulier and has been for the past couple of years. It runs a mixed vehicle fleet including ERFs and Leylands.
"We used to specify British," says B&R director, Simon Fraser. But that policy has now changed. The company is still happy with its ERFs (most of those in the fleet having Gardner engines). But its two Leyland Roadtrains (with TL12 engines) have been less than satisfactory. They are both little more than a year old and have both needed replacement engines.
There are some Scanias in the fleet and also a couple of DAF 2300s. The number of fire screen units in the fleet has been increased and rather than buy them new, B&R has been buying some from oil companies at reasonable prices.
As well as conventional skeletal trailers, B&R is using drop frames because of the advantages of low deck height. Although it owns a number of trailers, the company finds it beneficial — and occasionally cheaper — to lease its trailers, says Simon Fraser.
Tank cleaning is something that B&R do not get heavily involved with (apart from cleaning those which have been carrying beer or other nonhazardous products). Trafpak's Ashton-in-Makerfield depot takes care of most of the tank cleaning in B&R's case. Empties, too, are in the main stored at Ashton-in-Makerfield rather than at B&R's premises although, like Phoenix, the company does store a few.
The list of products carried by Trafpak is extensive. Although the company is primarily concerned with the transportation of bulk chemicals and liquids (it has an impressive array of clients), typical unregulated loads like food, beer, chocolate and milk are also important.
How does Trafpak sum up the tank container system it operates?
• "You can be certain," it says, "that the technical and transport• solution offered is the best that existing tank container technology will allow; you can rest assured also that our solution observes and interprets accurately all relevant codes and regulations. Add to this, tight centralised logistic control, and Trafpak can safely promise total accountability for your complete distribution. And it's a promise we keep."