Frozen Foods Go by Road
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Methods Used by Four Operators. in Distributing Frozen Fish and Other Foods from Grimsby Throughout the Country
By S. Buckley
Assoc.Inst.T.
ONE distribution depot situated at Eynsham, near Oxford, is the basis of the system adopted by H. Mudd and Son, Ltd., wholesale fish merchants and salmon factors, of Grimsby, to supply high-quality fish to fishmongers throughout Britain. Entering into
road delivery in 1952; the company now operate over 80 vehicles and a daily feeder service is maintained between Grimsby and Eynsham, and Fleetwood and Eynsham. This is seasonally supplemented with services from Lowestoft and Milford Haven.
Mr. T. B. Northcote, director, emphasized the advantages of being able to control precisely the conditions under which their products were delivered to customers. With less transhipment involved, Jess packing was required, and, because of their daily return, a much smaller stock of boxes was needed. Moreover, it has been possible to standardize. on metal boxes when delivering by road, thereby providing a higher, standard of hygiene by the ease with which they can be washed.
The use of 'insulated containers on 'their road vehicles ensures that not only wet fish, but also quick-frozen consumer packs—or Mudd packs—are delivered under ideal conditions, whether for home consumption or for export. In addition to fish in many varieties, packs of art increasing range of other foods are also supplied.
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In 1952, two vehicles operated on the feeder services, with two small vans employed on the final distribution. Today, four vehicles normally make the daily journey from Grimsby to Eynsham, the drivers changing over at Leicester. Thence the wet fish is re-loaded into 12 smaller vans for final distribution.
• An average load consists of 75 to 100 4-stone boxes for delivery to possibly 20 customers. As an example of loading times, wet fish bound for Gloucester, Somerset and Devon leaves Grimsby by feeder service early in the afternoon of the day it is landed. It is delivered, via Eynsham, the following morning. Last year over im. stone of wet fish was delivered by road.
More vehicles are used to distribute frozen food than wet fish and they are more heavily insulated, Concurrent with the development of frozen foods there has been a growth of independent depots or warehouses with facilities for the storage of frozen products. Stocks are maintained by Mudd's vehicles delivering from Grimsby. Subsequently, refrigerated 30-cwt. vans manned by driver-salesmen based on Bristol, Brighton, Nottingham, Oxford and Swansea effect the final retail deliveries, which may necessitate 250 to 300 calls per Week per van.
Other journeys include fortnightly collections of frozen fish from Aberdeen for delivery to Grimsby. Danish inshore fish sent over from Esbjerg is collected by road from Harwich and delivered to Grimsby, thereby saving up to a day. Recent loads of frozen fish carried by Mudd vehicles to the docks for export were consigned to the United States. British West Indies, Africa and Australia. A single consignment of 32 tons was sent to Australia.
Included in the commercial-vehicle fleet of 81 vehicles are five Dennis 'Max. two with wooden platforms and three with light-alloy platforms, used for bulk delivery on feeder services and dock deliveries. In addition to Dennis Pax vehicles, there are four Morris 5-6-tonners, two with oil engines and two with standard petrol engines.
The depth of container insulation material varies from 11 in. to 4 in., according to whether it is for wet or frozen fish. Platforms are made completely watertight and 25-gal, waste-water tanks are fitted. Container life is about ‘six years.
In addition to Morris 30-cwt. insulated vans fitted with refrigeration plant for retail deliveries by salesmen, the fleet includes a Land-Rover with two-way 4-adio. It is used to follow .the Morning sales as they proceed round the extensive fish dock and transmit vital-information to the Grimsby head office the moment each auction is completed.
No Accidents Drivers are paid a salary, determined by the basic rate, plus an average amount for overtime working. Mr. Northcote told me that not a single accident was reported last year, when vehicles based on Grimsby covered over 1 m. miles, together with a further lm. miles by those serviced from Eynsham. The 22 drivers based on Grimsby are scheduled one week in five on the Eynsham feeder service.
In addition to traffic arrangement, Mr. J. Newson, transport manager, is responsible for fleet maintenance and is assisted by a foreman and two skilled and four semi-skilled fitters. All maintenance and overhauls are done on the premises, with the exception of precision work such as crankshaft grinding, after the preliminary stripping has been undertaken. Some painting is also done, dependent upon labour being available, otherwise the work is contracted out.
' Repair-shop equipment includes a Tecalemit 9-cu.-ft. air compressor and mobile lubricator. Several highand low-pressure air points are available around the building, and valve refacing is performed on Black and Decker equipment Fuel tanks permit stocks of 1,200 gal. of oil fuel and 1,000 gal. of petrol to be held, about half the total fuel consumed being picked up at agencies.
Tyre mileages range from 50,000 to 52,000 for 14-tongross vehicles on trInk services. to 42,000 to 45,000 for 9-ton-gross vehicles on retail deliveries.
In addition to complying with statutory requirements, the driver's daily record itemizes the stoneage of fish carried on outward and return journeys. Duplicate consignment notes are kept for internal use in the transport department. Each vehicle is costed separately, whilst the cost of the total traffic carried on the company's vehicles is reduced to an average figure per stone for wet fish and Per package for frozen foods.
MR. W. MUMBY-CROFT, managing director, Orwell
Fish Curing Co., Ltd:, stressed that both road and rail were essential for the distribution of fish from Grimsby. The .fish industry was old and proud, but since the war many changes had taken place. New and larger trawlers had resulted in better fishing. Successive post-war governments had sponsored schemes to organize, develop and regulate the white-fish industry.
covering such matters as finance, publicity and research.
Fish was delivered more widely from Grimsby, he said, than from other ports, and in greater variety. The resulting smaller average weight per order than elsewhere had its repercussion in the means for transport to be employed. In some instances the customer, whether fishmonger or frier, might insist on delivery by road, whilst in other cases the determining factor was the additional time available for processing and loading when sent by road.
The whole of the frozen fish dispatched by the Orwell Fish Curing Co., Ltd., is consigned by road. Dry fish is sent in small, non-returnable boxes so as to provide a more hygienic service, the lids being nailed down by machinery. As with other merchants, Orwell's commenced to deliver on their vehicles soon after the war, to provide a higher standard of service to customers, and eight are now engaged on long-distance work.
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Three of the fleet Sre based on E.R.F. 44G chassis and have Homalloy platforms. There are three Guy Otters with Gardner 4LK engines, one having a standard wooden body and two Homalloy platforms. They are fitted with Eaton two-speed axles.
Five of the containers used on these vehicles were built by C. L. Whitaker and Co., Grimsby. Fitted with 3-in, insulating material, they have wooden frames, alloy panelling and welded tread-plate flooring. •The other is a Holospar Wilt to similar specification by T. Coleborn and Sons, Ltd., Liverpool_ The remaining two vehicles operating on trunk services are a Seddon Mark 5L with Perkins P6 engine and a Vulcan 7GF with a Gardner 4LW engine and Eaton two-speed Ale. Four Thornycrofts are used for shorter journeys.
Long-distance drivers collect their vehicles already loaded at night and, other than cleaning their cabs, are not responsible for maintenance. One driver is allocated to each vehicle.
Maintenance of the Orwell fleet is undertaken by Pyewipe Motor Services, an associMed company. The garage is particularly well equipped and includes a well-stocked stores. In addition to a Tecalemit type 212 air compressor and highpressure greaser, the equipment includes a Westinghouse charger, Laycock washer and Dunlop wheel-alignment gauge.
Mr. B. W. Campbell, transport manager and engineer, told me that he was obtaining particularly successful results with Rotella S.A.E. 20 oil and with Michelin Metallic tyres, which are giving between 50,000 and 60,000 miles, according to the type of vehicle to which they are fitted.
Servicing includes a change. of injector nozzles and the fitting of new Purolator oil filters at 30,000 miles. Cylinder heads are removed at 120,000 miles.
rIVER 50 varieties of frozen fish, meat, poultry, vegetables and cooked foods are produced by Grimsby Frozen Products, Ltd. Marketed under the name of Eskimo Frozen Foods, they are distributed throughout Britain and exported to 64 countries: In outlining the rapid post-war growth of the frozen-food industry, Mr. A. H. Coburn, 'director, told me how substantial were the sales of pre-cooked products in the United States, whence he had just returned. Another recent development had been the introduction of the Pet-Pax, a fish food for domestic pets.
Wet fish is collected from the docks by the company's two 5-ton and 3-ton Albions, and a Morris 5-tonner, and delivered to their new factory specifically built for quick freezing.
Distribution is undertaken in the main by the company's fleet of five long-distance vehicles, with assistance from a private haulier specializing in insulated vehicles. In addition to a Leyland Comet 7-ton platform lorry, there are three B.M.C. 5-tonners and a B.M.C. 3-tonner. All have oil engines and Homalloy platforms, and carry refrigerated alloy containers insulated with 4 in. of Onazote. The sides and rear of the containers carry a particularly attractive example of signwriting depicting an Eskimo with fish on a line, backed by icecovered peaks, in blue, White and black.
Other vehicles include a .refrigerated B.M.C. 30-cwt. van and a ThameS van for local work manned, by driver-salesmen.
Most of the-traffic is dispatched in cartons or boxes. Because of the large variety of products, sizes vary widely, precluding, at present, the complete use of pallets, and containers are loaded manually through the rear door off roller conveyors.
Distribution is through independent wholesalers, necessitating delivery during normal working hours as distinct from overnight unloading at one's own depots. -Frozen foods are carried at a temperature of 0° F., and the number of times a refrigerated container can be opened en route at normal daytime temperatures is limited. Long-distance loads usually consist of a maximum of four or five deliveries.
At Least Once a Week Each wholesaler receives at least one delivery per week, the routes served being determined by a compromise between demand and rigidly scheduled services. Under normal conditions, loads are dispatched during the first half of the week to the Midlands. Wales and the West .Country, followed later by deliveries to Southampton, Brighton, London, Colchester, and the north. Delivery of frozen food to the docks for export can involve special urgency,because the refrigerated vessels by which the orders are consigned are comparatively limited in number.
Maintenance is carried out in accordance with the B.M.C. instruction book, one fitter being employed, and one driver is allocated to one vehicle. Tyre mileages are averaging 50,000 per set, vehicle Mileage being approximately 1,000 per week.
Following the recent introduction of Power Samas office equipment, complete individual Vehicle records are kept, including fuel consumption, average miles per hour and per day, average cost per mile and per day.
Bthefortunate juxtaposition of th-e quick-freezing the around Grimsby and the vegetable and fruit-growing areas of Lincolnshire, an expanding industry is being built up by a combination of these two factors.
A distinctive feature of the factory of Frigidfruits, Ltd., in the adjoining town of Cleethorpes, is the use of flowing water, instead of mechanical equipment, as a conveying agency. fn addition to fruits, vegetables are also processed and frozen, of which peas are the major variety.
Transport is required the moment the peas on the
haulm are mechanically cut and loaded ontrailers for the vining stations. To ensure fruit and vegetables, arriving at the factory in good condition, collections from the farms at harvest time have to be strictly timetabled, necessitating shift working. Whilst fruit is also collected, vegetables provide the bulk of the traffic.
Frigidfruits, Ltd., specialize in deliveries to catering establishments, schools and hospitals, and to ports for the victualing of ships and for export. Demand rather than pre-arranged time-tables determines journey schedules.
For delivery in bulk, regional distribution and the collection of raw materials, a varied fleet is maintained. This ranges from a„ Ien-Tug 21-ton tractor unit, with three trailers fitted with insulated bodies and used for local cartage between factory and cold storage, to a Guy Invincible of 8-10-ton capacity for bulk delivery. The Invincible, which has a Gardner six-cylindered oil engine, and tows a Dyson 5-ton four-wheeled trailer, has a Homalloy platform and carries a Whitaker insulated container specially constructed with a view to the eventual adoption of pallets.
Bulk Distribution
Guy Otter platform lorries with containers, and fitted with Gardner four-cylindered oil engines and Eaton twospeed axles, are also used for bulk distribution.. Petrol-engined Guy Vixen chassis have insulated yan bodies, and an insulated Luton van has been built on a Guy Otter chassis, also with petrol engine. For collecting raw materials, Guy Vixen platform lorries are used without containers, supplemented by hired transport. Distribution from provincial centres is covered by Austin 30-cwt. three-way vans.
Mr. R. D. Hale, transport manager, told me that eventually it was intended to standardize on oil-enginecl vehicles, which were returning a fuel-consumption rate of 22 m.p.g. in the case of the Otters and 10.5 m.p.g. when the Invincible was towing a trailer, both carrying containers. The petrol-engined Vixens were also giving 10.5 m.p.g.
Maintenance is contracted out and is undertaken at regular mileage, intervals of 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 to predetermined schedules. Once again, a policy of one driver to one vehicle is maintained whenever possible.
The outward appearance of the vehicle is unusual and attractive, the signwriting being limited to " Frigidfruits. Ltd., Lincolnshire" in raised lettering on a diagonal band, and any subsequent touching-up of the remaining, and major, portion of the van or container which may be necessary is therefore simplified.
TRANSPORT has been inherent in the growth of Grimsby's industries. "Once limited to the carriage of fish in baskets to its county town of Lincoln, its products are now marketed throughout the world. Natural ice, once barged from Norway, is now replaced by modern refrigeration practice to preserve in fresh condition fish caught in the adjacent North Sea and more northerly waters.
Although long established in the fishing industry. Grimsby has been quick to adopt new ideas and its production of frozen fish exceeds the total production of its three largest rivals. To the sea harvest are now added the fruits and vegetables of the Lincolnshire fens to give a wider variety of quick-frozen foods. Concurrently, specialized road vehicles have been developed to effect its nation-wide distribution in good condition and delivery systems have been evolved appropriate to individual companies.