RVL Provides Versatile Transport Solution for P&H
January 2010
Palmer & Harvey McLane Ltd, the UK's leading retail distributor, has recently taken delivery of a quantity of new trucks from RVL. The order is one of many in the long-term working history of the two companies; a history which dates back to when P&H first contacted RVL to design and build its very first insulated bodies when it expanded into the temperature-controlled produce market-place.
This most recent multi-vehicle order is comprised of a selection of body types, including dual compartment frozen/chilled and single compartment ambient for 26 tonne rigid vehicles. In addition, RVL also designed and constructed a number of single compartment ambient swap bodies for demountable trailers and chassis cabs.
Both the frozen/chilled and ambient vehicles feature 7484mm long box bodies designed and expertly constructed by RVL. The former feature RVL’s five-element construction which, as well as being strong and durable, also provides an extremely thermally-efficient solution to ensure temperatures within the load compartment are maintained correctly. Rear frames, shutters (insulated on the frozen/chilled models and dry freight on the ambient) and tail lifts provide loading access via the rear of the vehicles, whilst the front compartment of each dual zone vehicle is accessed from the kerbside via a single side load door and three-step pull-out ladder. The load space in each twin compartment vehicle is divided by a flexible, insulated bulkhead complete with through door. The bulkhead is also movable, providing P&H with variable compartment sizes according to the load mix.
The single compartment ambient swap bodies on demountable trailers have been designed so that they may hook up behind either type of 26 tonne rigid (i.e. the frozen/chilled spec vehicle or the ambient truck).This provides P&H with flexibility, as the rigid/trailer configuration can be tailored according to the requirements of each distribution run. In addition, the trailers can be unhitched and the ambient swap bodies demounted altogether and then mounted onto chassis cabs that have been specifically prepared by RVL. These new high specification vehicles are loaded with user-friendly and practical design elements and provide a versatile and adaptable transport solution for P&H.
RVL Commissioned to Construct New 37 Pallet Cold Store
November 2009
When ArcticStore was approached by a prospective client with a view to supplying a 48ft (14,630mm) portable cold store, the specialist hire company contacted RVL to see if it could design and construct such a portable cold store. Initial conversations between RVL and ArcticStore led to the production of some layout plans and designs, and an appropriate specification was subsequently drawn up. Impressed by the company’s knowledge and professionalism, ArcticStore then commissioned RVL to build the 37 pallet cold store.
ArcticStore specialises in portable cold storage and container hire to UK and European clients on either a long or short-term basis. The company provides a wide range of cold stores suitable for ambient, chilled, frozen and deep frozen products, from 10’ at the smaller end of the spectrum, through to the 48’ models in its XXL range. ArcticStore’s modern, power efficient cold stores include flat flooring, butchers’ doors, lighting and new technology, state-of-the-art refrigeration equipment with a temperature range of between -35 to +30 degrees C. The refrigeration machines also have the facility to maintain a Controlled Atmosphere. The company offers competitive rates of hire and can also arrange local delivery and collection.
This latest addition to ArcticStore’s impressive fleet was designed as single compartment for frozen or chilled operation and accommodates goods carried on 37 pallets. The portable cold store is formed of five-element panels and, like all RVL Portable Cold Stores, features the same all-bonded GRP construction techniques as used on its highly acclaimed range of insulated box bodies for rigid vehicles. This construction method produces a very strong, durable and temperature efficient container which is able to withstand the stresses and rigors of heavy daily usage. As the container is sealed against the ingress of water, it is able to provide effective insulation to prevent the build-up of bacteria contamination.
Purpose-built to satisfy the end user's operational requirements, this new cold store features a high impact aperture frame and a pair of equally sized doors at the rear comprising offside slab service door and nearside plug leaf door. Featuring easy open doors complete with door seal heaters and thermal strip curtains across the entire aperture, this assembly provides personal access and also enables the loading and unloading of pallets. The inclusion of an internal protection guard helps to reduce and minimise damage to the refrigeration machine.
As well as a high standard of finish and inherent good looks, the cold store has also been individually designed with accessibility and functionality in mind. This takes account of on-site restrictions, working practices and current Health and Safety Regulations. For example, the lightweight insulated cold store can be easily transported using specialist lifting eyes to protect the box during the moving and positioning process. Other built-in safety and security features include a hygienic, extra heavy duty, non-slip floor which is power hose washable; an internal panic alarm with external siren and strobe; emergency battery back-up lighting for use in the event of power failure; red load line; and a floor level vermin proof drain in each of the four internal corners.
Temperature control is provided by a three-phase Daikin container unit, which has an in-built data logger together with an electronic digital cold store thermometer that has been mounted externally at the rear.
Quentin Stevens, representing ArcticStore, commented, “RVL has proved to be an ideal partner and we were very happy with the finished product. As ArcticStore prides itself on supplying cold storage solutions that satisfy clients’ needs on every level, it was vital that RVL was capable of designing and building us a first class product. This capability has been clearly demonstrated by the company and we would be delighted to recommend RVL to others.”
New RVL Bodies for Fresh Direct
October 2009
RVL has recently designed and constructed a number of 7500kg box bodied vehicles for one of the UK’s major fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers to the food service sector, Fresh Direct (UK) Ltd. These new temperature-controlled vehicles will be used to distribute top quality produce to Fresh Direct’s clients, including catering businesses, pubs, restaurants, hotel groups, premium retailers, colleges, conference centres, event organisers and even celebrity chefs.
Fresh Direct operates two distinct divisions; one delivers bulk fresh produce to central distribution operations on a daily basis, whilst the other handles daily multiple drops direct to multi-site customers, independents, retail and on-site catering. Fresh Direct’s business relies on ensuring that all products arrive on time, in full and in pristine condition, to all of these outlets.
With in excess of 10,000 deliveries to be made each week from its 6 regional depots, operating correctly specified, reliable vehicles is naturally a priority for Fresh Direct. The company’s diverse fleet comprises vehicles ranging from 1.2-tonne vans for local and rapid-response deliveries, through to 44-tonne articulated tractors and trailers for trunking. Fresh Direct’s transport operation covers over 500,000 kilometres and more than 2,550 runs per month. When fully utilised its 140+ strong fleet can move over 500 tonnes of produce every day. Impressive by any standards.
Fresh Direct has boosted its customer service levels through the smart application of a sophisticated software system for multi depot routing, scheduling and transport optimisation. This strategic planning tool underpins the company’s aim of delivering consistent top quality service through on-time deliveries of pristine produce to all of its customers, regardless of UK location. An additional benefit is improved efficiencies for both Fresh Direct and its customers, including better management of the company’s carbon footprint.
Fresh Direct first used RVL at the start of the decade following a recommendation and has found both the company and the brand to be most impressive. For its most recent requirements, Fresh Direct once again selected RVL as its bodybuilder, as it had confidence in the company’s ability to produce innovative designs and box bodies of exceptional quality. Further priorities for Fresh Direct were thermal stability, weight, durability and ease of repair.
The RVL Box Body is manufactured using boat building techniques and the resulting product is strong, durable and thermally efficient. These construction methods produce a six-sided box that resists the ingress of heat into the load compartment. Due to its all-bonded construction and high specification five-element insulated panels, it achieves exceptional 'K' Factor values, thereby effectively maintaining the required temperatures during a multi-drop distribution cycle. Additionally, high impact resistances localises damage, making repairs easier and more cost effective.
The body has an impressive strength to weight ratio and therefore has excellent payload capacity. Its robust yet lightweight design allows clients to carry the maximum amount of goods with confidence. Furthermore, no mechanical fixings are used within the box’s construction, reducing the potential for water ingress.
Like all RVL Bodies, these can be re-used up to three times during their lifetime, offering operational benefits. Another advantage of selecting the RVL Brand is the fact that the company supports its products with a ten-year construction warranty as standard.
These latest bodies were designed as single compartment for chilled and feature many functional and practical build elements to satisfy Fresh Direct’s delivery operation. Each Isuzu Forward N75.190 chassis cab was mounted with a 5210mm long body to accommodate eight metric pallets packed full with portion upon portion of our five a day.
The insulated enclosure features a stainless steel frame, complete with triple doors, at the rear of the vehicle. This door configuration features a central service door which can be used to reduce the amount of heat that enters the enclosure at each distribution point. This is accessed via an aluminium, double folding, lightweight step assembly complete with step light, rear light protection and buffers. A single pallet-width side door and two-step pullout ladder provide the added convenience of driver entry to the load compartment from the kerbside.
The body’s interior is home to a whole array of design elements, such as extra heavy duty slip resistant flooring, aluminium protection, evaporator guard, load retention, LED lighting, and much more besides. The overall specification is one that has met each and every one of Fresh Direct’s requirements.
Nick Allen, Head of Logistics at Fresh Direct, commented, “RVL illustrated all the required professional skills, knowledge and expertise to provide a high quality, temperature-controlled solution to satisfy our requirements. Its 28 years’ experience in the refrigerated transport market-place really shows and simply nothing is overlooked when it comes to both the design and build.”
Nick continued, “With each of these new vehicles making in the region of 20 drops per 8-hour working day, performance and reliability are imperative. With RVL we know to expect this. In addition to this, we are delighted with the visual impression these trucks make – all finished in our eye-catching corporate colours.”
New RVL Conversions for Weddel Swift
October 2009
Fresh meat specialist Weddel Swift Distribution Ltd has just taken delivery of some high quality insulated vans from RVL. These 6500kg Iveco Daily 65C18 17.2M3 vans feature single compartment conversions designed for chilled operation.
Weddel Swift Distribution Ltd offers a vast range of home-produced carcase meat and primal cuts via its efficient nationwide chilled and frozen distribution network. With a trading history exceeding 100 years, the company has truly mastered its craft and is renowned not only for the quality of its products, but also for its professionalism and personal service.
Myriad high street butchers and caterers across the country have long taken advantage of the company’s extensive range of high quality meat which includes beef, lamb, pork, bacon, gammon, poultry and offal. As suppliers of quality products, Weddel operates to the highest standards and recognises fully its role and responsibility in the food production chain. The company operates a Quality Assurance Scheme encompassing all of the necessary requirements to ensure customer satisfaction. The Company sites are also fully approved meat cutting plants under European Legislation and operate a fully documented HACCP system at all its sites nationwide. Additionally, Weddel is registered with the Meat Training Council as an Approved Training Centre.
With such emphasis on quality, it follows that Weddel would only select suppliers of the highest calibre, and RVL is proud to have been specified once again. The new high roof vans joining Weddel’s extensive fleet were insulated using RVL’s high specification, three-element sandwich panels which fit around the interior walls of the load compartment, producing a lightweight conversion. The panels feature a 75mm thick layer of high density insulation and a layer of special plywood finished with a glass fibre reinforced outer skin. This provides a thermally efficient insulator which is vital in ensuring correct temperatures are maintained within the load compartment.
The interior lining of the RVL Conversion is not only strong and purposeful, but also looks clean and attractive when the doors are opened. The load compartment features a slip resistant floor which, along with the skirt, is laminated in a blue gel. As well as being strong, this also provides a joint-free, hygienic surface. RVL also enclosed the factory wheel arches with tapered, insulated wheel boxes, leaving sufficient width for carrying metric pallets.
Access to the load compartment is gained via the rear factory doors which were insulated and panelled in white glass fibre sheet. This not only helps provide an effective barrier from the ingress of heat, but also produces a clean and finished look. A single RVL low temperature plug door was fitted on the nearside to provide personal access to the van’s interior from the kerbside. In addition to superb thermal efficiency and good looks, the door also offers durability over a prolonged period of use on a multi-drop operation.
A 1000kg hydraulic meat-lift system was also featured on these latest vans, which, along with meat rails and double hooks, assists the unloading of carcases from the van’s rear. Other interior elements include two recessed lights fitted in the ceiling of the load space, complete with a switch and warning light in the van’s cab. A chrome drain hole with plug was suitably sited near the front bulkhead, whilst alloy protection was fitted at floor level across the full width of all the door entries.
Colin Dutton, Technical Services Manager at Weddel Swift Distribution Ltd, commented, “Like us, RVL is very well established and respected in its field. We have found its products live up to our expectations and provide us with the reliability we need to maintain our industry position.”
New Design Innovation Enhances Payload
October 2009
A new design innovation has recently been launched by RVL for a range of 3.5 tonne box bodied vehicles. Originally designed to suit a client’s specific loading practices and payload requirements, the Modular Asymmetric Rear Door Concept is now offered by RVL as an option and joins the Modular Triple Rear Door Concept introduced last year.
This new Modular Asymmetric Rear Door Concept is a vacuum-formed assembly and offers many benefits to operators, not least those associated with payload. Its use minimises the body’s overall weight, providing a lightweight solution which enables a 3500kg vehicle to achieve an impressive one tonne payload. Indeed, when compared to an equivalent body featuring a standard rear frame and door assembly, this option brings in an approximate weight saving of up to 175kg.
When it comes to temperature control, this door assembly provides a perfect solution for a range of 3500kg chilled specification box bodies and will be developed for frozen applications in the coming months.
Naturally, aesthetics were also taken into account when designing the door concept. The design features a slam lock rear end and a unique RVL hinge-point. The doors are hinged to the nearside and open through 270º to wrap beautifully around the body, sitting flat against the side wall when opened fully. Safety and practicality were also priorities during the design process, and drivers should delight in the simplicity and ease of operation.
With ease of repair and price being further benefits of this new development, RVL is optimistic that operators will really appreciate the virtues of this new design and its many advantages.