The four partner operators in the CHILLNET organisation specialise in frozen and chilled palletised deliveries (typically in the 1-5 pallet drop range) destined mainly for the food service, wholesale and manufacturing sectors.
They believe that no other shared user operator in the temperature controlled logistics market can pick up a single pallet of frozen or chilled food on the South Coast this afternoon and have it delivered in Aberdeen the next day. On route the pallet will have been transhipped at depots in Bridgwater, Liverpool and Glasgow and it would hardly have stopped moving since it left the despatch location, having been travelling on four different trucks on route.
Almost all UK postcodes are served on a five day week basis and so the next day service is available between almost any two UK locations. In addition, partners Sawyers Transport in Northern Ireland and STL Logistics in Eire provide the link to and from Ireland with most areas served on a Day 1 for day 3 basis. At least six trailers per day are travelling in each direction over the Irish sea carrying frozen and chilled groupage in both directions.
In the current economic climate everyone is looking closely at costs and Rob Swindells at Langdons is about to launch a new initiative to persuade own account truck operators who deliver their own goods to get out of expensive transport operations. Rob takes up the story “When diesel was relatively cheap, food manufacturers and distributors frequently bought their own trucks, put the brand livery on the trucks and thought this was a neat combination of travelling advertising and a dedicated delivery service – usually returning to base empty. We are now asking them the question – why run your own trucks when you can share ours ? “
The CHILLNET operation recognises that not every collection and delivery location has a fork truck and so most delivery vehicles are equipped with tail-lifts. In addition the UK fleet is all satellite tracked with internal temperature monitoring taking place every ten minutes.
With over 35,000 pallets per week passing through this network with an average drop size of 1.7 pallets, this is a complex operation which relies on the Mandata Manpack IT system that is in place in all four partner operations. In addition David Price Food Services and Langdons offer all customers on-line order input and consignment status tracking.
Langdon Industries Ltd
Tel: 01278 411114
www.langdons.co.uk
1 Comment
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOUR MIXES OF THING FOR EX EGG CUSTARD LEMON MARANG PIE THE OLD FASHION ONES I CANNOT GET THEM ANYWHERE HAVE YOU STOPED MAKEING THEM I DO HOPE NOT THANK YOU S FROST