Queensland-based refrigerated transport company, SLR Trans, has found itself in a period of substantial growth following a spike in demand from its existing customer base.
To effectively cater to this, the business has made a significant investment in its trailer fleet.
“We always strive to look after our current clients,” says SLR Trans COO, Aumar Moosa. “In order to do that, we need reliable equipment that doesn’t fail. This investment ensures we have sufficient, dependable resources to meet those demands.”
The investment in question involves 26 Vawdrey Iceliner refrigerated trailers. The first 16 have already arrived in the form of eight B-doubles and will be met by the remaining builds in the coming months.
“We’ve already received eight B-double sets, and the rest will be delivered as they are completed by Vawdrey,” Aumar says. “Thanks to Vawdrey’s impressive production speed, we’re confident that all 26 trailers will be delivered within the next two months.”
The majority of these trailers will be used as 26m B-double combinations and 12-axle modular B-triple road trains. The remaining units will be deployed as standard semi-trailers.
The B-doubles that have already arrived are operating under Concessional Mass Limits (CML) each at a Gross Combination Mass (GCM) of up to 64.5 tonnes with payloads of around 34 tonnes. Comparatively, the B-triple road train combinations to arrive will also operate under CML but at GCMs of 84.5 tonnes and payloads of 43 tonnes.
The B-double trailers will all be utilised to transport refrigerated freight for customers in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector. Their routes will cover the eastern seaboard via movements throughout Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Extending into regional Queensland, the B-doubles will also run between many major distribution centres and interstate hubs.
The eight new B-doubles, although in their relative infancy, are already performing to the expectations of SLR Trans.
“The performance of these trailers has been excellent,” Aumar says. “The B-doubles have smoothly integrated into our operations with virtually no downtime or mechanical issues. They are docked daily and endure regular knocks, yet they’ve proven to be incredibly robust. We haven’t seen any issues at all.
“Driver feedback has also been very positive, especially regarding the ride quality, ease of opening and closing the rear doors and the smooth operation of sliding the lead trailer body.”
The 26 refrigerated trailers will join six other Vawdrey Iceliner B-double sets in SLR Trans’ fleet – units which Aumar says have stood out due to their reliability.
“The build quality is top-notch, and it’s just what we expect from Vawdrey,” he says. “The attention to detail across internal panel fit outs and aluminium skirtings and durability of the rear doors and lighting systems really stands out.
“Most importantly, they’re reliable. They just work without requiring constant workshop visits. That reliability gives us peace of mind in a fast-paced, time-sensitive freight environment.”
