Total Logistic Solutions (TLS) is one of Australia’s leading providers of transport, warehousing and logistics solutions.
With a long list of national and multinational partners, many of TLS’ clients need an uncommonly flexible approach to freight transportation. And when one of them required a Melbourne to Brisbane route, the company needed to find a uniquely hard-wearing solution.
TLS reached out to SCF and within a week a plan was deployed that would solve not one but five key business challenges.
For an uncommon freight profile, TLS needed an uncommonly durable solution
TLS’ long-term customer transported carpet rolls which came with a specific set of challenges. Heavy weights, large sizes and irregular shapes all meant standard Pantech trailers wouldn’t be up to the task.
“We needed a solution with the durability to handle the heavy weights and pressures of this very specific type of freight,” said TLS CEO, Jason McHenry.
In search of a more robust container to pair with its nine new A-double skels, TLS reached out to SCF.
SCF worked closely with TLS to find the right solution
TLS chose SCF’s containers for their uniquely robust design, purpose-built to withstand the harsh Australian elements.
The solution included 18 x 40ft containers to pair with TLS’ nine A-double skels.
TLS’ High Productivity Freight Vehicles (HPFVs) also allowed for two 40ft containers to be transported by a single driver, which maximised efficiency and payload capacity. For a high-volume operation like TLS, it would prove an ideal solution.
TLS didn’t just need the right containers, they needed them fast
TLS is known for effective branding and great attention to detail, with its fleet doubling as ‘rolling billboards’. With that commitment in mind, the company opted for new-build containers with customised branding applied.
The solution was signed off just three days after the initial contact, and five days later, the first container was collected from the depot and put to work.
SCF’s intermodal containers also ticked the affordability box
Because the solution was designed to meet the needs of one customer, it didn’t only need to be highly effective. It also needed to be cost-efficient.
With a container-and-skel configuration costing as much as 25-per cent less than a traditional trailer solution, SCF’s intermodal containers would prove a comparatively low-cost option.
By leasing with SCF, TLS was also able to access just the equipment it needed without having to invest a large amount of capital upfront.
Making the most of the return trip was a critical KPI
For the Melbourne to Brisbane route, maximising revenue by finding freight to bring back on the return trip was an important part of the puzzle.
With SCF’s intermodal containers, the solution was readily built into the product itself.
“All our intermodal containers are specifically designed for the Australian market, which means they fit two Australian pallets side-by-side,” said SCF Intermodal Business Development Manager, Sam Gannon.
“That really opened up the freight options, and meant TLS could maximise revenue on their return trips from Brisbane.”
A flexible solution was also high on the priority list
Intermodal containers have given TLS a fleet that can grow with its business. With intermodal containers in the mix, TLS’ equipment is wholly scalable. So, as the business grows, so can its operations.
“TLS is an innovative business, and we’re always looking for new ways to grow with our customers,” McHenry said.
“Because of their high flexibility, investing in a skel-and-container fleet will allow us to quickly engage in new opportunities.”
How many boxes could intermodal containers tick for your business?
Talk to SCF today, and start a conversation about how intermodal containers could enhance your fleet – and bring your business a new level of flexibility, durability and growth.
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