Wimbledon, London, UK: Organic fruit and vegetable home-delivery service provider, Abel & Cole has taken delivery of additional twenty 3.5 tonne, chilled home delivery vehicles and ordered an additional twenty one to service its expanding network.
Abel & Cole is increasing its regional distribution hubs by 25% to expand its organic vegetable online retail business. The company’s current distribution network that covers most of England from the south coast to Leeds will extend with a new centre in Exeter in the autumn.
Abel & Cole's new home delivery vehicle with Hubbard 360AM chiller
The 3.5 tonne Iveco Daily vehicles have bespoke box bodies featuring Hubbard 360 AM chiller units. The units have been specified to meet around 140 door openings per delivery round. Hubbard Product’s units are specified exclusively for Abel & Cole’s current 108 vehicle home delivery fleet, undertaking approximately 30,000 deliveries each week.
The Hubbard 360AM units chill to +8° C and to achieve the correct performance a prototype unit was built and tested in a hot room environment in conjunction with Hubbard. After extensive testing of the chill unit and various door location and bodywork opening permutations, Abel & Cole has achieved the right fridge for the bespoke vehicle says Nick Cannell, Abel & Cole’s transport manager.
The Hubbard 360AM is suitable for temperatures down to 0°c. The compressor is belt driven from the engine and uses R134a refrigerant.
The 360 series comprise a low profile condenser, an evaporator and a compressor. Standard options include a condenser bracket for box body mounting, 24v version and single fan evaporator.
