Warrington, UK: Petit Forestier is providing 123 rigids for a customer all using Carrier Transicold’s Syberia multi-temperature fridges.
It is the largest UK order to-date for Carrier’s engineless truck refrigeration technology. The units are fitted to a mix of 15, 18 and 26-tonne Dafs delivering food and beverages to coffee shops and hotels.
The vehicles have Solomon Commercials bodies with chilled and frozen compartments that incorporate a moving interior spine to allow cages and pallets to be transported. The Syberia fridge is mounted above the cab and has no need for a separate fuel tank so space is freed on the chassis to carry cafe waste intended for recycling.
“We’ve worked closely with Carrier and our customer to ensure every aspect of the build helps them improve the sustainability of the fleet,” said Helder Ribeiro, managing director, Petit Forestier.
“Having performed impeccably on two trial vehicles, Carrier’s engineless technology plays an integral role in this process. With no need to run an auxiliary diesel engine, we can deliver a significant cut in emissions, without sacrificing performance.”
The vehicles delivering to coffee shops feature twin compartments for transporting chilled and frozen food to a chain of 2,500 outlets. Those operating on the hotel contract have triple compartments for delivering frozen, chilled and ambient products. All the trucks will operate on high-intensity, multi-drop delivery routes.
The Syberia is powered from the truck engine using Carrier’s Eco-Drive: a hydraulic pump connected to the truck engine’s power take-off, driving a generator that provides electrical power to the fridge. Full refrigeration capacity is possible even at idle speed.
The 123 vehicles replace older vehicles and are on seven-year contract hire.
“The build process has gone seamlessly from start to finish, and that’s down to how closely all involved have worked together,” said Ribeiro. “This project was designed to showcase our customer’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, and Carrier has played a major role in this successful outcome.”
The vehicles will operate in the UK, clocking up between 45,000 and 67,000 miles per year.
