FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
The active ingredient works by disrupting
the DNA of microbes, thereby stopping
the bacteria from being able to replicate.
The bacteria are then destroyed through
damage to the proteins and cell
membranes, causing catastrophic failure of
the vital internal systems.
Solar energy
Solar technology has in part been
implemented on certain systems but
currently the technology is just not at the
level to generate enough energy to power a
refrigeration system for a typical standalone
transport refrigeration system given the
space you have available on a truck.
Solar is currently used for running fans
and controls on the cryo-fridge system.
It has also become popular to use solar
for tail lifts. This has its own benefits as
trucks are able to be switched off for
example when using the tail lift that would
otherwise require the engine to be idling –
which uses diesel.
“We are close to completion with our
battery-powered unit which will have
an option of solar assistance. With the
advancement of both solar and battery
technology it may one day be feasible to
have a standalone battery solar system on
a truck,” says Solomon.
With solar energy, proportions are
naturally relevant so solar could potentially
be implemented today for smaller units. On
the downside, in their current form, battery
banks to store power are also heavy and
reduce the vehicle’s payload, so the
general view is that technology is just not
ready, however in future the technology
could be designed into the truck body or
chassis in some way.
Hybrid technology
Recently Thermo King teamed up
with Frigoblock, an expert in electricpowered
solutions. The result was the
industry’s first true hybrid trailer unit,
offering all the benefits of both diesel
and electric power.
“Diesel and electric power each have
their own advantages. By combining them
as a hybrid solution, we can ensure that
a customer’s operation is fully adaptable
to current and future environmental
requirements,” says Thermo King.
The key challenges that face today’s
refrigerated trailer fleet operators that led
to this technology include:
1
Serco
The Serco Frost liner trailer.
Reducing their environmental footprint
to comply with ever more stringent
requirements from ordering parties.
Ensuring the distribution of fresh
products in densely populated urban
areas where access is limited to low-noise,
low-emissions vehicles.
Retaining flexibility needed to operate
either distribution or long haul as required.
“Further we have also recently launched
a new unit that reduces fuel consumption
down to 1.16l per hour, and this unit is also
axle-driven-alternator-ready for future
developments,” says Thermo King further.
ADAPTING TO MARKET CHANGES
Transportation, generally speaking,
is something that is constantly being
reviewed to find innovative ways to
distribute goods at the most reasonable
costs. From the perspective of the
suppliers and manufacturers a lot of effort
goes into designing products that give a
low lifecycle cost, durability, easy repair
and for the refrigeration trucks – quality
thermal properties.
For all role players in the transportation
sector, market changes determine a
different delivery strategy and although,
from the manufacturer and suppliers’ side,
certain standards can be delivered, there
are new factors and practices for deliveries
that need to be considered with these
market changes.
In the cold chain, the major elements in
getting goods from the producers to the
distribution centres and from the distribution
centres to the retail outlets is unlikely to
change in the near future, however where
changes will occur are from retailers to the
consumers.
“Different trends have already started
in South Africa so this will indicate in some
instances smaller vehicles catering to an
increased residential delivery and it will now
become more important for the retailers to
have access to multi-temperature vehicles
because not all products can be kept at
the same temperature,” says Solomon.
As with any new trends there is a
teething phase and should you have
made use of an online ordering system
yourself, you may have seen for yourself
the outcome where retailers have
been caught on the back foot. Often
communication with the client is an issue,
and item picking is then incorrect, leading
to a high error rate. Short stock items are just
omitted creating a window for re-deliveries
– which is naturally not as ideal as a delivery
on the back of a motorbike with little or
no temperature control. Even a small
refrigerated truck delivering half-thawed
frozen goods does not go down well with
most recipients.
Gildenhuys also comments
“E-commerce is definitely driving new
shopping trends, but what is being done at
the offload points and is the product still in
a temp controlled state? Distributors need
to be mindful that refrigerated bodies
are not designed to bring products to
2
temperature but to maintain temperature,
so loading at the correct temperatures
is critical as well as control of required
temperatures during multiple offloads in
a round trip. Reducing the opening and
closing of doors and good practices need
to be in place to minimise temperature
gain that may affect the lifespan of
perishable goods.”
“The pandemic has been the trigger
to increase consumer ordering for home
deliveries in South Africa. In Europe, this
method has been extremely popular for
about five years already – it’s convenient
and saves people time. Until now, in South
Africa, this hasn’t really taken off because
consumers are just used to going to the
shops. By forcing people to re-think how
they order and receive goods, this is now
where the purpose-built vehicles with multi
temperature capabilities will come into
play. So, if fresh produce retailers are serious
about taking advantage of this trend and
offering a quality delivery model, they
need to gear up with the correct delivery
setup to ensure maintained quality of the
products,” says Clinton Holcroft, managing
director of Serco.
NOT JUST A ‘COOLER BOX’
Refrigerated trucks, compared to what you
would have seen 25 years ago, so much
has changed. Supply of this equipment is
one thing but how that equipment is looked
after is another aspect. Suppliers and
Icecold Bodies
1 and 2: Some of the various bodies produced by Icecold Bodies, a semi truck and ridgid truck.
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www.coldlinkafrica.co.za COLD LINK AFRICA • October 2020