NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
New trucks for
expanding online order delivery
Serco has taken advantage of a
gap in the market to design and
build two vehicles for online
came up with these two new designs
which are ideal for businesses in the online
sales industry.”
deliveries that have seen a large
Serco initially launched the new ‘chiller
increase in recent months.
body’ for body sizes under 3.1m in length
Serco is offering two new vehicles
but have fast-tracked the development
purpose-built for the delivery and
and now can offer for insulated bodies
collection of goods in the burgeoning
right up to 6m, ideal for distribution and
online sales market in South Africa.
home deliveries of food products and
The first is an insulated truck which is 20%
pharmaceuticals requiring temperatures
lighter than the company’s usual product
between -4 and +8 degrees C.
and the other is a dry freight solution for
“Many home deliveries are done using
the transport of products such as electrical
bakkies and motorbikes but as the market
goods and computers as well as all sizes
has grown, so too do requirements for
and shapes of home appliances.
“The lockdown has triggered a rise
in online shopping, which most likely is
expected to continue after the pandemic
bigger and more suitable vehicles which
are temperature controlled to suit food
transport,’ said Holcroft.
“We also offer lightweight aluminium
Serco
One of the newly designed vehicles purpose-built by Serco for the delivery and collection of
goods in the online sales market in South Africa.
settles. This has caught many online
retailers flat footed as they gear up
to handle the logistics at these higher
volumes,” said Serco CEO Clinton Holcroft.
“During the lockdown, we researched
what we as vehicle bodybuilders needed
to offer as solutions for our customers and
shelving to accommodate whatever
boxes, crates and perishable products
clients need to transport.”
In the dry freight vehicle range, several
options are available, including units with
conventional seamless fibreglass panels
through to lightweight versions especially
suitable for the smaller bodies giving more
payload while offering improved security
and protection against water damage as
compared to curtain siders and conventional
steel bodies. A variety of lightweight shelving
options are also available.
“Key aspects are that the newly designed
vehicles for online distribution can be built
to spec and delivered within three or four
weeks, and are price-competitive and
lighter than conventional options,” added
Holcroft.
CLA
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www.coldlinkafrica.co.za COLD LINK AFRICA • September 2020