Braces Bakery has taken delivery of 14 new commercial vehicles following a decision by the company's Board of Directors to modernise its fleet and move away from outright purchasing.
Supplied by Fraikin under a comprehensive five year full service contract hire agreement, the delivery includes two DAF LF45 7.5 tonne rigids, four MAN TGL 7.5 tonners and six 12 tonners, each with box bodies and tail-lifts, together with two MAN TGX 6x2 tractor units. They join a fleet totalling 66 vehicles, including 26 with Fraikin, and will be used to deliver an extensive range of loaves, rolls, buns and welsh cakes to more than 3,000 stores across Wales and the South of England.
Andrew Williams, Transport Manager at Braces Bakery, which was established in 1902, explains: "A decision was taken by the Board of Directors to update our fleet and it was agreed that contract hire represented the best solution for our requirements. It allows us to invest in a new, modern fleet, built to our exact requirements and in our livery, but with the costs fixed and spread over the duration of the five year period.
"As a company we've quadrupled in size over the last ten years, and by partnering with a company like Fraikin, it helps to remove much of the hassle associated with running a fleet of trucks, and in turn allows us to focus more on our core business," he adds.
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New Fraikin fleet rises to the occasion with Braces Bakery / page 2
In operation seven days a week, the fleet will be split between the company's two bakeries in Crumlin, Newport, supported by its three depots at Ammanford, Avonmouth and Plymouth.
The depots are supplied by the tractor units trunking back and forth from the bakeries and currently operate at 32 tonnes in conjunction with single deck tri-axle trailers. Adding the new MAN TGX's to the fleet, which can be plated at 44 tonnes, allows the company the flexibility of increasing the payload with new double-deck trailers in the future
The rigids form the workhorse of the fleet, carrying out deliveries during the morning and afternoon throughout Brace's growing distribution area. This involves supplying fresh products to both major multiples, including Asda, Marks & Spencer, Sainsburys and Tesco, together with many independent stores.
The contract hire agreement includes full servicing, maintenance, repair and MOTs, carried out by a combination of Fraikin's own branch in Avonmouth and MAN South Wales, together with road fund licensing, tyres, 24/7 emergency roadside assistance and relief vehicle cover.
At the end of the five year contract, Braces Bakery can return the vehicles to Fraikin, without any of the uncertainty or hassle associated with residual values and used vehicle disposal.
www.fraikin.co.uk