Buffaload Logistics, has further expanded its temperature controlled double-deck trailer fleet to provide continued support for The Co-operative’s Primary Distribution network. The additional high cube trailers will, says the business, maintain low traffic movement through reduced handling and fewer road miles.
Completing 65 primary trunking journeys each day, Buffaload carries a significant proportion of The Co-operative’s fresh inbound product and delivers to nine distribution centres throughout the UK - from Scotland to Andover. Using a mixture of inbound routes - around 50/50, from suppliers to cross-dock and inter-depot trunking, the stock is backhauled on SRVs, cross-docked within the depot network and then onward trunked to receiving DCs. Buffaload’s recently expanded cross-dock facility in Huntingdon plays a key part in the daily operation.
With 44 pallet capacity, the double-deckers provide up to 66% more volume than conventional temperature controlled trailers and as such, enable The Co-operative to cut handling times, reduce road miles and achieve optimum efficiency throughout the fleet.
John Sabey, responsible for The Co-operative’s third party Primary contracts, explains:
“The Buffaload deckers allow us to be competitive on pricing, due to their high capacity, and they reduce the physical amount of inbound movements through our gates. The trailers bring flexibility to our fresh, inbound network and they work closely with our internal planning team to ensure best fleet utilisation and ‘vehicle fill’ are achieved. At busy times, they also complement our secondary store fleet by supporting depot transport operations.”
The Co-operative’s distribution network is relatively new and mainly comprises purpose-built depots with loading bays designed to accommodate the taller, double-deck trailers. Buffaload has worked with the business for a number of years and now provides a fully-managed transport and consolidation service, calling on a fleet of 82 double deck fridge trailers and cross- docking sites in Huntingdon, Wigan and Avonmouth.