SERCO Delivers New Fleet in Record Time
Leading truck and trailer body building company Serco has delivered on one of its largest orders in the 40-year history of the business, building a total of 278 vehicles for Imperial…all handed over right on time!
The new vehicles, already on the road and making an impact, comprise 143 trailers and 135 truck bodies.
Said Serco Managing Director Charl Coetzee: “We won the full tender because of our best value proposition and a commitment to meet the non-negotiable contract start dates. Serco is proud to have risen to the challenge and delivered 143 trailers in 143 days, 100% on time.”
The units were built at Serco’s main production plant in Durban.
Imperial, a DP World company, is the leading logistics provider in South Africa and one of the largest on the African continent, providing contract logistics, road freight and lead logistics provider solutions.
With a focus on key industries – including healthcare, consumer goods, automotive, chemicals, industrial and commodities – Imperial takes the products of its clients and principals to some of the fastest growing and most challenging markets in the world.
The refrigerated trailers in the record order were state-of-the-art Protec Steel Frostliner trailers. The injected panel technology used in the building of the trailers improves thermal efficiency by as much as 40% when compared to alternates, reducing fuel consumption and wear and tear on the fridge. This also cuts the carbon impact on the environment and directly improves shelf life and losses from returns due to poor temperature control.
The trailers are fitted with grain aluminium floors which have proved to be durable and high wearing while other features include fully welded aluminium scuffs which create a durable, waterproof and high strength structure as well as new door seals made from extended rubber material which provide an excellent thermal bridge preventing the leakage of cold air.
The trailers have BPW disc axles, tuck-away tail lifts, Thermo King Advancer fridge units, park distance control, Whiting roller doors and a loadlok cargo strapping system.
“A huge team effort from Serco supported by BPW Axles, DH Lifts, GEA Africa and, UD Trucks ensured the order was delivered on time,” said Coetzee.
Commenting on the project, Edwin Hewitt, CEO of Imperial’s Logistics Africa business, said: “Imperial followed a stringent Request for Proposal process for the new fleet build project and Serco was selected because of their impeccable quality standards and commitment to meeting the very tight deadline.
In addition to the delivery of 143 trailers in 143 days, Serco also delivered an additional 135 rigid trucks.
Considering the current economic climate and the volatile import market impacting on shipping and stock availability, this was an incredible feat that was only made possible by co-operation between various stakeholders. The project had one common goal and that was to deliver a quality fleet, on time, for our contract go-live on 1 August 2022.”
About Serco Industries (Pty) Ltd
Serco Industries specialise in the design and manufacturing of insulated and dry freight truck bodies and trailers. These trailers are relied upon by Southern Africa’s leading transporters and long-distance haulers to carry everything from ice cream to day-old chicks, from beef to bread – safely and hygienically.
Serco’s success as a market leader can be attributed to its design, innovation and the quality of products and services. With extensive experience in focused fields as well as in-house design capabilities, our clients have no doubt they have selected the right partner to ‘give them the edge’ in a competitive market.
Serco head office is in Durban, with branches in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Gqeberha
Prepared for Serco (Pty) Ltd
Issued by Shirley Williams Communications
