Back for a refill

One of the most recognisable brands worldwide, Coca-Cola is always in high demand – not only in convenience stores, but also in the transport game. Transport businesses like Toll know that delivering the popular beverage requires reliable transport equipment, which is why it defers to Vawdrey Australia.

When the Toll Group secured contracts with Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) in 2013 to provide a host of transportation services across Australia in a deal worth $380 million over five years, the news instantly put a chain of events into motion. Since the five-year contract largely involves route distribution, bulk distribution and interstate trips, one of Toll’s first points of contact was Vawdrey Australia, a company Toll had previously dealt with in 2008 when it purchased 40 purpose-built rigid bodies.

Six years later, all 40 units are still in operation around Australia, which is one of the major reasons why Toll once again called on Vawdrey – only this time the order was for 15 rigid body curtain-siders built to Iveco cab chassis. According to Vawdrey, all 15 units are scheduled for delivery and will gradually go into service between July and August 2014.

Paul Vawdrey, National Sales Director at Vawdrey Australia, says customers across Australia won’t be able to miss the brightly coloured red rigids making deliveries. “The new vehicles are part of Toll expanding fleet and replace the older beverage vehicles. They have been specifically prepared to Coca-Cola colour specifications,” he says – pointing out that founder, Mick Vawdrey, designed the company’s first beverage body more than 30 years ago, and that it has since become an integral part of the Vawdrey portfolio. “All 15 units will be deployed mainly across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. Each unit has been built to handle the conditions in those regions, offering plenty of security even with heavy loads on the back.”

Just like the Vawdrey order in 2008, the new rigids have been standardised to address size and capacity. “They are a mixture of eight?pallet and 14-pallet rigids,” Paul says. 

For greater efficiency and convenience, the rigids are also equipped buy generic diflucan online with a full load restraint curtain system. “The rigids for the Coca-Cola contract feature our load restraint curtain system that has quick release buckles, which will make it easier for the drivers to access the freight,” Paul says. “Each unit comes equipped with two full-length fold down steps on each side, which means the operator can get up and down the body quickly when loading and unloading goods. When they are folded up, they also act as side underrun protection.

“The quick release load restraint curtains and fold up steps will aid in timely deliveries for Toll’s drivers too. On top of that, they decrease injury risks because the drivers won’t have to handle gates or buckles manually anymore,” Paul says. “But they’re not the only special features, as we have also fitted 12 of the rigids with aluminium tail gates.”

The aluminium tail gates have been supplied by Anteo and were designed specifically for delivery trucks in applications where frequent drop offs are standard. In addition, three of the 15 rigids have also been fitted with Ringfeder tow couplings. “The three rigids will be required to haul dog trailers, hence why the need to fit tow couplings,” Paul says. “The goal is to maximise flexibility with these rigids and the extra option of the Ringfeders allows the operator to boost productivity on each run.”

According to Vawdrey, the quality build on the 2008 order helped strengthen the relationship between the two companies, while also leaving the possibility for more Vawdrey rigids to join Toll’s fleet in the future.

“At the end of the day, if you deliver a product to a customer that not only performs as advertised, but continues to work without any maintenance issues over time, then that customer will continue to come back, and that’s why Toll has renewed their contract with us,” Paul concludes. “Whether it’s food or beverages or even sensitive goods, you need to provide the right solutions for the job and that’s why renowned logistics companies like Toll can rely on Vawdrey to deliver the appropriate equipment.”