10 minute read
Trailer Builder
Best in the South West
NEW VAWDREY TRAILERS WITH BESPOKE SPECIFICATIONS TO SUIT INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS WILL BE ADDED TO SOUTH WEST EXPRESS’ FLEET BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. THE COMPANY APPRECIATES VAWDREY’S RENOWNED ABILITY TO SUPPLY THE TRAILERS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND WITH THE EXACT SPECIFICATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED.
South West Express commenced operations in 1993 and has worked tirelessly to become one of Western Australia’s leading refrigerated transport companies. Today, the company is the chosen fresh food transport partner of some of Western Australia’s pre-eminent producers, distributors and retailers. Transporting temperature-controlled goods comes with a significant responsibility, both to the company’s clients, and in turn their customers. As such, delivering a compliant, safe, and sustainable service is a companywide focus. An important element of this is the relationship the company has with Vawdrey Australia, which is one of its preferred trailer suppliers. The latest order of Vawdrey trailers includes insulated and refrigerated 4.3-metre high 22-pallet Titeliners and dry freight vans. The Titeliners were specifically chosen to fulfil a new contract for South West Express which entails delivery of temperaturecontrolled chocolate products to Big W at Mandurah and Bunbury and backloading of recyclable cardboard bales. For this contract the versatile Titeliner is ideal as it enables efficient dock loading and unloading of the store stock and then side loading of the cardboard bales for the return journey. Special features that improve safety and efficiency include auto-tightening load binders and pop-up coaming rails which prevent damage to the curtains by forklifts during rear loading. The insulated curtains are also load restraint rated, meaning gates are not needed – a significant time saving feature when it comes to side loading. Rear loading efficiency is also enhanced
through the use of roller doors which means, unlike trailers with barn doors, the Titeliner can be backed onto a dock before the door is opened. Also adding to their versatility, both Titeliners have Ringfeder couplings bolted to the chassis at the rear which enables them to be used as 22-pallet lead trailers in double or pocket road train configurations. The Vawdrey dry freight vans ordered by South West Express are also built for a specific task of warehouse-to-warehouse distribution. They also feature rear roller doors along with a ‘wedgeback’ design which means the roof line tapers towards the front of the van. This enables a 2.73-metre high aperture at the rear which, according to Mark Mazza,
The 22-pallet capacity vans come with side under-run protection rails, toolboxes and a striking yellow chassis.
CEO at South West Express, was something only Vawdrey could offer. “We needed the rear roller door along with the higher clearance rear opening for the supermarket products that will be carried and Vawdrey was the only trailer manufacturer that could build this style of van for us,” Mark says – adding that Vawdrey has been particularly helpful with supplying the company with specialised trailers to suit new contracts. Today, South West Express services some of Western Australia’s most successful supermarket chains, as well as many of the state’s leading producers. “Our dedication to the retailers we service has always remained paramount, and we remain focused on providing each client with a transport solution they can trust,” Mark says. “Our client communication processes have proven to be an integral element in providing a service which allows retailers to focus on running their stores, confident that delivery schedules will be met.” The company provides same-day delivery capabilities for all customers in the Perth metropolitan and greater Bunbury regions, offering competitive pricing and service provision over the whole of the southwest WA region. It manages this due to its modern and wellmaintained fleet of vehicles which is updated in line with a strictly adhered to time and/or kilometre-based replacement policy. Total flexibility in vehicle utilisation is assured
Built specifically for a supermarket contract – the Vawdrey ‘Wedgeback’ dry freight van features a 2.73m high rear aperture.
Typical Vawdrey attention to detail includes mirror-finish aluminium front and side perimeter mouldings. by the employment of multi-temp zone trailers. This enables South West Express to provide up to three fully isolated and independently temperature controlled compartments – freezer, chiller or ambient – per trailer, loaded in the order required to facilitate specific customer needs. The latest order of Vawdrey trailers will serve to enhance further the company’s capabilities in supplying goods in pristine condition and in the most time-efficient and cost-effective manner possible.
Contact
Vawdrey Australia 1-53 Quantum Close Dandenong South Vic 3175 Ph: 03 9797 3700 Web: www.vawdrey.com.au
A rotational solution
CIMC VEHICLE AUSTRALIA HAS THE CAPACITY AND THE RAPPORT TO TAILOR A BULK TRAILER ORDER FOR CENTURION TO ENSURE IT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE COMPETITIVE LOGISTICS SERVICES FOR MINING OPERATIONS ACROSS QUEENSLAND.
As one of Australia’s largest independently owned and operated transport and logistics companies, with a fleet of more than 2,000 vehicles, 1,100 employees and 20 distribution centres, Centurion is poised to meet increasing demand for its services. The fleet is committed to providing timely road freight haulage for mining, resources and retail clientele, as the company continues with targeted growth and expansion plans. Servicing Centurion’s customers entails dealing in multiple types of freight profiles, from parcels to general freight to heavy haulage. Such diversity in freight task calls for variety in trailing equipment which is why Centurion turned to CIMC Vehicle Australia for a bulk trailer order. More than 100 units were specified – a mix of curtainsiders, flat tops, drop decks and dollies configured in A- and B-double sets. Some of these trailers are also fitted with mezzanine decks to optimise storage and loading/unloading procedures. These trailers are all expected to service general freight contracts at mines in Central Queensland. “CIMC are a trailer supplier that can do big orders and deliver in a timely manner,” says Russell Baxter, Centurion General Manger Equipment and Maintenance. “Also, the price point and quality is hard to walk past.” A key factor in the decision to invest in CIMC equipment was having dealt with the trailer builder over the past decade as well as more recently working with reliable team members like Ashley Hayes, Queensland Sales Manager at CIMC Vehicle Australia. “We need our trailers to work under rigorous conditions, as they are frequently used in remote areas, and Ashley has worked closely with us to tailor equipment to satisfy our requirements,” Russell says. “The trailers we’ve ordered come in stock however Ashley has been pivotal in helping improve the longevity of the products we receive following our needs for more durable coaming rails as well as taking into consideration the extras that we bolt onto our trailers. Ultimately, CIMC are very accommodating to our feedback. Despite the challenges of Covid-19, to get equipment into operation with delays at international and state borders, Ashley and the CIMC Melbourne team were very approachable and worked very closely with us to ensure we get the gear to where it needed to go.” Similarly, some trailers have also had custom axle and suspension systems installed. “Again, operating in remote areas, we understand what we need in terms of trailer running gear and CIMC are able to
CIMC drop deck low loaders work a busy schedule. Centurion has main workshops in Brisbane and Perth as well as remote sites Kalgoorlie and Mackay. Every vehicle asset is also tracked by telematics.
assist,” Russell says. “For Centurion, this means more uptime for the fleet. Many of the roads our drivers take are not easy on the trailers so it’s important we invest where it counts.” CIMC Vehicle Australia enhances the trailers it produces with fully automatic anti-corrosion cataphoretic painting (KTL) at the factory. CIMC has invested millions of dollars purely on painting processes to allow the entire length of the chassis to be dipped in multiple pools, ensuring the whole steel frame is perfectly covered. This method provides consistent paint quality, superior rust protection and is also environmentally friendly as the majority of water that is used can be recycled. “The quality of the finish is outstanding,” Russell says. “We are very impressed with the quality and the way it holds a high standard in presentation.” As for what the future may hold, this partnership has potential to explore opportunities with further trailer models CIMC has to offer.
Contact
CIMC Vehicle Australia 20 Whitfield Blvd Cranbourne West VIC 3977 Ph: 1300 202 462 Web: www.cimc.com.au
Fast Fact
Centurion is mostly a WA-based business but over the past 18 months it has experienced considerable growth along the East Coast.
CIMC’s service network has you covered in most capital cities. With depots in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, CIMC are close by.
Quality control for perfection
FOURTH-GENERATION FAMILY BUSINESS, MACKA’S, SPECIFIES DURABLE, VERSATILE AND RELIABLE ROAD TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT FROM MUSCAT TRAILERS TO SERVICE THE OPERATION, CARTING FERTILISER, COMPOST AND GENERAL PRODUCTS.
It was a vision for all things quality that brought Muscat Trailers and Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef together. The partnership was forged about six years ago following a need for Macka’s to acquire purpose-built trailers for civil and agricultural applications. Macka’s, established in 1884 by Archie Mackenzie, is a family-owned and operated enterprise that has grown from a humble cattle run in the Port Stephens area of New South Wales to becoming a leader in the use of the world’s best genetics to breed quality, grass-fed, grain finished Angus verified cattle. With Robert Mackenzie currently at the helm, along with father and his two boys now pitching in, the business is heading into its fifth generation. Today, Macka’s top quality produce is exported worldwide and is also found on the shopping lists of top Chefs from Australia’s leading fine dining restaurants. Reinforcing its place in the market, the family business’ most recent sire purchase, Texas Iceman R725, smashed national records for the breed. The stud bull features proudly on the tailgate of Macka’s latest truck and dog combination. Before the latest truck and dog project,
Quad-axle dog trailer. Robert Mackenzie of Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef.
there was much discussion about building a trailer to suit the needs of both the civil and agricultural businesses. The team at Muscat Trailers developed a 20m Performance-Based Standards (PBS) truck and dog solution, which was the best PBS vehicle to meet all business requirements. As Robert’s focus is ‘produced with pride’, this was no different when selecting the finishing details of his trailer combination. From the specification of the prime mover which pulls the new Muscat trailer, a Kenworth T610SAR, known for its durability, versatility and reliability which pulls his latest trailer combination, Robert made sure that every detail was covered. “We focus on attention to detail in our operation and that’s why we partnered with Muscat Trailers,” Robert says. “Their attention to detail, and the work they do, is second to none. The work they put in is exactly what we look for.” The truck and dog combination features: Hendrickson INTRAAX HXL7 wheel-end system, QuickSilver lining from E-Plas, an auto greasing system, Alcoa Dura-Bright 10 stud wheels, WABCO Electronic Braking System (EBS) supplied by Air Brake Systems, Hankook TH31 trailer tyres, Truckmate mudflaps and a George’s Canvas auto-tarping system. All componentry selected, according to Muscat Trailers, was due to the top quality and local nature of the suppliers. Also, the design of the external wrap was no different, after approximately 12 artwork revisions working alongside Auto Artisan, the final piece was agreed upon and finished.
Contact
Muscat Trailers Pty Ltd 7 Grahams Hill Road Narellan NSW 2567 Ph: 02 4648 2101 Web: www.muscattrailers.com.au
Fast Fact
Muscat Trailers celebrates 40 years of Australian manufacturing in November, starting from humble beginnings not far from where they reside today. The underlying message is still the same, quality over quantity.
