Irish-based operator Hannon Transport has expanded its fleet with 80 new Schmitz Cargobull reefers, fitted with sophisticated telematics to provide a completely traceable cold chain for temperature-sensitive food and horticultural deliveries.
The smart reefers are equipped with Schmitz Cargobull’s TrailerConnect software, which monitors and records their exact location and temperature data. Hannon Transport’s fleet management team monitor this information in real time, and alert drivers of any action to be taken.
Jonny Boyle, Head of Operations at Hannon Transport, says: “TrailerConnect gives us a huge amount of information, which means we can provide a complete readout of the temperature of goods throughout an entire journey. We’re accredited by the British Retail Consortium, and being able to demonstrate this cold chain visibility is crucial for our business.”
He added: “The majority of our fleet is now Schmitz Cargobull because they are both well-built and are economic to maintain.”
Half of the new trailers are already in use transporting flowers, meat, fruit and vegetables, both between Hannon Transport’s Irish & Dutch depots and to customers in Ireland and across mainland Europe. The remaining 40 trailers will be delivered later this year.
The order comprises a 50/50 split of mono-temp and multi-temp fridge units, allowing the company to carry more payloads requiring different set points in one journey. The majority of trailers are specified with Dhollandia tail-lifts to aid driver safety during the loading and unloading process.
When travelling through the UK and into Europe, Hannon Transport’s trailers also benefit from Schmitz Cargobull’s network of 1,700 Service Partner workshops should any suffer an unexpected breakdown – with approved technicians specialising in areas such as cooling units, vehicle electrics, recovery and tyres.
