Fraikin supplies 70 double-deck trailers to City Link

05 November 2007

Premium next day delivery specialist City Link, part of the Rentokil Initial Group, has taken delivery of 70 new dry freight double-deck trailers from Fraikin on a 10 year full service contract hire agreement, valued at over £1m per year.

The introduction of these additional 13.6m long Gray & Adams trailers marks a key step in the operational integration of Target Express, which was acquired by City Link in November 2006.

Mo Kafu, Operations Director of City Link, explains: “Target Express operated with curtainsiders and forklift trucks, and whilst some of these are being kept to handle non-cageable items, this latest delivery sees us move the majority of the fleet to our proven double-deck trailer specification.

“In the express parcels delivery sector vehicle reliability is crucial to meeting our promises to customers, and Fraikin has a proven track record measured against a series of stringent KPI’s.  City Link is unique in offering services such as pre-7:30am next day deliveries to major UK cities, and our close working relationship with Fraikin provides the support we need to achieve this,” he adds.

This latest delivery joins over 350 tractor units and trailers supplied by Fraikin on contract hire to City Link, further extending a relationship which began in 1997.

Each of the trailers offers an interior height of 2.06m on the upper deck and 1.9m on the lower deck, with 2,000mm deep powered loading ramps forming the lower rear closure and double rear doors forming the upper closure.  The specification also includes a two tonne capacity interior tail lift, housed within the rear doors, to facilitate loading and unloading.

One of the primary benefits of the double-deck trailer is that it offers up to 50 per cent more carrying capacity than a standard 13.6m trailer, which generates significant cost savings through reduced expenditure on vehicles, tyres and fuel.

The specialist nature of these trailers requires regular servicing and maintenance, which is managed by Fraikin as part of the contract hire agreement, together with the provision of tyres and comprehensive breakdown support, giving City Link a cost-effective solution that’s inline with its transport and security strategy.  At the end of the contract, the trailers are returned to Fraikin, providing the additional benefit that City Link has none of the hassles typically associated with used asset disposal.