Wellocks turns to Ekeri trailers for speedier flexible deliveries of the perfect ingredient

Wellocks, the national fresh produce wholesaler, has added a temperaturecontrolled Ekeri trailer to its expanding fleet in a move to reduce ‘food miles’ and provide even better delivery services to its customers in the restaurant, pub and hotel industries.

“The side-opening design makes for much easier access and loading – we managed a speedy 40-minute turnaround, emptying and restocking the trailer at our depot on its first run,” reports Mick Martindale, Fleet Manager at Wellocks.

Designed and built by Ekeri in Finland, the 14 foot high class ‘A’ (FNA) refrigerated trailer is the first of its type from Ekeri to operate in the UK and will, says Wellocks, carry ambient and chilled products, down to 4 degrees, saving at least 30 minutes on each daily run.

“It’s all about turnaround time” adds Mick. “We take time to source the perfect ingredient because that’s what customers expect from Wellocks. The quicker we get our ingredients loaded and unloaded, the fresher they remain. We trunk from our Lancashire hub down to Buckinghamshire and London six nights a week and have already found the multiple side access to be of benefit. We have all the loading speed – and faster – of a curtainsider but with the strength and load security of a fixed-sided insulated body. It’s where speed and adaptability meet.”

According to Mick, the high cube design enables Wellocks to load an additional three ‘green’ crates higher compared to conventional trailers and by using the side access doors, double-pallet loads can be ‘cherry-picked’ to selectively match individual customer deliveries.

The extra space, says Wellocks, will make transporting ‘perfect ingredients’ between distribution hubs across the UK more efficient by reducing the number of journeys needed and getting deliveries to customers even faster.

“We provide fruit, vegetables, dairy, poultry, meat, fish, sundries and store cupboard essentials to leaders in the hospitality industry and we’ve invested in the latest distribution methods to ensure that all our produce is in pristine condition when it arrives with the customer. The equipment from Ekeri will certainly help us continue to achieve this,” says Mick.

Recently ranked in the Investec/Times Mid-Market 100 Fastest-Growing Privately Owned Companies in the UK, Wellocks continues to expand and so does its transport fleet. In addition to the new Ekeri trailer, the company has recently added a fourth new Mercedes Actros which, along with around 80 vans and 27 HGVs, link the main Nelson hub with depots in Westcott, Tewkesbury and Motherwell and to various customer locations throughout the UK.