ASDA has taken delivery of nearly 170 new refrigerated trailers, all fitted with Carrier Transicold’s flagship Vector HE 19 MT. The system’s environmental credentials, fuel savings and alternative power options are noted as key factors in the supermarket chain’s decision.
A long-standing Carrier Transicold customer, the latest delivery means every new 13.6m trailer entering service for ASDA is fitted with a Vector HE 19 MT unit. The electrical architecture of the unit was a significant factor in ASDA’s decision to switch to the Vector HE 19 MT. When operating on mains power, competitor units suffer a loss of up to 40% kilowatt cooling power because of the need to convert the electrical energy back into mechanical drive to power the refrigeration circuit. To fully utilise the unit’s power and versatility, ASDA specified three different trailer types, comprised of 128 dual-compartment Schmitz Cargobull builds, alongside 30 full-width triple-compartment and 11 triple-lane designs from Gray & Adams, each capable of maintaining three separate temperature set points.
The Vector HE 19 features a new multi-speed engine design, helping to deliver up to 30% lower fuel consumption compared to its predecessor, the Vector 1950. At the same time, the oil drain interval for the unit’s engine is doubled when compared to the legacy unit. The system is also 19% more efficient when plugged into the electrical grid on standby, providing reductions in diesel, maintenance and electricity use. It is also compatible with engineless technology.
The supermarket chain will also continue to benefit from its longstanding aftersales support arrangement, with each of its new Vector HE 19 MTs backed by Carrier Transicold’s comprehensive BluEdge fixed cost, full-service maintenance package, which includes annual temperature control testing and certification, full regulatory checks and access to the oneCALL 24/7 incident management service.
