ArrowXL has invested in 45 new Don-Bur Lifting Deck Adapt trailers, offering a new double-deck configuration to its fleet that increases carrying capacity while providing flexibility for mixed-height loads and inbound collections.
It previously operated step-frame double-deck trailers but it approached Don-Bur to explore a solution that could increase stillage capacity while better accommodating the varied requirements of its operation.
Using its Adapt concept as the basis, the specification features a three-quarter-length lifting deck towards the front of the trailer, retaining a large full-height loading area immediately inside the rear doors.
The electro-hydraulically powered upper deck has an 8,000kg uniformly distributed load capacity, while the full-height rear area provides additional space for taller products, such as large refrigerators and freezers, which cannot be accommodated beneath the raised deck.
Compared with ArrowXL’s previous step-frame double-deck configuration, Don-Bur said the Adapt layout created an additional 18% of usable floor space compared to its current fleet.
The location of the tall-load area also provides an operational advantage. In a traditional step-frame double-deck configuration, the tallest load space is positioned towards the front over the swan-neck. With Adapt, the full-height area is instead retained immediately inside the rear doors.
This means the majority of the trailer can be loaded while awaiting late-arriving taller products.
The body profile has also been tailored to suit ArrowXL’s operation. At 4.95m overall height towards the front, the roof slopes down towards the rear to provide access beneath lower loading bay canopies at supplier sites, typically designed to accommodate conventional single-deck trailers.
The reduced rear height enables the trailers to undertake full-load inbound collections from locations where access could otherwise be restricted for a high double-deck trailer, further increasing the operational versatility of the fleet.
The sloping rear profile also aids aerodynamic performance by preparing the airflow before it separates from the trailer, helping to reduce the low-pressure wake created behind the vehicle.
Ian Pearson, ArrowXL procurement and supply chain leader, said: “The new trailers give us greater capacity and flexibility, while the rear loading area allows larger products to be loaded later in the process.
“This helps us load more efficiently and reduces the amount of handling required. Don-Bur were great to work with and remained focused on developing a solution that worked best for our operation, rather than simply supplying a standard trailer.”
Daniel Challinor, sales and commercial director at Don-Bur, added: “Adapt was developed to provide greater flexibility where operators need to accommodate a varied load profile.
“The ArrowXL fleet is a great example of how that concept can be configured around the specific demands of an individual operation.”
