Food distribution firm Bidcorp UK has placed its first major order with Carrier Transicold for more than 100 new rigid trucks equipped with engineless Syberia units, in a move aimed at boosting fleet efficiency and cutting carbon emissions.
The order includes 112 Syberia 18i Twincool units mounted to 98 18-tonne Scania P250 and 13 26-tonne Scania P280 rigids, alongside a single mono-temperature Syberia 11 on another 18-tonne Scania, which all feature insulated bodies from Gray & Adams.
The new trucks will be delivered over the coming months, joining a fleet of 1,500 mixed commercial vehicles. They will operate from Bidfood depots nationwide, executing multi-drop delivery routes to a ange of customers, including schools, hospitals, care homes, hotels, restaurants and pubs.
The vehicles will run six days per week, clocking up to 25,000 miles annually, and are expected to remain in operation for approximately 10 years.
The new additions replace older vehicles equipped with competitor units. Bidcorp said the switch to Carrier Transicold was driven by the cooling capacity, cold chain performance and environmental benefits of the Carrier Transicold Syberia system.
Faye Reeve, Bidcorp UK head of procurement, said: “When we saw the power and flexibility of Carrier Transicold’s Syberia units, we were confident investing in the technology.
“We’ve been suitably impressed by the unit’s sleeker, more aerodynamic design, its rapid pull-down speeds and the system’s ability to deliver maximum cooling capacity, even when the truck is simply ticking over. When you add in Carrier’s unrivalled service support network, it all adds up to significant benefits for the business.”
The Carrier Transicold Syberia units use the company’s Eco-Drive power module to derive power directly from the truck’s Euro VI diesel engine power take-off.
By using a hydraulic pump to drive a generator, the system delivers electrical power capable of providing 100% refrigeration capacity for both single and multi-temperature operation, even at standard idle speed.
The Syberia also offers rapid temperature pull-down capability and operates at a PIEK-compliant level below 60 dB(A), making them ideal for Bidfood’s urban delivery routes.
The unit’s electric architecture eliminates the need for drive belts and pulleys to enhance uptime, while its efficient economiser and fully hermetic scroll compressor ensures exceptional refrigerant gas containment, the company added.
Syberia’s compact profile is positioned above the truck cab and fully behind air deflectors, creating minimal drag.
Tony Biggs, Carrier Transicold national sales manager, commented: “We have worked with various businesses within the Bidcorp group for many years, but this marks the first major order for its flagship Bidfood fleet.
“Our engineless technology can deliver powerful performance in both single and multi-temperature configurations, alongside unrivalled refrigerant retention and improved efficiency, and we look forward to showcasing how the Syberia will provide meaningful value to Bidfood.”
