Whether it’s for the long-term or a sudden emergency, hiring a refrigerated van ensures you get your perishable goods from A to B in good condition and complete safety.
At FridgeXpress, we provide flexible refrigerated transportation solutions for many businesses in different sectors, all across the UK. Our customers include businesses from butchers to major food manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and flower shop owners.
If a business needs a refrigerated van, it’s more than likely that FridgeXpress has provided a rental, lease or helped them purchase the right transportation for their needs.
Before you hire a refrigerated van, however, it’s important to consider what your requirements are. This might be easy, for example, if you need a replacement for a van that has broken down. You can simply order like for like.
It can be more complicated if you are just starting a business or need a one-off hire for an event. There are various extra issues you need to think about compared to standard van hire.
The good news is that our expert team at FridgeXpress can work through the options with you before you make your selection. What’s more, we’re a national operation and can deliver your refrigerated van hire to anywhere in the UK.
4 Things to Consider When Hiring a Refrigerated Van
If this is the first time you are hiring a refrigerated van, then a few key decisions are going to be critical. You might be starting a new business, you may have a one-off delivery that requires refrigeration – before you phone up the van hire company, try to answer these questions:
1. What Goods Are You Transporting and Where?
The type of goods that you carrying is going to define the specs of the van you require. It’s not just how much stock you need to transport but how it is going to be organised within the van and where you are going to be delivering to.
If you’re a flower seller, for example, a smaller refrigerated or insulated van will be suitable for deliveries. If you are a butcher, you might need a larger van with space to hang meat products and a much lower temperature. You might have different kinds of loads and may want to consider having more than one van to meet your needs or a larger van that has different compartments.
Where you deliver will also influence your choice of hire. If you are delivering on the high street, for example, side doors could well be safer and more efficient for unloading your perishables.
Also, consider if you need to order or store your stock in a particular way because you have multiple delivery points.
2. What Temperature Do You Need?
Of course, the reason for hiring a refrigerated van is good temperature control. Refrigerated vans allow you to maintain a temperature of between 0 and 8°C. A freezer van has temperatures of down to -18°C.
You might have different food products that require different optimal temperatures and physical separation will be required to meet regulatory obligations for your industry.
3. What Size of Van Do You Require?
Size can often be difficult to judge, especially if you are not used to transporting perishables. Here, there needs to be a trade-off in maximising capacity, making sure stock is easily handled and keeping costs under control at the same time.
Wheelbase size is also important, especially for heavy loads. This ensures that your van is easy to handle on the road and protects your stock.
4. Do You Need Bespoke Features for Your Hire Van?
A basic refrigerated van is a compartment where the temperature can be carefully controlled as you take your goods from A to B. You can add all sorts of features, however, when you hire a van.
For example, if you are carrying meat products, you may want to include strip curtains that maintain refrigeration when you have the doors open. You might need shelving for various products, ceiling hooks for slabs of beef and lamb and slip-resistant flooring.
Features can make life a lot easier for delivery drivers and ensure that goods are delivered most safely and efficiently.
Hire, Contract Hire or Purchase?
When you need a refrigerated van, it’s also important to look at the different options available for your business. Hiring is generally a good choice for short and medium-term needs. You might, for example, have a van in your fleet being repaired or in for a service and need a replacement for a week or two. You may have a sudden rise in orders during seasonal busy periods and need to add to your fleet for a short while.
Contract hire is a more long-term solution that gives you access to the appropriate refrigerated vans without the ‘burden’ of ownership. You pay a monthly fee and have more flexibility in the way that your transportation needs can be handled. You can also ensure that your fleet is well-maintained.
The other option is to buy a refrigerated van outright. This can often be more expensive. You’re also restricted to have only that van rather than a range of options available that benefit your business in its day to day running.
Check out our recent blog on Contract Hire for Changing Times.
Who Does Refrigerated Van Hire Near Me?
Refrigerated van hire is a specialist service and it’s important to build a relationship with a supplier that can not only deliver on-demand but operates locally to you. Some hire companies may have one or two refrigerated vans available but they may not be suitable or even available when you need one.
At FridgeXpress, refrigerated vans are all we do – our focus is entirely on businesses that need to transport perishables and we support are a range of sectors and different companies wherever they are in the UK.
The Benefits of Partnering with FridgeXpress
We offer a wide range of quality refrigerated vans and fridge trailers available for delivery across the UK. Our team are specialists in this area, and we’re used to working with a wide range of sectors, small businesses as well as large ones.
Whether it’s for long-term contract hire or a sudden emergency, FridgeXpress is here to support your business. Want to find out more? Contact our expert team today.
