While some businesses need a regular fridge van or even a whole fleet to manage deliveries and transportation, many only need one for certain deliveries or certain days of the week.
There are several options for companies and sole traders that want a part-time solution when it comes to refrigerated vans.
It’s important to think through what your needs are and what type of refrigerated van you require before spending any of your operational budgets. Making the wrong choices here can cost you plenty of money.
Let’s say you regularly attend events like festivals and only need something for that time. You might want to hire something like a fridge trailer if there is an outdoor power source you can connect to. Or maybe you need a fridge van that has different compartments with different temperatures. The level of refrigeration is also going to be an important consideration, especially if there is legislation in your industry as there is in the food sector.
There are three main options for people who want to have a fridge van or trailer for specific periods:
Hire Your Fridge Van
The simplest option is to hire your fridge van as and when you need it. If you are only delivering products that require chilling one particular day you can often get beneficial rates on rentals because you are a regular customer.
The big challenge, however, is that most rental firms have limited stock and will have just a few vans on the forecourt – what happens if the vehicle you need is not available at that time? Working with a company that specialises only in refrigerated vans, like FridgeXpress, gives you much more certainty.
Buy a Fridge Van
The next option is to get together the financing for your van and purchase it outright. If you have the capital or can get a loan this has a few advantages. First, you don’t have to worry about accessing the van when you need it.
The downside of buying when you only need a fridge van once a week is that the return on investment is small and that capital might best be used for other important business assets. The value of your van will decrease the longer you have it. You are also responsible for any breakdowns and ongoing maintenance which can add to the costs over time.
Contract Hire
The final option is contract hire or leasing. This has advantages in that the maintenance and repair of the vehicle are included in the contract and you pay a monthly amount for the vehicle rather than buying it outright. The problem for people who only need a van once or week or at irregular intervals is that they will be paying a premium just for keeping the vehicle on-site.
Renting is much the better option and can be planned for quite easily if you build a relationship with a company that specialises in fridge vans.
Why You Should Talk to the Experts
At FridgeXpress we have one, single-minded focus and that is refrigerated vans and trailers. It’s all we do which is why we’re now the UK’s leading specialist. There is practically nothing that our expert team doesn’t know about fridge vans and how they are used in businesses across the UK.
We offer van conversions and work with a range of different industries and sectors from sole traders to large businesses. With options to rent, contract hire and buy outright, we believe we provide the best solutions for our clients. If you need to rent a refrigerated van once a week for a one-off delivery, our team can make sure you not only get the right vehicle but it arrives on time as well.
