The 314CDI Sprinter chassis cab vans are all supplied on lease by Ryder, which also worked with the operator and converter Solomon Commercials on a bespoke design to enable the vans to collect waste from the Costa Coffee outlets, as well as supply coffee, fresh produce and consumables.
The vehicles have custom 3.35m insulated box bodies with internal loading and triple rear doors, and are equipped with Carrier Transicold Xarios 350 refrigeration units.
A specially designed body, with a false floor with integrated lockers, enables segregated waste to be taken away from the outlets as part of the daily delivery process.
The agreement also sees Kuehne + Nagel trialling TRAILAR, a vehicle-mounted solar system available exclusively through Ryder in the UK (see link below). The system uses ultra-thin, flexible solar matting fitted to the vehicle roof, which is connected to a controller that works with the vehicle’s battery and alternator, and is said to improve fuel performance by almost 8%.
“These new custom-built vehicles have been designed to fit exactly with the demands of the Costa Coffee distribution network. Sustainability is a key driver for Costa Coffee, and the unique bodies, with the integral segregated waste compartments, enable us to combine our daily delivery process with the collection of waste for reprocessing,” says Andrew Blake, Kuehne + Nagel national distribution manager.
“We are delighted with the new vehicles and the support we’ve received from Ryder and Solomon Commercials.”
The vehicles recently won top prize in the refrigerated rigid vehicle category at the Temperature Controlled Storage and Distribution Awards 2019.