11-04-2013

In recent years the home delivery market has experienced a real boom, with supermarkets and small businesses alike all squabbling for a slice of this lucrative pie.

The rise in online orders has seen the burgeoning sector go from strength to strength, with the current size of the UK home delivery fleet required to make all these deliveries estimated to be in the region of 7,500 vans.

Industry research shows that vehicles operating in the home delivery sector are replaced on a five-year cycle, with the potential demand for home-delivery vans estimated at 1500 vans a year.

This has prompted Gray & Adams, one of the UK’s leading designers and manufacturers of temperature controlled trailers and bodywork, to introduce its own range of home delivery vans specifically designed for the home delivery sector.

The first of the Gray & Adams vehicles, a demonstration unit based on the 3.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, has an aerodynamic and futuristic appearance, which, in a sector where fuel efficiency and brand image are both important considerations, could be one of the driving forces behind its success.

To ensure deliveries are kept at their freshest, the Sprinter has been equipped with a dual temperature GAH van refrigeration unit, which can carry up to 105 totes, representing an industry leading capacity which was created by removing the vehicle’s wheel arch intrusion, making space for one extra tote.

One of the most important elements of any delivery vehicle is the door handles and locks, which are subjected to a great deal of wear and tear over the years and need to be of a high quality to last the duration.

Other features on the new van are wide-radius cappings to smooth airflow and high-gloss Kemlite floor skins used both internally and externally to help prevent the accumulation of dirt and debris, which can reduce the vehicle’s payload capacity.

The van also has a number of additional features to protect it from potential damage caused by accidents, including high impact-resistant rear light plates, proximity sensors and reversing cameras.

The early news coming from major retailers has been resoundingly positive, with negotiations already having begun regarding first volume orders.