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What is refrigerated truck transportation and when is it needed?

Reefer, cold chain, driver, worker, white truck

It’s undeniable - online shopping has become a global phenomenon, more popular than ever. As a result, the need for transportation of all goods increases rapidly. This also means that carriers need to optimise their supply chain possibilities to provide reliable transportation for small and large shipments, including goods that need to be refrigerated.

With the help of dual evaporator trailers, temperature controlled transport has become a great choice for perishable products. Now let’s see what is refrigerated transport and what are the benefits of using a carrier that has an extensive fleet of refrigerated trailers.

What is refrigerated truck transportation?

The method of transporting shipments with specially designed temperature-controlled trucks is known as refrigerated truck transportation. All these trucks have a built-in refrigerated system that keeps the products inside at a regulated temperature, throughout the entire shipping process.

Basically, the trucks are used for transporting perishable products such as meats, fruits, vegetables and sausages, pharmaceutical products, etc. Now that we know its definition, it’s time to learn more about the benefits.

Benefits of refrigerated truck transportation in Europe

European temperature controlled transport, particularly via road networks, offers several benefits such as:

  • Preserving Product Quality: For businesses that ship perishable goods, maintaining product quality is essential. Temperature controlled transport prevents spoilage, ensuring items arrive fresh and safe. This is especially critical for sensitive products like meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and life-saving pharmaceuticals.

  • Versatile Cooling Systems: Many people assume chilled transport is only for a few types of goods, but in reality, it’s used for a wide range of products. Beyond food, it’s essential for personal care items, chemicals, and medical supplies, ensuring they stay in optimal condition during transit.

  • Reliable and Fast Delivery: Freshness matters, and cold transport enables fast and efficient delivery of perishable goods. Whether it’s fish and seafood, meat products, or dairy, temperature-controlled transportation helps preserve taste, texture, and quality.

  • Meeting Regulatory Standards: Many industries are required by law to use chilled transport for certain shipments. With strict regulations in place, carriers play a key role in ensuring that products are transported under the right climate conditions, preventing compliance issues and potential losses.

When is refrigerated truck transportation needed?

Refrigerated transport is essential for industries dealing with perishable or temperature-sensitive goods. Key sectors include:

  • Food and beverage industry: ensures that food products like meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and seafood maintain their freshness and safety during transit.

  • Pharmaceuticals and healthcare: critical for transporting medicines, vaccines, and other medical products that require strict temperature control to remain effective.

  • Floral industry: preserves the vitality of flowers and plants, ensuring they arrive in optimal condition.

  • Fine arts and antiques: maintains the integrity of artworks and antiques sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

How do LTL refrigerators work?

Using an LTL shipping carrier sounds like the perfect option for transporting fast-moving goods. However, this can be a difficult task for them, because it is precisely this organisation of the whole cold transport process that is not particularly relevant to their overall work policy. They are mostly known for having a limited delivery time. They are usually associated with senders who wish to express delivery of small packages expressly to the final recipient.

This may be unsatisfactory for one sender – mostly because of the transport route that is being followed. In addition, the size of the shipment and compliance with certain temperatures and other conditions can be problematic.

Typically, refrigerated shipments are for loads that fill the full capacity of the vehicle. Refrigeration chambers are designed specifically to maintain the desired temperature and humidity in the container. This makes it difficult to mix different products – those without the need for chilled transport with perishable goods.

The three parts are not interchangeable but must work in sync to provide the right conditions in the trailer. Thanks to them, a proper climate is maintained – a given temperature and humidity.

How to find a reliable company that transports perishable products?

Consider important factors that will guide you when choosing the best refrigerated company:

  • Delivery: This is paramount for quality of service. You need to choose a carrier that will complete the transport on time. Good carriers exclusively held the accuracy and speed of delivery, especially when it comes to perishable goods.

  • Quality servicing of vehicles: High maintenance of refrigeration transport is one of the factors that led sent to confide to the security of the supply of the goods.

  • Customer Service: Good customer service always speaks to professionalism. Choose a cold chain logistics provider who will answer your questions and assist you as needed. Quick answers to queries and other additional inquiries are a sign that you are targeting experts.

  • Tracking: This factor is one of the biggest benefits you can get from a reefer carrier. This option is great for every participant in the delivery process. The tracking function gives details about the status of the cargo and the time of delivery to the final destination.

Why choose DFDS for refrigerated truck transportation?

We will give you a straightforward and sincere answer. Because we have the expertise and logistics system to handle any business, regardless of its size. At DFDS, we provide reliable and efficient, refrigerated transport solutions in the UK and across Europe. If you need a company with years of experience in the cold chain industry, and an advanced fleet of over 800 reefer trailers, DFDS is here to provide its extensive network, sustainable solutions and comprehensive services to streamline the supply chain.