A leading transporter wanted to move high volumes of perishable goods efficiently. Their current inter-link trailer used by the transporter for many years needed to be refined and made user-friendly and less prone to mechanical wear and tear. Serco’s technical team were eager to step up to the challenge.
In an impressive display of its engineering capabilities, Serco designed and built a refrigerated interlink trailer which incorporated a hydraulic system to enable through loading, rear docking and high-volume transport of perishable goods.
The inter-link is a purpose-built refrigerated trailer to a 9.1m/9 combination designed specifically for the customer’s requirements.
The refrigerated interlink was built in such a way that there could be through loading or individual docking of each link with minimal negative impact on the cold chain. This is achieved with a custom-built hydraulic system.
Engineering specifics include:
- Custom-machined hydraulics, rolling elements and guides allow the front box to move forward and backwards along the chassis beam
- Front and rear docking points ensure the box is secure in its resting and fully extended position.
- A custom-made hydraulic cylinder and power pack cater for the 4-metre stroke.
- The design incorporates an energy chain to allow for the power and diesel lines to feed the fridge and interior lighting while allowing for the box to slide.
The new designed refrigerated interlink is ideal for transporters for high volumes of perishable food products, while also offering flexibility for efficient on and offloading of the two links independently.