Food transporter Christoph Reder from Austria recently exchanged his eight-year-old Van Eck Twindeck trailer for a new one. But the new one is technically very different.

Since 1991, Reder has built up his company himself from one truck that he drove himself, to a company with 57 towing units and at least fifty refrigerated trailers. “We are simply a family with diesel in our blood.” Christoph and his son Stefan drove by truck from Austria to Beesd to collect their trusty Van Eck trailer. They are particularly curious about the trailer that Van Eck has ready for them.

Adjustable load floor

Most eye-catching of the new Twin Deck trailer is the adjustable upper load floor. It can be adjusted sixty centimeters, even when the floor is loaded to a maximum of fifteen tons. This distance is crucial to ensure that the upper load floor can be loaded and unloaded quickly, just as quickly as with a standard refrigerated trailer, at a standard loading dock.

Double tail lift

Thanks to an ingeniously conceived, dual tailgate with an outer and an inner section, the driver can load his trailer safely and quickly. Additional details ensure that the cold chain is not interrupted during this loading or unloading if it is up to Van Eck. When the top floor is loaded and back in the upper position, which requires a pallet height of 1.82 meters, the driver can load the lower part of the trailer. During this charging, the dual tailgate consists of one rigid whole.

Last packages

When the last pallets or packages have been loaded, the driver places the inner tailgate, on which roll containers are placed, at the level of the upper loading floor. Then it disconnects the two tailgates, leaving the inner one on top, with charge. The outer base is placed at the level of the lower load floor, possibly also loaded, after which the tailgate can be closed. If it is closed, the driver closes the rear doors, and the ride can begin.

Much more efficient Christoph Reder is convinced of the advantages and wants to use this trailer optimally. “We are going to use it on a fixed route between a distribution centre in Austria and one in Slovakia. Fixed routes with full load. Our client, who brought us into contact with Van Eck at the time, and we reap the benefits of efficient transport, much more efficiently than a conventional 13.60 trailer. If the quantities of cargo unexpectedly become smaller, then this Twindeck is still a very efficient trailer.”

Diversity

Christoph Reder’s company has a wide variety of activities. “We work a lot with swap bodies because customers ask us to do so. In addition, we drive with city trailers in the various cities, such as Salzburg.” Christoph Reder has also had his son Stefan in the business for 2.5 years, while his wife has been doing the administration since the beginning. “And real family business!”, laughs the Austrian.