Less than a year ago, FridgeXpress, the refrigerated vehicle and trailer contract hire and rental specialist was acquired by the Redde Northgate Group, which includes Northgate Vehicle Hire.
FridgeXpress was launched some 10 years ago and has begun a new chapter, as managing director Adam Naylor explains.
“The business is known to our customers as a service proposition. It lives and dies by the service it provides, the ability to procure quality vehicles and support the industries that need to have a refrigeration unit in some shape or form. We are spread across many sectors: cold foods, fast moving consumer goods and pharmaceuticals, which is becoming a big player as well and a growing market.”
The company is based at its head office in Rugby, where all its UK activities are based. Naylor does not think it needs to change.
“This is a standalone, fully operational business and we have the ability to link into the Redde Northgate group of products and services.”
It’s part of the group, which includes Northgate Vehicle Hire Business, Blakedale and ChargedEV. Northgate has 65 locations in the UK and Naylor does not rule out sitting alongside them in that network.
“It will depend on where the demand is, where that customer base requires that level of service.
“My role is to stabilise the business after its acquisition, bring in a lot of the good practices that a rental business should have and then grow the vehicle rental revenues, grow the customer base and really be the business that everyone wants to deal with.”
FridgeXpress can provide a range of vehicles, from box-bodied conversions to van conversions, covering all sizes from small vans to extra-long bodied large vans. Customers can choose from single or dual evaporator refrigeration units, according to their needs.
The company does not carry out its own fridge conversions, but relies on trusted suppliers including CoolKit, Polar Truck and Van and Rex, a relative newcomer, based in East Sussex. The family-run company was formed about four years ago.
FridgeXpress is currently working on a vehicle specification for the rental sector, designed to meet the needs of all customers. The design will feature twin evaporators with a removable bulk- head. This would suit the needs of pharmaceutical suppliers and would also enable single compartment use, for food industry customers for instance, by removing the bulkhead and turning off one of the evaporators.
“The key bit about this business and its fundamental changes is that it has become a rental business, as opposed to more of a contract hire business,” says Naylor.
Currently the business splits approximately 80% long-term contracted business and 20% spot hires.
