Traditional trailers are a solid and reliable way to transport your customers’ goods. But there’s another way to efficiently and effectively get things from A to B – and it has the potential to significantly grow your business. We’re talking about intermodal containers.
Just like trailers, intermodal containers are made to carry freight. But unlike their traditional counterparts, containers can be quickly and easily swapped out for new freight types. That means a single skel can be put to work in a huge range of ways, and unlock a huge range of opportunities.
With 30-plus years in the industry, and a fleet of over 16,000 units across a nationwide footprint, SCF has deep insights into the many pros of intermodal containers. Here’s why they have the potential to transform your business, and why you should seriously consider adding them to your fleet.
The ultimate in flexibility
Freight profiles change constantly. And with a fleet of trailers alone, it can be hard to adapt to meet those evolving needs. This means equipment can end up under-utilised, and new work opportunities can go untaken.
With intermodal containers, change is second nature. Instead of being locked into one trailer type, you can easily lift a container off a skel and drop another variant on in minutes. The ability to quickly pivot to new combinations unlocks a raft of new freight types and customers.
Here’s just one example of this flexibility in action. You could use a standard end door container for rear dock loading in the morning. Then by lunchtime, you could swap it out for a tautliner container, and carry lengths of steel that rely on side opening access. And you can do it all using the same skel base.
A new standard in availability
In the transportation industry, long lead times on new trailer builds can be a sticking point. SCF intermodal solutions offer consistently low lead times, with built-to-order custom containers turned around in just 3-6 months.
Along with shorter wait times for new builds, SCF’s Australia-wide depots are also home to a huge fleet of 16,000 containers, available on-demand. Our stock includes standard and specialised containers – ranging from tautliners/curtainsiders to refrigerated containers, tanks and more. With a focus on maintaining stock volume, we can quickly deploy the containers you need, when you need them.
A cost-effective solution
With costs continuing to rise above inflation, every traditional trailer sitting idle in the depot is a potential drain on your business’s resources. Operational inefficiencies and missed opportunities mean the cost of having the wrong equipment can quickly add up.
Intermodal containers give you similar features and functionality, with significantly less cost attached.
Here are just a few potential ways containers can help save on costs
Purchase & lease expenses. Manufacturing efficiencies mean containers tend to cost less than traditional trailers. For example, a refrigerated container can cost up to 25 per cent less than a traditional refrigerated trailer.
More streamlined fleet. Clever use of containers can help bring down the size of your fleet. For example, you could replace one refrigerated trailer and one tautliner trailer with just one skel and two containers (a reefer and a tautliner).
Better fleet utilisation. You can use idle skels to do the work of a trailer, just by adding an intermodal container. And improved utilisation means improved profitability.
Less maintenance. SCF containers are engineered to endure Australia’s harsh conditions, resulting in less wear and tear and lower repair costs. Plus, any leased containers can be managed by SCF – saving you the costs of workshop staff having to keep equipment maintained.
More flexibility. SCF’s high availability of intermodal containers means you can easily swap bodies and only need to pay for what you need, when you need it – meaning less valuable equipment sitting idle in the depot.
All the trailer functionality and features you love, and then some
There’s a reason traditional trailers are relied upon throughout the transportation industry. They’re purpose-built to carry freight, they hold incredibly large volumes, and they’re a tried and true solution.
With SCF intermodal containers, you get all that same great functionality – plus a few extra bonuses. It’s all part of an outstanding product, trusted in the industry since 1992, and specifically designed for Australian intermodal transportation.
Here’s a handful of SCF clients’ favourite features:
Two Australian pallet wide internal spaces – designed to maximise storage
Optional mezzanine decks for a second layer of storage that protects soft pallets
Vertical Load Bars to double the internal pallet capacity on end door containers
Load binder winches, F Track freight restraint system and tie down rails to keep cargo safe and secure
Reinforced floors and handling points to reduce R&M
The ability to easily and flexibly switch between skels and transport modes.
New growth opportunities in rail
Branching out from road-only to road-and-rail means opening the door to new territories, new clients, and new expansion. But when relying on a fleet of solely traditional trailers, that expansion can come at a big upfront cost.
Having both traditional trailers and intermodal containers in the mix gives you a whole new level of flexibility and availability. By setting aside skel and container solutions for rail, you can free up your existing trailers for other work. That means new territories, new freight options, and new revenue streams.
With intermodal container solutions, anything is possible
Talk to SCF to find out how you can bring intermodal containers into the fold – and transform your business’s flexibility, efficiency, and growth.
The post Enhance your trailer fleet with intermodal containers: SCF appeared first on Trailer Magazine.