Trans-o-flex Logistics Group, the German-based subsidiary of Austrian Post, is changing thecolour of its entire delivery fleet from anthracite to white as part of its new nationwide network
for the active temperature-controlled transport of shipments, launched earlier this month.In line with the expansion of the trans-o-flex “ambient” network, developed to transportmedicinal products on pallets or in parcels within the 15-25°C temperature range, the company hasordered all of its new vehicles in white, instead of the anthracite colour, introduced 10 yearsago. However, the trans-o-flex logo will not be changed.
“The new colour means a return to the origins of trans-o-flex,” CEO Max Moser, said. “After thecompany was founded in 1971, the complete fleet was colored white until 2004.”
The return to the white colour has practical as well as psychological reasons, Moser explained. “ White vehicles heat up slower in sunlight than anthracite-colored ones so that it is easier tomaintain the temperature range of 15-25°C for pharmaceutical products, especially in the summer.While the newly acquired vehicles all feature a white basis colour, the existing fleet will begradually replaced with new, white, vehicles.
The trans-o-flex ThermoMed subsidiary, which serves the market for the activetemperature-controlled transportation of goods in the range 2-8°C and 15-25°C for thepharmaceutical industry, already uses white vehicles. This includes special delivery services inthe area Homecare and clinical trial samples.
“Experts told us that white is the colour of the pharmaceutical industry and is associated withmedicine, purity and cleanliness,” Moser added. “This means that in the future, the wholetrans-o-flex logistic group will present itself in a single, uniform colour.”
The new network for temperature-controlled transport doesn’t require any additionalthermally-insulating packaging. Instead, special temperature-controlled vehicles are used for thetransportation, as well as conventional vehicles equipped with actively temperature-controlledboxes.
The temperature is monitored and documented across the entire transport chain. To operate thenetwork, 80 actively temperature-controlled semitrailers are required for the regular deliveries,60 fully temperature-controlled lorries for the pick-up and delivery of pallets as well asapproximately 1,500 distribution vehicles with thermos boxes.
