30 Nov Collaborative innovation: working with Nagel Langdons
Leading temperature-controlled food logistics business, Nagel Langdons is the Nagel-Group provider for delivery of international imports and collection of exports to and from the UK. It distributes throughout the whole of the UK across its eight sites and can deliver chilled or frozen pallets to almost any location in the country, normally within 24 hours whilst also servicing Ireland.
Having been established in 1915, the business now supports a range of sectors, including food service, wholesale, and retail, delivering seven days per week. Its network currently handles over 40,000 pallets every week to more than 3,000 sites, on behalf of over 1,400 customers.
To facilitate this complex logistics operation, Nagel Langdons has worked with Gray & Adams for several decades to develop and build a range of refrigerated vehicles for its fleet. To date, this has included dual temperature: rigids, urban trailers, and long semi-trailers (LST’s). The most recent order was placed for eleven 26-ton rigids and five urban semi-trailers to meet the arduous pace of Nagel Langdons’ demanding operations.
The requirement from Nagel Langdons is that each vehicle they purchase is robust and long lasting, with a focus on innovation and continual performance improvements to the fleet which adds long-term value to the products.
Tyrone Lanaway, Fleet Engineer at Nagel Langdons, explained,
“We’re always testing our fleet and looking for new ways to improve performance through innovation. For me, there is always something new that I would like to try out and, in fact, I have built a relationship with the Gray & Adams team where I can share my ideas – no matter how far left of field they may be. They will talk to me about trends, what other businesses are doing and how they can support these ideas. From cost reduction improvements to solar panels on the roof or new power sources for our refrigeration equipment – the creative collaboration, trusted sounding board and industry insight we get from Gray & Adams is a great bonus. I know that whatever we ask, they will do the research and provide informed advice, covering the pros and the cons and helping to make our decisions easier.”
Nagel Langdons offers a shared-user distribution service which treats temperature-controlled consignments in the same way as the national ambient pallet networks operate – it doesn’t just transport and deliver full loads of product but will also collect, consolidate, and distribute down to a single small pallet, to its destination.
Tyrone reflects and compares this ethos to the Gray & Adams business,
“The similarity between our businesses is really that Gray & Adams don’t mind how many orders we put in for vehicles, or how many we order at once. For them, it’s about what’s right for our business and that really sets them apart from other manufacturers.”
“For example, on one project, which looked at automatic loading trailers, Gray & Adams helped us to analyse the software between a Gray & Adams build and a competitor build. As part of this they developed a completely bespoke rear to the trailer with a moveable bar to couple with a fifth wheel at our Bridgwater warehouse loading dock. Subsequently, they built two separate designs for two different floors. That level of service, versatility and the aftercare we receive is really impressive.”
Managing Director of Nagel Langdons, Arran Osman, also said of the relationship,
“The long lasting, trust-based relationship we have developed over many years with Gray & Adams remains a considerable factor within our ongoing success. We continue to create a genuinely unique offer to add reliable value to wholesale and food service supply chains across the country. This is complimented by our vital service partnerships, none more so than the flexibility and innovation we can depend upon from Gray & Adams.”