Elevate fleet sustainability with cost-effective refurbishment

A simple, yet effective way to minimise the environmental impact of transport and logistics services is to refurbish assets and give them a ‘second life’. Doing this can also provide transport operators with a cost-effective alternative to purchasing new equipment.

Industries in today’s global marketplace are often faced with a dilemma when it comes to the purchase of replacement equipment. This applies to the transport industry, with key decisions to be made by transport operators as to whether to replace assets or extend their working life.

Factors influencing those decisions include the cost of purchasing new equipment and the lead times to get them on fleet, the latter leading to operators taking a much closer, and earlier, look at future fleet plans in recent times.

Extending the use of existing assets on fleet can help overcome such issues, with the refurbishment of them providing a potential solution to facilitate it.

What are the benefits to refurbishing a trailer fleet?

• Trailer refurbishment is a speedier and financially attractive way of keeping your current trailer fleet in tip-top condition, whilst naturally extending the life of the fleet

• Refurbishment can also sharpen up the overall fleet image by incorporating additional items, such as latest brand liveries

• Additional ancillary equipment, such as tail lifts, can also be added to existing trailers

• Trailers can even change from one format to another (curtainsider to flatbed, for example) as part of the refurbishment programme, should new/alternative contracts demand a different type of trailer

• Refurbishment of a trailer fleet can also play a vital and integral part within an organisation’s environmental sustainability programme by aligning to the principles of a circular economy

• Refurbishing, rather than replacing trailers, can enable companies to save carbon while continuing to deliver services of a consistently high quality to end customers

Embracing the bigger sustainability picture

Today’s modern transport companies are actively moving towards operating more sustainably. Meeting these ambitions often involves high-level innovation and new technologies.

However, this can be achieved by implementing more straightforward solutions. This is where trailer refurbishment plays a significant role as it is far more affordable than purchasing new assets, as well as enabling much greener credentials.

As part of any trailer refurb programme, traditional items such as brake discs, brake pads, airbags and side and roof curtains may be refurbished or replaced to extend the lifetime of the trailers.

For example, on a curtainsider the old curtains may be replaced and recycled, ultimately being repurposed into useful items.

Refurbishing trailers rather than replacing them is a step towards achieving ‘circular’ logistics and strategic growth. Operators are increasingly looking to adopt these cleaner, and more efficient, trailer solutions, which will ultimately enable them to transition to a greener future and ensure long-term success for their business operations.

Sustainable development is at the heart of TIP’s trailer solutions

TIP Group has years of experience when it comes to the overhaul and repair of trailers.

Various experts at TIP work in the field of trailer refurbishment. As such, an asset overhaul can often be a favourable TIP solution, enabling the supply of good quality refurbished equipment quickly, whilst at the same time reducing your CO2 footprint.

Worldwide, TIP Group is committed to help drive the industry towards greater sustainability by helping its customers achieve their environmental targets faster, easier and at a much bigger scale.

Sustainable development is at the forefront of the TIP Group operations, bringing a range  of sustainable solutions to the global market, including targeting the refurbishment of over 5,300 trailers by 2025.

Further information about TIP Group’s commitment to its Environment, Social Governance (ESG) strategy can be viewed at www.tip-group.com/en/about/sustainability