Articles Tagged with ''beverage fleet''

There’s gas as in gasoline, and then there’s gas as in propane, often referred to as “autogas” by fuel industry insiders. In many applications, propane can deliver measurable cost savings compared with conventional gasoline and diesel powertrains.

When it comes to health and wellness, there is no shortage of data and literature for beverage-makers to consider when formulating new products. However, wellness is not reserved only for packaged products in the beverage market.

Today’s business environment requires distributors to constantly pursue opportunities that improve the efficiency of their fleet operations. At Orion, Mich.-based Powers Distributing, this pursuit of efficiency pre-dates the economic roller coaster of the past decade and extends into other areas of the business.

Charles Ross & Son Co. introduced large-scale, elliptical-head pressure vessels for use as carbon filter tanks. The 5,000-gallon stainless steel vessels are fabricated, designed and stamped for 100 psig at 230 degrees Fahrenheit in accordance with the ASME Code Section VIII, Division 1, the company says.

With petroleum fuel prices at their lowest in recent history, the cost of being “green” has been driven higher than ever. Like any technology, green technology must pass the return-on-investment (ROI) test to justify its purchase. Altruistic or community relations have motivated some fleets to invest in the technology, but many fleets insist on a measurable ROI before investing.

VT Hackney Inc. introduced Sidekick, a low-profile, four-bay side-load body mounted on a Ford Transit cab and chassis. It offers many of the same features as Hackney’s larger beverage units, including all-aluminum construction, adjustable bay shelving, a bottom rail power step and rear-mounted hand truck, the company says.

Back when side-load equipment ruled the beverage industry, refrigeration generally was an afterthought, with just a few refrigerated trucks dedicated to delivering dairy products and limited varieties of draft beer. But as product mixes have expanded, a paradigm shift is taking place in the equipment world.