Carrier drives cold chain efficiency for Wild Water Group
Carrier Transicold has equipped Wild Water Group’s trailer fleet with Vector High Efficiency (HE) 17 units, which is said to be delivering measurable gains in fuel efficiency, cooling capacity and noise reduction.
Wild Water Group is a leading provider of bespoke temperature-controlled warehousing and transport in Wales, operating seven cold stores across South Wales and Southern England. After an initial deployment of five units, Wild Water Group has reported significant performance improvements over the Vector 1550 units they replaced.
Building on the success of this deployment, Wild Water Group is now planning to upgrade its entire 24-trailer fleet, each mounted to 13.6-metre Chereau trailers, replacing all remaining Vector 1550 units with the Vector HE 17. The transition supports the company’s ongoing efforts to modernise its UK-wide temperature-controlled distribution network.
“Carrier Transicold has been a dependable partner for us for many years, with its team and technology consistently supporting our business,” said Jon Sutton, transport manager, Wild Water Group. “Fuel efficiency is a major priority for us, and the HE 17 units have delivered noticeable gains in day-to-day use. Cleaner, more economical performance is vital for the future of our fleet, and the results so far have shown that this technology perfectly aligns with our sustainability goals.
“The reduced noise levels have also been a huge benefit for both our drivers and the communities we operate in. In some cases, the units are so quiet that we find ourselves double-checking whether they’re running.”
The Vector HE 17 is said to offer significantly improved fuel savings when compared with the legacy Vector 1550, driven by inverter technology that continuously adapts compressor speed to match real-time cooling demand.
The system also provides high-cooling capacity output exceeding 16 kW and a 6dB (A) noise reduction, compared to its predecessor. Weighing just 720kg, it ranks among the lightest systems in its category.
Sharing a similar build architecture to the flagship Carrier Transicold Vector HE 19, the Vector HE 17 also includes E-Drive technology. This eliminates the mechanical transmissions of belt-driven refrigeration systems, converting energy from the motor into electricity to power the unit. E-Drive technology helps to improve efficiency, whether plugged into the grid at a depot or running electrically on the road via an alternative power source, such as a Carrier Transicold trailer-mounted battery pack or a tractor-driven Eco-Drive module that converts power directly from the truck’s own engine.
