Reynolds Nationwide provides regional foodgrade service
Sep 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Mary Davis
Although coordination required for the many products and extensive service area could make any head spin, the Reynolds Nationwide management team has it down to a fine art supervised by Lincoln, Ginger, and Thom.
Ginger and Thom manage separate operations, yet work together when the situation is called for. Their offices are adjacent to one another, so it's convenient for them to put their heads together for a conference.
“So much of our service is just-in-time,” says Dennis. “We have to really work hard to provide the dedicated service.”
Thom says coordinating the tequila and chocolate operations works even more smoothly with the addition of the SkyBitz system on tank trailers. “It's just incredible,” he adds. “We've had it about a year, and it provides vehicle location, equipment history, and mileage.”
All tractors are equipped with the Qualcomm QTracs fleet and management program that is used to link management to the company's 300 drivers.
Driver pool
“Our drivers are pretty much dedicated to individual tractors and tank trailers,” says Lincoln.
Lincoln points out that the slump in the trucking industry in general has resulted in an abundance of driver applicants. Some of the applicants are former owner-operators who have not been able to continue operating their own tractors because of the high cost of diesel.
The company requires driver applicants to be at least 24 years old and have tanker experience. Applications are reviewed by corporate administrators, but terminal managers handle training and make the final hiring decisions. Training covers company policies, Department of Transportation regulations, defensive driving, and hazardous materials handling for drivers who will be dedicated to the tequila operation.
Another essential element in the operation is the carrier's fleet. Newest tank trailers are supplied by Polar Tank Trailer LLC. The tanks used to haul products such as chocolate and milk are non-code while those in the tequila operation meet DOT407 code.
Tank trailers for chocolate are stainless steel, have 6,500-gallon capacity, and are equipped with Fort Vale outlet valves and Olsen vents. Stainless steel tank trailers for transporting milk have 6,700-gallon capacity and are equipped with a Texas-style clean-in-place system, L C Thomsen foodgrade valves, and Olsen vents.
The 6,500-gallon stainless steel tank trailers used to haul tequila have Betts valves and Girard pressure-relief vents.
Trailer running gear include Hendrickson Intraax air suspensions and MeritorWabco antilock brake systems. The trailers also have Truck-Lite lighting and wiring.
The carrier typically specifies Peterbilt tractors with Cummins or Caterpillar engines, Eaton Fuller AutoShift transmissions, Peterbilt suspensions, and MeritorWabco antilock brake systems. Roper pumps are mounted on some of the tractors, depending on product requirements.
Keeping the vehicles on the road falls to Ronnie Humphreys, maintenance manager in San Antonio. The four-bay shop provides routine maintenance and repairs for tractors and tank trailers. Mechanics continually check vehicles parked on the yard, looking for problems. In keeping with the pristine appearance required for foodgrade service, vehicles typically are washed after maintenance or repairs are completed.
The company also has begun plans for three new foodgrade tank cleaning facilities that will be designed with a water regeneration system, Dennis says.
As for future projections, Reynolds says he sees continuing growth in the Texas and New Mexico milk markets that will likely provide an impetus for expansion in that division of the company. “We will continue to serve our customers in the niche we have established,” he adds. “We believe in doing what we know best.”
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