The international transport company VCHD Cargo has deployed a hydraulic platform on its new line, which enables the loading and unloading of swap bodies even in areas without loading bridges. The technology, which is hidden in the chassis of the tractor unit, is used by the company in regional transports within Germany. For VCHD Cargo and its German subsidiary, Völker Logistik, the platform means greater flexibility in the use of swap bodies, as well as the convenience of being able to serve customers in smaller logistics areas.
A hydraulic platform is a device that is placed in the chassis of a tractor unit designed for transporting swap bodies. The platform is extendable and easy to operate and allows loading and unloading of swap bodies even where it is not possible to bring the vehicle to the ramp. The truck driver is trained to operate the hydraulic platform and by lowering it, the customer’s ground handling equipment can enter.
The new line, on which VCHD Cargo has deployed the equipment, makes regional deliveries in northern Germany, near Alsfeld. It is one of the regional lines operated by VCHD Cargo through its subsidiary in Germany. “The launch of another new local line allows us to cover our customers’ needs in the region even better, ” says Niko Völker, managing director of Völker Logistik, adding, “Thanks to the hydraulic platform, customers can plan their local shipments with even more flexibility and minimal restrictions. The equipment is also lightweight and does not represent any significant increase in gross vehical weight.”
Ing. Petr Kozel, CEO and Chairman of the Board of VCHD Cargo a.s., explains, “The hydraulic platform solution is beneficial for all parties involved. The swap bodies usually run on our long-distance overnight lines, which are loaded in large logistics centres at customers in the manufacturing or logistics sector. Their use for regional daytime lines has not yet been possible for any destination. By using a hydraulic platform, we have turned a special solution – a tractor with swap bodies – into a universal solution that can serve any consignee or shipper in the region.”
The Czech family-owned company VCHD Cargo has been operating in Germany since 2019, when it established VCHD Cargo GmbH, which, like its Czech parent company, specialises in long-distance overland liner transport. In 2021, the company acquired the family-owned transport company Völker Logistik, a specialist in German regional transport, by acquisition. The combination of the two solutions – long-haul and regional transport – brings VCHD Cargo significant synergies, particularly in the German market, which are crowned by stable double-digit growth.