Toll and ESS launch custom trailers

Australian logistics giant Toll Group has strengthened its relationship with ESS Support Services Worldwide (ESS) by rolling out a new fleet of custom refrigerated trailers. The trailers will be used to deliver food and goods to remote workers across 125 sites serviced by ESS.

ESS specialises in the delivery of food, linen, laundry and heavy equipment to remote work sites across Australia. Since it first began using Toll Group as its preferred logistics provider for Western Australia in 2002, the relationship has grown to encompass ESS operations in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

ESS is owned by Compass Group Australia, for whom Toll Group delivers a total of 32,000 tonnes of goods across 4.2 million kilometres annually.

According to Chai Alexiou, Executive Director – Supply Chain, Compass Group, the new trailers underline the strength of the relationship between Toll and ESS.

"Our relationship with Toll has grown exponentially over the last decade and it's fantastic to see our very own ESS and Toll co-branded trailers delivering goods exclusively to our sites," he said.

"This will extend our ability to provide the freshest food possible to our clients, their employees and customers while maintaining the highest safety standards and maximising the economies of scale made possible by a fully integrated logistics model."

Toll Group has upgraded its facilities in Karratha, Broome, Port Hedland, Perth and Brisbane to better serve ESS and its clients, while also pouring $11 million into new equipment – including prime movers, pantech trucks and refrigerated trailers – to maintain better temperature regulation and to gain better access to smaller sites.

Toll Express General Manager, Larry O'Regan, said the investment formed an important part of the group's overall strategy.

"ESS is an important Toll customer and the investment we made in our sites is part of a long-term commitment to improve business efficiency," he said.

"Toll works with more than 190 different suppliers daily on a JIT [just in time] basis to ensure food and equipment are delivered to ESS sites in a timely manner.

"By working directly with ESS at our upgraded depots, we have been able to average a 99 per cent DIFOT [delivered in full, on time] for our deliveries."