Only the best is good enough for PDQ

In the niche world of the pharmaceutical, hazardous and scientific analysis industries, North West based PDQ Specialist Courier Services has built up a significant courier fleet and it now runs what it classes to be the best and most reliable combination of vehicles for this type of specialist operation. With the arrival of a further 7 new vans and trucks so far this year, PDQ’s fleet is now exclusively based on Mercedes vans and trucks, all fitted with Carrier Transicold refrigeration systems and using the latest state of the art temperature monitoring and tracking equipment supplied by Seven Telematics.

In just six years, PDQ has established a substantial all-temperature controlled courier fleet that is providing its customers with a unique temperature-controlled solution. Such has been the impact of its courier business that, recently, PDQ was successful in winning the ‘Refrigerated Courier of the Year’ Award at the annual TCS&D Awards ceremony held at Peterborough Arena last month.
As PDQ’s Business Development Manager, Luke Devlin explains, “Temperature is at the heart of everything we do at PDQ, all our deliveries are temperature-critical and the need for real-time perfect information is paramount. From Day 1 of our business, we have specified Seven’s Transcan 2 temperature monitoring equipment and Cool Track remote tracking as standard equipment on every vehicle as we believe it is by far the best and most effective telematics system in the business.”

In addition to its courier fleet, PDQ also has Seven’s Cool Track system fitted on all the static fridge/freezers based at the company’s depot in Hemel Hempstead.
PDQ’s customer base covers the UK and Europe, handling a variety of temperature-critical consignments, including pharmaceutical and pathology samples, new and controlled drugs, radioactive and flammable materials, as well as frozen embryos and a range of children’s medicines for neo-natal and premature babies.

“Such is the variety and complexity of loads being carried that we require highly specialist vehicles. In the most recent batch of 7 new vehicles, we have both dual and triple compartment bodies, as well as up to 3 independent temperature probes, in our quest to provide our customers with the highest level of information possible during transit. We ensure traceability throughout the delivery process and can log into any vehicle, at any time, all over Europe and this includes when they are on ferries too. The detailed analysis available via the Seven Telematics equipment will even monitor the length of time of every door opening during a delivery cycle,” added Luke Devlin.

This Seven Telematics technology monitors the integrity of the supply chain, enabling PDQ’s customers, drivers and management to remotely track the GPS location and monitor the temperature of consignments on a minute by minute basis, throughout each and every journey. The data is securely stored offsite, with historical data made available for up to 12 months, ensuring a robust audit trail and giving PDQ’s customers full peace of mind.

“This detailed approach to our business is critical to the success of the business, which is based on a growing fleet of dedicated high specification, added value trucks and vans. With an average vehicle age of just 1.2 years, our ‘almost brand new’ fleet runs on high mileage pan European operations with a vehicle life of three years maximum.” added Luke Devlin.

Further information on the full range of temperature monitoring and vehicle tracking products available from Seven Telematics can be viewed on the company’s website on http://www.seventelematics.co.uk/