Serco helps Spar with the challenge of securing loads

Securing of loads is an ongoing challenge for transporters, particularly where roll-tainers are introduced in place of, or combined with, palletised goods. Spar has been investigating various solutions to improve the securing of loads in its trucks, because of shortcomings in conventional shoring bars.

One solution is a captive shoring system developed by bodybuilder Serco in conjunction with its load-securing partner Loadlok, a European leader in cargo-control solutions.

The prototype system has been on trial in a 16-t truck body for several months in the Western Cape and there are plans for further pilot projects with one of the retailer’s other distribution centres.

The feedback so far on the trial is very encouraging. Transport manager of Spar in the Western Cape, Liza Boonzaier, says the system has proved to be very successful in trials. “We are currently considering installing it in more of our vehicles,” she notes.

Serco’s key account manager, Colin Atkinson, says conventional shoring systems are often inconvenient to operate and there is no place for the bars to be stored when not in use. They are, thus, often removed from the bodies and get misplaced or damaged.

“The captive shoring system introduced by Serco cannot be removed from the vehicle. It is simple to use and very versatile,” he says.

“In the new design, the aluminium shoring bars are fixed to the inner sides of the body and travel along a surface mounted on a horizontal rail. Vertical tracks include a special turntable to enable the bars to be stowed above the load, thus eliminating any need for them to be removed,” he explains.