Minus 1 Refrigerated Transport is rejuvenating its interstate fleet with an order of 26 prime movers, including 10 new DAF XG660FTs.
The cold chain logistics provider has already received five of the DAF XGs – with the other half of the order expected before the end of December – while several Volvo Globetrotters will be delivered over a period of months starting from this week.
The large order comes at a momentous time for Minus 1, following the opening of its first facility in Sydney just two weeks ago – the last of many infrastructure projects for the year, according to Minus 1 CEO and Managing Director, Billy Barba.
“We’ve endured quite a few business interruptions this year with the openings of our Sydney, Brisbane and Victorian depots,” he told Prime Mover.
“I think operationally, we’ve negated those challenges fairly well. Next year we’re excited to get back to the fundamentals of our business – focusing on our transport service and refining our processes.”
Minus 1’s order of 26 prime movers is crucial to the company’s transport goals for next year. This second batch of DAF XGs, following an important order earlier this year, are powered by a 6-cylinder PACCAR PX-15 diesel engine mated with a 16-speed automated manual transmission from TraXon. These prime movers are rated to GCMs of 97 tonnes.
“The drivers are certainly noticing and enjoying the trucks’ power and torque,” Barba said.
“They especially feel it when towing B-triple and roadtrain combinations.”
The business is also expecting to receive the first of its XXL Volvo Globetrotters this month, which have been ordered with the regular list of Minus 1 linehaul specifications – XXL cabs, 600 horsepower engines, and full light bars, along with creature comforts like microwaves and TVs.
“The main consideration for us when ordering linehaul equipment is the comfort of our drivers,” Barba said.
“The Volvos’ XXL cabs are essential for this. And that’s why we went with the DAF XGs, too. They’re the DAF equivalents for cab room. We want our drivers to have as much room as possible.
“We pay extra to give drivers those cabs, but we hope to get it back tenfold in terms of their comfort and loyalty.”
Minus 1 will be deploying the majority of the incoming DAF XGs and XXL Volvo Globetrotters across the eastern seaboard, supporting the company’s various interstate locations like its new Sydney depot.
This new Sydney facility, located on 1-3 Zeleny Road in the industrial suburb of Minchinbury, has been in the works since 2023.
The facility’s development – overseen by Barba, along with Barber Property Group Managing Director, Paul Barber – was constructed with the goal of providing a state-of-the-art cold storage offering.
Clocking 20,000m2 in size, the new depot houses over 15,000 pallet spaces across frozen, chilled and confectionery chambers, in addition to 19 recessed loading docks and its own workshop.
The site will also oversee 11,000 tonnes of stock move across its warehouse floor every week.
According to Barba, the development of this facility highlights a bold and aggressive growth strategy for Minus 1.
“The opening marks a new phase of rapid growth for the business, one that offers our 750 plus customers the end-to-end service of not just transport, but storage also,” he said.
“This is the future of logistics and we’re here to be one of the country’s best and most trusted providers.”
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