Castell Howell Extends Longstanding Collaboration with Carrier Transicold

Castell Howell has continued its 33-year collaboration with Carrier Transicold with the delivery of 20 new Supra^® High Efficiency (HE) 13 Multi-Temperature (MT) units – the first multi-temperature models of the system to be deployed on UK roads. Based in Carmarthenshire, the food wholesaler continues to lead in fleet innovation, consistently selecting advanced solutions from Carrier Transicold’s portfolio to power its extensive range of temperature-controlled trucks and trailers.

The new Carrier Transicold Supra HE 13 MT units will be distributed between 14-tonne Volvo FL and 16-tonne DAF XF rigid trucks, each mounted with specialist insulated box bodies from Gray & Adams. These vehicles represent a combination of new additions and replacements in Castell Howell’s 200-strong commercial fleet – approximately 90% of which is now equipped with Carrier Transicold refrigeration technology.

The Carrier Transicold Supra HE 13 MT delivers a quieter, lighter and more compact unit that enhances overall efficiency, performance and uptime. Featuring a single drive belt powertrain and variable-speed fans, the new model consumes up to 27% less fuel compared to the legacy Supra 1250 unit. Additionally, with one-third fewer brazed joints, the risk of refrigerant leaks is significantly reduced, while programmed maintenance intervals have been doubled to further improve operational reliability.

The Supra HE 13 MT features the most compact condenser unit packaging in its class, weighing 149 kilograms less than the Supra 1250 and even smaller than the lowest-capacity Supra 750. This design provides an additional 6.5 centimetres of cab tipping clearance and improves aerodynamics by reducing drag. Combined with exceptional cooling capacity, precise multi-temperature set point control and rapid pull-down speeds, the Supra HE 13 MT is the ideal solution for Castell Howell’s intensive multi-drop delivery routes.

The new trucks will operate from the Castell Howell headquarters in Llanelli, supporting customer deliveries six days a week and clocking up to 70,000 kilometres annually. Confidence in the Carrier Transicold systems is reflected in the vehicles’ expected time on fleet, with plans to keep them in operation for up to 10 years.

The 20 Supra HE 13 MT units are part of a broader order of 37 Carrier Transicold systems, including Castell Howell’s first all-electric 18-tonne Volvo FM, which will be cooled by an engineless Carrier Transicold Iceland 11 MT.