From the Frontline – Insight Trans Logistics helps the NHS build two new isolation units

Haulage company Insight Trans Logistics (ITL) is delighted to be playing a small part in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, delivering new modular buildings to help ease the pressure on the NHS.

The Worcestershire-based firm is using its fleet of 500hp Volvo FH 6x2 tractor units, operating with specially modified rear-steering trailers to transport the buildings, that will form part of new isolation units at two separate NHS hospitals.

The company specialises in transporting abnormal indivisible loads, delivering all across the UK and into Europe. It was called in for the job by a long-standing customer that manufactures modular buildings for the medical industry.

“We have done several projects for the NHS in the past 12 months,” explained Codie Walker, transport coordinator at ITL. “We were asked to help deliver these latest loads by the customer as they knew they could rely on us. We’re experts in this sort of work and, as a local company, they knew we could get the job done in the quick time scale they required.

“The buildings will help form isolation units at the two hospitals, to care for patients infected by the coronavirus. We obviously jumped at the chance. It’s great to be able to play our part to help the NHS during these difficult times.”

The first job was completed last week. The company picked up 13 modular building sections, measuring 12m x 4m x 4.1m, from the customer’s site in Gloucestershire on Friday April 27, before delivering them to the first hospital site over the next few days.

ITL operations manager Bill Bayliss, said: “The trickiest part was actually getting the units out of the customer’s factory. It’s quite tight and takes some time to manoeuvre the vehicles onto the road. From there we took them to the loading area, and then started the delivery into site on the Sunday. The last unit went in on the Tuesday.

“These are rapid deployment isolation units that will be taking patients almost as soon as they are up. The units are built at the customer’s factory so, once we drop them off, they can be up and running within days. It’s amazing how quickly it all comes together.”

The 13 trucks used for the job were all FHs, supplied by Volvo dealer Truck and Bus Wales and West.

“We always put our best trucks onto these big projects,” added Walker. “The FHs are perfect for this kind of work. They are powerful enough to pull these big loads with ease and we know they won’t let us down.”

ITL will be carrying out an identical project later this month – picking up another 13 building sections from the customer in Gloucestershire and delivering to the second NHS site.