It’s a common question, and one that seems quite simple to answer on its surface. Ask anyone in the industry however, and you’ll find out it’s our equivalent of “how long is a piece of string?”. In other words; it depends.
A single, half-metre slab of turf can weigh anywhere between 7kg and 20kg, based on three main factors; turf variety, soil profile and – most importantly – moisture content. Depending on the weather conditions at harvest, turf can be carrying significantly more or less weight in absorbed moisture. With weights this variable, it becomes a significant logistical challenge to deliver turf. Full pallets can weigh between 700kg and 2000kg, greatly affecting the amount that can be safely loaded and transported on a truck.
As part of our daily routine, the StrathAyr team calculate turf weights, create comprehensive load plans and optimize routes for each truck in our large fleet. We take great care to ensure your turf gets to you quick, easy and safe.
In recent years, we have invested heavily into an Integrated Logistics Platform that allows us to control the load and weight limits of our turf. In Winter of 2021 however, an isolated event occurred where one of our delivery trucks was found to be overweight on a government weighbridge, a tremendous shock to our team. As a result, StrathAyr entered into an Enforceable Undertaking Agreement with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to enhance our transport operations and practices.
Each truck in our fleet was fitted with electronic scales, placed over each axle. These scales fed data through to an iPad in the truck’s cabin, which was then provided information to a dedicated Systems Logistics Manager. In addition, we upgraded our Order Platform to factor in moisture content, based on turf variety, climatic seasonality and harvest variables. What had been a shock to our team has resulted in a net positive, with StrathAyr now achieving Mass Management Accreditation, recognizing our commitment to safety and legal responsibilities, as well as our operational and training excellence.
The Chain of Responsibility law ensures that everyone who works with heavy vehicles – from the business employing a driver to the personnel at the delivery location – is accountable for safety. Therefore, we all have a place in the Chain of Responsibility to ensure natural turf can be transported and delivered safely, with a strong monitoring system and effective management of potential risks.
StrathAyr will always be committed to the safe delivery of our product. Our new and improved systems allow us to do exactly that, while continuing to optimize our entire distribution network into the future.
