J Sainsbury has awarded a second contract to fleet management provider Fraikin to manage and maintain a further 350 home delivery vehicles in the South East of England.

The new contract takes Fraikin’s responsibility to more than 600 vehicles with the superstore, which operates a total of 1,500 vehicles across the UK.

It follows a contract for the supply of 246 vehicles in September 2011 and Sainsbury’s has been pleased with the comprehensive package provided by Fraikin over the past year.

The store’s 3.5-tonne home delivery trucks have been operating effectively with the help of Fraikin to ensure that customers receive their shopping during allocated one-hour slots.

Fraikin’s vehicle management offering includes a response time of 90 minutes for recovery and repair; and a proactive maintenance programme carried out every 12 weeks at Sainsbury’s stores.

Peter Backhouse, CEO of Fraikin, said: “This is a significant win for Fraikin and we are thrilled to be further growing our successful relationship with J Sainsbury.

“Customers of Sainsbury’s expect the highest quality produce and Fraikin lends a hand to ensure that the goods reach home-delivery customers with the speed and efficiency that their shoppers have come to expect.

“We are geared up to manage the vehicles via our permanently manned breakdown centre and our network of maintenance partners. We know that a fast response in the unlikely event of a breakdown is imperative due to the perishable items on board.

“We look forward to continuing the delivery of a service to Sainsbury’s that is of the highest quality.”