Milk Floats and Bespoke Vehicle Bodybuilding Services: Fresh milk deliveries to our homes have been a part of UK life since before motor vehicles existed. You don't have to search hard to find photos of horse-drawn cart milk deliveries that were still quite common sights in the first half of the last century.

In fact, people still kept referring to motorised milk delivery vehicles as 'milk carts' long after the engine replaced the horse as the primary mode of transport.

Long before the introduction of the supermarket, the humble milk float was a common sight on our roads, and many people woke up to the sound of rattling milk bottles, slamming garden gates and the cheerful whistling of the milkman as he made his rounds from doorstep to doorstep.

But although doorstep milk deliveries have severely declined since the spread of modern supermarkets, there has always been a strong core of customers that loved the convenience of having fresh milk delivered to their door.

Diversifying product deliveries

Dairy companies were quick to up their game in the face of competition from supermarkets, so they started to diversify their products and began offering popular, everyday staples that many people consume every day and would often run out of between supermarket shopping trips.

Offering eggs, bread, cheese, bacon, fresh juice and more was a great move. The dairy companies were also catering to sections of the population that, for whatever reason, found it challenging to shop locally or go to the supermarket, such as the elderly, disabled and those who don't drive.

This flexibility has enabled modern milk delivery services to continue to supply their customers with everything they need without the need to leave home, which came in very handy during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Milk deliveries seeing a resurgence

It was inevitable that the Government's advice to stay at home during the pandemic would see a surge in demand for milk delivery services. Most dairy delivery companies were very quickly overwhelmed with orders from old and new customers as the lockdown came into effect.

The increase in demand saw the UK's largest milk delivery service, Milk & More, adding 25,000 customers to its list. This, in turn, saw the company recruit more workers to keep up with demand.

However, since the Government has relaxed the rules on going out, it seems that a vast number of UK consumers really liked the convenience of having a doorstep delivery and have kept their subscriptions going.

As a result, other food delivery services and mobile services have seen a sharp uptake in demand. It seems that the younger generation is now appreciating how valuable these services are. In an age where many want to cut down on their carbon footprint and choosing not to drive, it also makes a lot of sense to have one vehicle delivering food to many households rather than each family driving a car to go shopping.

The versatility of modern milk floats

Osborne Motor Bodies Ltd. have been in the milk float and commercial vehicle bodybuilding industry for more than 120 years. Our family business has seen many radical changes over time and has been at the forefront of milk float innovations over the years.

We see today demand for a flexible milk float that can be adapted or customised to suit the needs of any particular dairy delivery company. Today's most popular milk delivery vehicle we are asked for is a diesel chassis cab with a float body fitted.

A popular model in the Osborne range is the DFSK Mini-Float with a 900 kg payload. This petrol engine vehicle offers the advantage of quieter operation over its diesel contemporaries.

Osborne Motor Bodies not only supply dairy companies with top-of-the-range milk delivery vehicles, but we also provide high-quality bespoke solutions to meet customers' specific requirements.

Motor bodies supplied and modified

Although Osborne Motor Bodies Ltd. made our name in the milk float business, we have been offering a full range of open-sided, curtain-sided, Shutter-sided, Insulated and Refrigerated vehicles for many decades.

You can take a look at our range of commercial vehicle bodies that we can supply ready to drive away and use for your business. This includes a range of commercial vehicle bodies, including utility, glass, and specialist conversions and bodies.

We can take a bare-bones vehicle body and supply all the bodywork you need to adapt it to your business needs. You can even source your chassis independently, and we will transform it into a bespoke vehicle for your company.

Vehicles For Sale

Suppose you are looking to add another commercial vehicle to your fleet, or you need a cost-effective second-hand vehicle to get your new business off the ground. In that case, we usually have a few good quality second-hand commercial vehicles for sale.

Please keep checking back on our Vehicles For Sale page to see our latest offerings. Don't forget that we convert any new or used commercial vehicle to better suit your business. If you want to add curtain sides to your vehicle or add a sleeping pod to your lorry – this isn't a problem!

If you would like to have any modifications done to a new or used commercial vehicle, do not hesitate to contact our team to discuss your needs.