The Made In Britain scheme is an organisation dedicated to promoting and supporting British manufacturing. By uniting companies that design and produce goods in the UK, it provides a recognisable mark of authenticity—the Made In Britain logo—that helps buyers and consumers, both domestically and internationally, identify products crafted with British expertise. For businesses like Merridale, membership offers a platform to showcase their contributions to the UK economy, celebrate their heritage, and tap into a growing demand for locally made goods.

Founded in 1994, Merridale Ltd has established itself as a trusted name in the commercial fuelling industry. Specialising in fuel management and monitoring systems, fuel pumps, and tank gauges, the company serves a wide range of clients, from small fleet operators to large enterprises with multiple depots. With systems installed at over 5,000 sites across the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Netherlands, Merridale’s equipment supports over 400,000 vehicles daily. Known for durability and precision, its products are designed to last at least a decade, adhering to stringent ATEX standards and backed by long-term support.

This legacy of quality and reliability aligns seamlessly with the values of the Made In Britain scheme, making Merridale a natural fit for membership.
By joining Made In Britain, Merridale gains the right to display the scheme’s iconic logo on its products, marketing materials, and digital platforms. This badge of honour reinforces the company’s reputation as a high-quality British manufacturer, distinguishing it in a competitive global market. The Made In Britain scheme opens doors to buyers who prioritise British-made goods, both at home and abroad. For customers, this milestone is a clear signal that Merridale’s products are crafted with the expertise and craftsmanship synonymous with UK production.

However, displaying the Made In Britain logo is more than a symbolic achievement for Merridale Ltd—it’s a strategic move that enhances its market position and celebrates its identity. As the company continues to innovate and expand, this membership will serve as both a foundation and a springboard, amplifying its reach and reinforcing its values. For a business that has fueled the UK’s transport sector for three decades, this is a fitting tribute to its past and a bold step toward a future built on British ingenuity.

To find out how a Merridale complete fuel management system could benefit your company, contact Merridale on 01902 350 700 or visit www.merridale.co.uk, or for more on the Made In Britain scheme visit www.madeinbritain.org.

A further change occurred in 2016 when the reclassification of diesel meant that fuel pumps now needed to be certificated to ATEX standards. Following simple design modifications and third-party testing, Merridale was able to adapt all their existing products to meet and be certified to this standard.

With decades of experience behind them, Merridale launched the newest versions of their fuel pumps in 2018. Known as the MX series, the complete range has been developed to utilise stainless steel frames and panels and includes a redesign of the pump display. The MX range can also be used to pump or dispense DEF, known as AdBlue, and is available in single, twin, and two product twin versions, and versions with built-in fuel management.

Merridale is now one of the market leaders for fuel management manufacturing and is at the forefront for quality and design, with systems installed at over 4,000 sites across the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands, The Falklands and Europe. They offer the best in complete fuel management systems which can be configured to suit the needs of any business and are trusted by some of the UK’s biggest fleet operators, some of which have continued to use Merridale for over 20 years. Their products include storage tanks, tank management and pump systems, and a range of software.

To find out how a Merridale fuel management system could benefit your company, contact Merridale on 01902 350 700 or visit www.merridale.co.uk.

For most operators, this is an acceptable option as it can avoid the very large costs involved in thoroughly cleaning the old gasoil tanks to ensure that no trace of the red die used in gasoil is detectable as well as the other associated costs. As diesel tanks are generally of a larger capacity than gasoil tanks, they can therefore accommodate this option.

For other fleet operators, there is sometimes no choice as they can retain some equipment that can legitimately use gasoil whilst having some items that now must use taxed diesel. It is at this point that problems can arise.

Fleet operators with larger vehicles generally wish to fuel their vehicles as quickly as possible and therefore adopt pumps using large-bore nozzles at a fuelling rate of 90 litres per minute. This rate is far too fast for cars, vans and smaller items of plant which are designed to be filled at no more than 50 litres per minute with a slimline type of nozzle, normally associated with garage forecourt use.

The historic solution to the issue of mixed fleets has been to make provision for two fuel pumps or a twin pump with one rated as high flow (90LPM) and the other as standard flow (50LPM). However, this can involve additional bases, pipework and electrical supplies.

Since then, Merridale has created the solution to this problem with its MX-P Dual-Hose Pump. This offers one hose and nozzle capable of delivering the higher rates and a second hose and nozzle designed for fuelling those vehicles and items requiring much slower delivery rates on a non-simultaneous basis. A twin pump option is also available for when simultaneous operation remains a must.

The Merridale dual hose pump is fully ATEX certified and can, in most cases, be fully fitted to the existing installations and fuel management systems without the need for major modification and at a cost not substantially higher than a replacement of a standard single hose pump would be. Other options are available for Merridale pumps such as longer or high masted hoses, break off couplings and hose reels, and single or dual-sided display units.

To find out more about Merridale’s refuelling options and tank management systems, contact Merridale on 01902 350 700 or visit www.merridale.co.uk.

FuelWorks, Merridale’s number-one solution to fuel management reporting in the UK, is the choice of many large fleet operators and local authorities, with over 1500 sites already taking advantage of this low-cost subscription-based service. This means that approximately 14 million litres of fuel during 150,000 fuelling transactions are accounted for each week using Merridale FuelWorks web-based software.

I can’t think of a time I’ve looked at our reports and wished FuelWorks could tell me something more. It seems to cover everything. It’s great having access on any device too, rather than being limited to a single computer.

The ability of FuelWorks to be accessed through any standard web browser across multiple platforms gives the user complete flexibility and accessibility. This eliminates the need for software to be installed on office computers and avoids any training, security, and backup issues for the user. This also means that users can access the vital data they require from anywhere and at any time, something that has become an even greater necessity as more companies now permit their administration staff to work from home.

The market-leading software has been designed and developed in-house by Merridale to give fleet operators the tools they need to effectively manage their fleet and monitor fuel. Merridale are also responsible for hosting and maintaining FuelWorks, without any third-party input, thus giving them a vested interest in ensuring that the companies that subscribe to this service can optimise their benefits.

Using the vital data captured in FuelWorks, fleet operators will have a much better understanding of all aspects of their fleet and workforce. The ability to measure and report on fuel consumption and performance by vehicle and driver provides the fleet operator the vital statistics needed to help shape decisions such as best routes to take, which vehicle to use for specific jobs, and whether drivers need extra training on efficient driving.

FuelWorks can also monitor tank levels and predict low stock, sending email alerts as needed and SMS texts in the event of severe leak or theft. Other features of FuelWorks include secure encrypted HTTPS connections, multiple users across multiple sites, real-time capabilities, a range of reporting features (including fuel, cost, vehicle and driver performance, and environmental impact) and tank stock reconciliation and costing.
Merridale also offers unrivalled levels of support and training, with initial telephone training for every Customer, and a dedicated helpdesk on hand to offer ongoing support.

John Hadaway, fleet manager at Linburg Coaches, who have used FuelWorks since 2013 said “I can’t think of a time I’ve looked at our reports and wished FuelWorks could tell me something more. It seems to cover everything. It’s great having access on any device too, rather than being limited to a single computer.”

Fleet operators who wish to upgrade existing Merridale equipment to use FuelWorks need not worry about replacing existing hardware to do so. Merridale can upgrade most existing systems to make them compatible with FuelWorks, no matter how old the system is.

To find out how Merridale FuelWorks could benefit your company, contact Merridale on 01902 350 700 or visit www.merridale.co.uk.

With the main focus on ensuring that customers get exactly what they deserve, a package designed for long-life, compliance, and supportability, Merridale only work with fabricators they know work to the highest standards. 

Sales Director, Stephen Hannan, said “Too often our sales team are presented with a competitive quotation for slightly cheaper packages, which upon closer inspection fall far short of the standards we and our customers would expect. Obviously, cost is a key factor. However, there are other areas that buyers should consider when approaching the marketplace for comparable costings.”

Our tanks are designed for longevity, with domed or sloping roofs and under-tank channels aiding water drainage, and large anti-vandal cabinets to enable future servicing, repairs and upgrades can be carried out with ease.

Overall Capacity

A common misconception is that the tank will always hold the advertised volume. In truth, most cheaper tanks use an ‘overall capacity’ which does not reflect the true working capacity. Merridale sourced storage tanks are designed to have a working capacity of at least the volume required and will often exceed this. 

In order to be just that, lower-cost tanks are usually offered in standard dimensions to optimise steel usage and production efficiency. Merridale can assist you with designing a tank to fit your working area, with side or end mounted cabinets as needed. Unlike other tanks, these cabinets are designed with practicality in mind to ensure that any upgrades, servicing, and repair work can be carried out on equipment with ease. Generally, these bespoke features come at little extra cost.

Construction

Unfortunately, cheap tanks are also often constructed from lower gauge steel and utilise the bare minimum of bracing, leading to tank distortion, erosion, and early failure. 

“Merridale’s specification ensures that the tank is finished to the highest standards and meet industry standards, generally BS799. We even take pride in our strict standards of paint and use a full course of treatment to minimise the risk of early failure.”

Access

One of the most frustrating issues fleet operators may face is needing equipment to be serviced or replaced only to find it has been tightly fitted inside the cabinet. Merridale provides “walk-in” type cabinets with wider-than-standard doors to enable easy access to cover almost every future eventuality and will also ensure that cabinets are fitted with mounting plates, cable entry points, and accessible pipework.

“Our tanks are designed for longevity, with domed or sloping roofs and under-tank channels aiding water drainage, and large anti-vandal cabinets to enable future servicing, repairs and upgrades can be carried out with ease,” added Stephen.

Fuel Theft

Fuel theft is an on-going problem for the road transport and haulage sector, with large thefts being made more often directly from depot bulk-storage tanks. These thefts are sophisticated and involve long-term planning, resources, and a vehicle capable of transporting the large volumes being stolen. 

On fuel-theft, Stephen concluded “With the current prevalence of thieves assaulting static fuel storage tanks, they should be built in such a manner that all pipework joints are covered and resistant to attack. This should also cover all valves, which should be installed within the protective cabinet.”

“It is our experience that most bulk thefts are occasioned due to thieves attacking exposed pipework or unscrewing vents and gauge sockets.  As standard Merridale has these covered to make unwanted access as difficult as possible.”

To help combat fuel theft, Merridale’s tanks can also be fitted with Merridale tank management systems. These systems include sudden-drop detection, to alert you immediately, via SMS, of an unexpected drop in fuel level. This means that you will be alerted to any severe leak or theft from the tank that occurs, irrespective of where you are at the time. 

To find out how a Merridale fuel and tank management system could benefit your company, contact Merridale on 01902 350 700 or visit www.merridale.co.uk.

With all Merridale products designed to achieve a minimum life of 10 years and meeting strict ATEX standards, there is no compromise on build quality. However, Merridale does not just pride themselves on the quality of their products, there is also an emphasis on after-sales care and support.

Once your new fueling equipment is installed, Merridale can provide you with access to their software and technical support helplines, inspections and calibration services, repairs, and ongoing updates when available. As the manufacturer, rather than just a distributor, you can rest assured that Merridale has a total commitment to the life of their product and not just the sales process. Their staff are fully trained to understand your requirements and have access to all repair and upgrade history, so unlike many third-party companies, they have full knowledge of your systems.

On the rare occasions that an emergency repair is required, Merridale’s service team always have genuine Merridale replacement parts available. However, a third-party may have to wait for new parts to be delivered which could result in a long wait to have vital repairs completed. With the housing units on Merridale’s products being designed to ensure that internal components are easily accessible for maintenance and repair, as well as being easy to update, it is unlikely that a breakdown will result in a new system having to be fitted.

To help avoid any unwanted or surprise bills, Merridale offers two annual care and protection services so you can rest assured that your equipment will be taken care of. For a fixed annual cost, you will benefit from inclusive service calls for wear-and-tear repairs, with costs of parts, labour, and travel covered, as well as receiving priority attendance. Their professional on-site inspection and calibration of fuelling equipment, which includes pump calibration and annual multi-point inspection and reports, helps to reduce unexpected breakdowns and improves system efficiency which in turn increases the equipment’s operating life.

As a Merridale customer, you will be given access to a suite of online ‘how-to’ videos, which will assist you through the most common queries relating to the equipment or software. For any other issues, Merridale offers a dedicated support line where you can talk to a member of the helpdesk.

Only by using Merridale or approved Merridale agents directly can you be assured of first-class support for your Merridale product, with Merridale having a vested interest in ensuring your equipment is supported to the highest standards. To find out how a Merridale fuel management system could benefit your company, contact Merridale on 01902 350 700 or visit www.merridale.co.uk.

Some of the more common questions that a fleet operator requires their storage system to answer include: How much fuel do I currently have? When will I need to refill and how much should I order? What if I accidentally over-fill the tank? Are the pumps accurate? What if there is a leak or someone is stealing fuel?

Before hastily buying a new or replacement low-cost gauge, you need to understand what the right gauge for your system is. Many tanks are often only equipped with the most basic of gauges, which may be inaccurate or perform badly, and sometimes only just meet the regulations and standards, never mind provide answers to any of your questions.

A true tank management system, such as the Merridale MX-T series, will provide answers to all of these questions from a single integrated package. As standard, a Merridale tank management system features a highly accurate gauge with precision pressure probes and overfill sensors, as well as having the functionality to interface with a Merridale fuel management system for remote access and detailed reconciliation.

By transferring the data to the Merridale FuelWorks web-based service, via the fuel management integration, you can benefit further from fuel stock prediction, automatic delivery detection, low-level warnings, and order prompts, all accessible on any web-enabled device.

A detailed reconciliation report is generated in FuelWorks by comparing the daily stock movements within the tank, considering any deliveries that have been automatically detected and comparing this against the authorised issues from the fuel pumps. This information can be used to pinpoint areas of concern such as hidden tank or pipework leaks or simply if the fuel pump meters need recalibration.

Merridale’s tank management systems now also include stock depletion detection, to alert you immediately, via SMS, of an unexpected drop in fuel level. This means that you will be alerted to any severe leak or theft from the tank that occurs, irrespective of where you are at the time.

Fridlington Farms, which supplies potatoes to the likes of Walkers, McCain’s & Mercian have been using Merridale’s systems since 2019. Their assistant manager, Callum Stark, told us about the difference it has made already.

"The week after installing the system, we had a break-in at the farm. They managed to get away with tools and equipment, but they could not get to the diesel. If they would have been a week earlier, we'd have had no way of stopping them from emptying the tank.”

“I even found that the tank management system had sent an alert to my phone warning me of irregularities as the attempted theft was happening, but I, unfortunately, didn’t have it with me so I couldn’t take action at the time."

To find out how a Merridale fuel and tank management system could benefit your company, contact Merridale on 01902 350 700 or visit www.merridale.co.uk.

These misconceptions are commonplace when purchasing fuel pumps and management systems. However, there’s been a decline in standards and quality of fuel pumps over recent years. When a decision to purchase is heavily driven by cost, there’s a serious risk of the equipment failing to meet the expected durability, performance and accuracy that fleet operators will depend upon.

It goes without saying the price of a product will always impact someone’s decision to purchase, but many other factors with fuel pumps should be considered. Fleet operators must assess the nature of usage and their fleet before settling with the cheapest option. Pumps with higher standards of build quality will ensure a longer service life and be more durable compared to commonly found low-cost light-duty pumps that flood the market today. Although these seem like the cheaper option at first, their performance falls woefully below standards and ultimately result in frequent repairs or an early replacement.

Different types of fleet may require a specific type of pump. Many manufacturers put emphasis on pump delivery speed, but a fast pump is not always the best answer. If a fleet consists of a mixture of HGVs, vans and cars a fast delivery pump would only partly serve its purpose. Cars and vans will not accept a high-flow input, or the nozzle type fitted on fast-flow pumps. Therefore, it would be better to compromise on the fueling time of an HGV and opt for a pump of approximately 70LPM which can be used on all three vehicles. Better still, dual-hose pumps are now widely available which provide both a high-flow and standard-flow output from a single outlet.

Arguably, the most common flaw with low-cost pumps is accuracy. Rightfully, many fleet operators expect fuel data to be as accurate as possible with the need to monitor and account for each litre of fuel being as vital as ever. Unfortunately, basic fuel pumps fail to provide accuracy of no better than +/-1%, even before age and wear starts to take effect. At worst, an accuracy rate of +/-0.5% is the least that should be considered, with the very best pumps, such as Merridale’s MX range, offering an even greater accuracy of +/-0.25%.

It is now a requirement under DSEAR that all fuel installations are assessed for risk, this has become ever more important since diesel was recategorised as flammable. Failure to purchase a pump that adheres to all requirements, as well as being ATEX certified, could put fleet operators at risk or void their insurance should any issues arise.

Inevitably, finance will always be a factor when investing in a fuel pump and management system. However, rather than having misconceptions in mind when shopping the market, it may be wise to be thinking ‘you get what you pay for’.

“The correct length of delivery hose can be an advantage at the fuelling point, enabling greater flexibility, especially where space is limited,” explains sales director, Stephen Hannan.

Fleet operators are setting higher standards for safety and efficiency at depot fuelling points. Trailing delivery hoses are not only a trip hazard but also more likely to get run over and damaged.

To meet this requirement Merridale has designed a simple fitting that can be supplied factory fitted or retrofitted to existing MX units.

The Merridale stainless steel high hose mast is a simple and robust solution that aesthetically matches the MX series equipment and can be supplied with either a three metre hose as standard or an optional four metre hose.

It is recommended that for both options that a hose break coupling be fitted.

For more information visit:
www.merridale.co.uk

In addition to the conversion of longstanding Merridale customers, Merridale has been successful in winning many new customers, some of which have chosen Merridale after thorough appraisal against incumbent vendors. Merridale can now claim to have over 1300 depot installations using the service to transfer fuelling transactions data for processing via FuelWorks.

A major advantage of a hosted software facility is that is operates separately to the in-house IT infrastructure. “There are no complications and transition is totally risk free as far as implementation is concerned, “says Merridale sales director, Stephen Hannan. “You get exactly what has been demonstrated and we can set up the system to go live on day one of the installation of the hardware.”

New customers include Cobley Transport of Leicester who visited the CV show in 2018 in search of a hosted fuel management solution. “It was simply a question of the functionality we required and the credibility of the vendor, says workshop manager,” Chris Beet.

Other notable customers include Gregory Distribution which has installed Merridale FuelWorks following a root and branch overhaul of its depot fuel monitoring systems.

Hardware on display at the CV Show will include the MX Series of diesel pumps with fuel and stock management equipment.

For further information www.merridale.co.uk