Based in heart of Scottish Borders, Glenrath Farms is one of the UK’s leading egg production and marketing companies, producing over one million eggs a day. Road transport plays a central role in the company’s logistics operations, and like everything else within the business, this comes under close scrutiny, not only in terms of costs, but also energy consumption and environmental impact.
Recent improvements include the implementation of Merridale FuelWorks – a web based fuel management service. This is being used in conjunction with a new fleet vehicle fuelling point located alongside the company’s packing facilities in Lamancha. Based on a bulk diesel storage tank, the installation includes GPRS data communications and an integral Merridale auditor pump.
“We have repositioned the fuelling point to allow easier HGV vehicle movements and more space for parking,” explains transport manager, Sandra Dall.
“The new set up uses internet connectivity to provide online fuel management. All deliveries and fuelling transactions are tracked and we can access the current status from the office computer. As well as reconciling fuel purchased, the Merridale service provides scheduled reports of fleet fuel consumption by vehicle ID, including fuelling dates and mpg economy performance.”
Eggs are supplied to all the major supermarkets via their regional distribution centres. The company operates a mixed fleet of around 30 vehicles, comprising articulated and rigid delivery lorries. Smaller vans are used for local requirements and collections from outlying production units.
Sandra Dall continues. “Currently the fleet consumes around 15 thousand litres a month. We are operating in a highly competitive sector so It is important that we have absolute control over our fuel costs. Most vehicles travel within the range of their fuel tanks, so there is no requirement for external fuelling.
“By purchasing fuel in bulk we can negotiate the best prices. The new fuel management system gives us far greater visibility of our usage and current stock levels. This is an important benefit enabling us to take advantage of daily spot prices.
“We can also monitor vehicle economy performance more accurately and we can achieve potential savings by make better informed decisions on load configurations. Any saving we achieve will help, not only in financial terms but also in our on-going commitment to manage our carbon footprint and the impact of our operations on the environment.”
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