Catch us if you can! Merridale sets the gold standard for fuel management systems

MIS Fuel Monitoring Ltd has recorded its highest turnover for the 2011/12 financial year. This achievement includes a healthy trade balance which has been recognised independently as being “Strong” with great prospects for the coming year.

The company was founded in 1994 with the launch of the ‘Merridale’ fuel management solution for commercial fleet operators in the haulage and road transport sector.

Merridale has set the gold standard for fuel management and we intend to maintain this commitment to providing durable solutions for fleet operators. Competitors may copy what we do but they cannot copy who we are and what we have achieved. Our track record speaks for itself. Merridale products remain in full use long after many of our competitors have declared their ranges obsolete or in need of various iterations.

“Over 18 years we have focused consistently on producing quality products and services and making sure these are very much fit for purpose,” says sales director, Stephen Hannan.

“As a result ‘Merridale’ is now a top brand in the commercial fuel management sector. We have achieved this by sticking to our guiding principles; even during difficult times while up against competitors who were prepared to lower standards if necessary, to fit a price.”

MIS Fuel Monitoring can also boast that it has achieved an enviable reputation for reliability which has now become associated with the Merridale brand. Over time many customers have realised that although it maybe a higher initial outlay, the real value lies in the long term durability and lower through-life costs that Merridale delivers.

Stephen Hannan continues. “This quality ethos is certainly paying dividends. Fleet operators understand the need for equipment reliability and experience has shown that the winners take a long term view to buy once and buy right. Many of our new leads are coming from businesses which have learnt the hard way.”

“For instance when specifying pump standards, the only measure some companies use to gauge standards is how quick the pump will deliver. This is not good enough and consideration should be given to the quality of construction and in particular, the repeatable accuracy of the delivery measures.

“Poor or inconsistent pump accuracy leads to ineffective fuel management data. In some cases this is no better than not having fuel management at all.”

To back up its quality ethos, Merridale also promotes servicing either direct or through approved service agents.  This policy ensures that the correct level of diagnostic training is available and that only genuine Merridale spares are used.

“We suspect that some non-approved third party repair companies are inclined to use unapproved spares especially with regards to repairs to the Merridale fuel pumps.  These perform poorly and can affect the perception of Merridale quality,” says Stephen Hannan.

He continues “ When supervising repairs, transport managers must insist that any spares used are genuine approved Merridale origin and reject any that can not be proved to be so. For those that chose to use their own maintenance company, please check that you are employing a Merridale approved service agent/distributor.

“Finally, concludes, Stephen Hannan: Another important guiding principle is that there is no such thing as an obsolete or legacy Merridale product.  Since its inception Merridale has strived to ensure that all product development allows an upgrade path.

There are no compulsory upgrades required to keep Merridale systems operable.