Section 1 – Introduction

Essex Bulk Services are a family run business and has over 10 years’ experience in the haulage industry, we offer a comprehensive range of distribution services and pride ourselves in providing a high-quality HGV haulage transportation and distribution service with experienced drivers and an excellent customer feedback record.

The company are based in Grays, Essex, the location gives links to the M25 South and North and all of the major road and seaport networks.

Our modern units are equipped with the latest tracking technology and in cab communications enabling us to provide up to the minute information on your delivery.

The vehicles have been fitted with a mechanically driven GHH Rand CS1200 compressor installation.

The compressors can produce up to 1150m3/hour at pressures of up to 2.5 bar, these can be used for discharging a variety of products from powders such as cement and flour, to granulates such as sugars, polymers and calcium carbonates in tipping and belly tankers.

As well as tanker it is also possible to discharge ‘bag in a box’ as the compressor has one of the largest air flows of any tanker discharge compressors.

We have invested in Verilocation tracking and performance equipment, supported by a tracking system, this gives the company live and timely updates on our vehicle performance, fuel usage, engine idle and driver style and behaviour. We receive weekly reports on our vehicle performance inclusive of CO2 NOx pm and to enhance this, details from our fuel suppliers in regard to emissions and CO2.

We can monitor in real time,  the use of the PTO and have the ability to check GEO  positioning  of the vehicle.

With the use of the Verification system we have seen a reduction in fuel usage and also are able to measure and reduce idle when the PTO is not required or needs to be engaged.

We  feel strongly that the FORS accreditation has given us the extra tools, advice and extra skills to make our business more compliant and efficient, in turn our drivers and management team are more informed and knowledgeable.

As part of the FORS Silver we have engaged a Logistics Consultant and have already seen some improvement in wastage, with a new communication zone for drivers highlighting the cost impact and environmental issues around fuel.

From this we have already implemented a one click policy, seen a reduction in MPG and have a number of initiatives planned to further improve our performance, using a post shift debrief and driving style and performance conversation with our drivers.

Our fines and charges are minimal due to the nature of our work we tend to be on sites with a planned delivery and dedicated zone for unloading.

Our road safety record is extremely good and we have only had two incidents in the last year. We have attached a document that we use to track and monitor accidents incidents and near misses.

Section 2 – How did you hear about FORS, what prompted the company to join and how long have you been a member?

We were made aware of the FORS standard and requirements through our construction and quarry contracts, at the time of joining we were not required to have FORS however, we were aware that this would support the business in our policy procedures training and more importantly giving us the ability to tender for contracts that demand a FORS membership.

Section 3 – What was your experience of the initial FORS Bronze audit?

Understanding what was required on the initial audit was fairly easy given the advice and instruction through the FORS website, we did engage with a consultant who was experienced in setting up and the preparation of the Bronze accreditation. We soon realised the advantages and extra knowledge we gained from this .

Section 4 – What was your main reason(s) for you progressing (either from Bronze to Silver and then Silver to Gold or straight from Bronze to Gold)?

We are required contractually to have FORS Bronze, to progress to Silver and eventually Gold is in our minds a natural progression and a way to enhance the company’s knowledge, training and development alongside enforcing our policy procedures and compliance. We are proud to have gained our Silver and feel that by achieving a Gold accreditation will show our intent to improve and show what a good compliant knowledgeable company looks like.  We feel strongly that this will also give us an extra competitive advantage in the market showing the companies intent on standing out from the crowd.

The company feel we have benefited from the accreditation in a number of ways, firstly and more importantly enhanced knowledge of how to remain compliant, we have more robust workable policy and procedures, our drivers are well trained and knowledgeable and able to go the extra mile in regard to efficiencies made on the back of our accreditation.

 

Section 6 – What improvements have you made?

The implementation of FORS has driven better performance more intelligence on accident, incidence and near misses. We feel that the advice and tools available from the accreditation has helped in reducing damage to our vehicles, we are more fuel efficient and our drivers have seen enhanced training, we have found the e-learning and SUD training are invaluable. Our drivers feel more valued  and knowledgeable, this in turn has helped with retention of drivers and the profitability of the company.

These shall include:

• Performance data – We were reasonably good at monitoring and measuring fuel emission and usage, however, we learnt from the accreditation that we could go further and make more savings and positive impact on the environment by utilising the Verilocation system, this has shown an improvement in MPG, a reduction in fuel usage and reduced engine idle  and more up to date live reporting on our vehicle and drivers performance.
• Use data provided for FORS requirements S2 and G2. See example below for table (data can be presented in different table format if you prefer)

	MPG	Incidents per 100,000 Kms	CO2	NOx	PM10	Number of PCNs	Proportion of fleet that uses alternative fuels
Year 1	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	0%
Year 2	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	0%
Year 3Z	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	10%
Percentage improvement	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%	xx%	%

We hold annual health and fitness reviews and annual medical declarations, six-monthly eyesight checks, we also have a number of health campaigns in regard to healthy eating, driver’s safety and security especially when away from base on nights out. We have invested in an  onsite rest area that is fitted out with showers, beds and cooking facilities free to use by all of the drivers.

The wellbeing and good health of our drivers is paramount, we supply high spec vehicles and safety equipment and PPE, we consider carefully our drivers health and fitness and encourage healthy eating and that the drivers have more than the legally required rest periods and that they have dietary advice and information on site to help them lead a healthy lifestyle. The fabric of the company is a family run business and sport are a major part of our company life, we encourage all of our team to take up sport to include golf, football and cycling.

We also have an open-door policy and drivers are able to talk freely with their line manager and directors of the company if they have any issues or concerns or have any health issues, they need help with.

• Driver health and fitness review – provide details of how your company is actively implementing appropriate measures in place to minimise the risk of incidents as a result of underlying health problems or diagnosis of a condition
• Recruitment of drivers – provide information about your strategy to engage in industry initiatives to encourage new drivers into the industry and how your strategy has helped
• Noise assessment – elaborate on measures taken to reduce noise pollution during driving, parking, loading or unloading, servicing or vehicle washing which is relevant to the vehicle type, load and sector
• Modal shift and alternative vehicles – how have you attempted to move part or all of your consignment from road to an alternative transport mode or used electric or alternatively fuelled/powered vehicles within your fleet

 Section 7 – What are your plans for the future?

e.g. ‘In order to make continual fleet improvements we will be introducing alternatively fuelled vehicles, purchasing Euro VI vehicles, revising the way we monitor driver fitness and health, procuring low entry/high visibility vehicles, including additional operating centres in scope etc… as this will help our company to…’

 Section 8 – What evidence do you have of positively promoting FORS at requirement G7?

We promote FORS by having the FORS logo on all document’s emails and communications, all of our vehicles proudly display the FORS membership logo, we have a Facebook page and a company website on both we are FORS members and we promote our association to the accreditation.

To date we have not had any press releases and have not really pushed this in the past , however we did hold a race day at Uttoxeter last year for customers and clients, this year we have another event at Uttoxeter 14 March and have again invited our customers and clients we have this year branded our FORS Silver achievement and that we are going for GOLD, we also have race cards printed and various news bulletins prepared in regard to our FORS relationship, Gary and Craig Childs plan to have a welcome presentation and confirm how the company have advanced this year inclusive of gaining silver and our application to Gold standard and our commitment to FORS accreditation

Section 9 –What FORS Gold accredition means for your organisation/to you?

Conclude:

We are very proud of our achievement in regard to the accreditation, in 2019 we achieved Silver while the process was not easy and we made mistakes in our application, is clearly showed level of detail and a continued focus and work on the accreditation delivers results, we feel that the company has seen a complete change in the way we think act and carry out our business, our drivers colleagues and managers are more informed and strive to be the best always.

Our customers are fully supportive and are aware of our commitment to gain higher accreditation while improving communication, standards, policy, procedure and overall compliance.

On the back of the accreditation we have more focus on equipment we use, how our colleagues travel to and from work , how we conduct our business. Our communication style is better we have promoted our wish to gain and maintain our accreditation with our workforce and continue to make continued improvement and colleague Engaugment,

We continue to use the Verification system to maintain a high level of accurate reporting on our fuel usage consumption, driver behaviour and driver style, we have newly appointed Lester Childs as our FORS champion and communication champ with specific challenges on travel communication and to maintain and report our performance against the FORS criteria.

Section 10 – (Optional) Please provide your social media contact details so we can follow your organisation

EBS  Website , and EBS Facebook pages are both in place and updated , the website has links to our services the company history and is user friendly and automatically links to any questions or information any potential customer would want to know.

We also have personal Linked in pages and will review an addition of the company page in the near future.

 

Section 11 – FORS members’ feedback questionnaire

Please could you take the time to complete a short questionnaire and provide feedback about FORS. Please note all answers you provide will be strictly confidential and will only be used by FORS to help us to improve the scheme. To access the survey, please click the link here: https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=153908006313

Questionnaire completed

*Please note: All published FORS Gold case studies have been submitted by the accredited company named above and transcribed verbatim