Procon Readymix Ltd are a leading supplier of Ready Mixed Concrete and are based in Wembley, London. We currently operate a fleet of 18 x 32 tonne Concrete mixers. With extensive experience in supplying concrete and construction solutions Procon Readymix Ltd serves a diverse range of projects and schemes. We provide services to both large scale framework contracts and major works whilst also providing a provision of smaller quantities for one off projects and maintenance. Since joining FORS the business has seen an improvement in the fleet’s emissions and fuel usage. Paul Shea, Transport Manager and FORS Practitioner of Procon Readymix Ltd says the FORS accreditation continues to benefit Procon’s business, fleet renewals and staff awareness Operations Director, Christian Vale, explains how the company has achieved significant improvements through FORS.
The company were made aware of the FORS standard back in 2014 following discussions with clients and industry contacts. Whilst the company were confident with their systems in place they then set about aligning its policies and procedures with the FORS standard. By keeping compliant with the FORS standard the safety aspect of our operations has
greatly increased. After achieving FORS Bronze in 2014 the company knew that they had a benchmark from where to develop the business and use the framework of FORS to progress even further In the future. We achieved FORS Silver Accreditation back in 2015 and we now feel that we are operating at the highest levels of our industry and the time is right for the company to take the next step in achieving FORS Gold accreditation.
The initial bronze audit was passed at the first attempt and was beneficial to Procon Readymix Ltd as the FORS standard helped us improve as an operator. As a company FORS has assisted us in making regular operational improvements. In observing the FORS standard we now complete regular checks on the health, fitness and welfare of our drivers, which also makes the drivers feel cared for by the company. FORS accreditation has seen the company adopt a much enhanced communication policy whereby an annual communication plan has seen an increase in driver awareness and knowledge.
Once we achieved Bronze accreditation we decided to progress to the next level, Silver accreditation, as we wanted to further improve safety and efficiency figures along with improving our company profile. After gaining a better understanding of FORS we quickly progressed achieving our FORS Silver accreditation in 2015. We saw the benefits immediately, from In vehicle technology to driver training both in classroom and the suite of E-learning modules to help keep all our drivers training current and up to date. All of our vehicles are Euro VI and also have the latest technology to not only assist the drivers but also vulnerable road users and also assisting in reducing insurance claims.
As a business we realised that FORS gave us the framework on which to develop our admin activities, i.e, our driver health monitoring and licence checking become part of a planned process and is kept closely monitored. Being accredited to FORS also ensured that we stayed legal and compliant and also gave us the opportunity to tender for new contracts. Our drivers went onto attend training which ultimately benefited operator compliance and driver awareness of Vulnerable Road Users.
The use of the FORS Training dashboard is a great way monitor and maintain manager & driver training. FORS also offer an abundance of eLearning modules to choose from which I truly believe is extremely beneficial in further educating our transport team. – Christian Vale – (Operations Director)
- At Procon Readymix Ltd all drivers are regularly checked for their health and fitness. Upon starting employment all drivers also sign a medical declaration form and complete an eyesight check at induction, which helps to determine or identify any ongoing health, fitness or eyesight issues. This is followed up periodically or after any reported incident
or near miss report. Any driver returning from sick leave is asked to sign another medical declaration confirming that their health circumstances have not changed. It is also stated in the drivers handbook that if they start taking medication prescribed by their GP, or over the counter drugs, the company has to be informed immediately. 
Our drivers largely come from recommendation, but we are currently reviewing ways to encourage new drivers into the industry via local schools and colleges and adding a recruitment section to the website.- The company has undertaken noise assessments at the Greenford operating centre and noise levels were found to be well within permissible limits on every occasion. In addition, the operating centre is away from domestic dwellings, schools, hospitals and retail establishments. All vehicles are fitted with the latest noise abatement equipment.
- Due to the nature of our operations, in particular the heavy haulage sector, modal shift would be impractical at this moment in time. The company do however assess different modes with clients at each site to determine practicality on a case-by-case basis
Our future plans are to keep upgrading our current fleet of vehicles to meet technological progress and reduce the carbon footprint so that we leave a better Planet for future generations.
We also plan to grow our current client base and continue to update our drivers training to meet FORS requirements and company needs.
Procon Readymix Ltd aim to encourage customers, suppliers and other companies from within the industry to take advantage of the benefits that FORS can bring, by advertising the brand wherever possible.
FORS Gold status is the ultimate accreditation to hold, it demonstrates our commitment to vulnerable road users, road safety, the environment and our customers. Through a
combination of eLearning and FORS Practitioner workshops it gives us a benchmark to constantly improve upon and quickly identify potential issues. We feel that as a company it is of upmost importance that we can demonstrate we are a company that operates at the highest level of compliance and safety not only to our current customers but also for potential future customers.