Sibley chooses Merridale fuelling equipment for support and reliability

Having decided to upgrade its depot fuelling facilities in 2014, Sibley Material Movements Ltd  approached MDM Services of Cardiff, a specialist forecourt contractor, to advise on the existing tank condition, pump dispensers and the choice of fuel management.

“The upgrade was carried out in two stages,” explains managing director John Sibley. “Our immediate priority was to replace the ageing pump dispensers.”

Two new Merridale commercial pumps were installed; one capable of delivering high flow rates for the HGVs and the second providing standard flow of 50 litres/minute, which is more suitable for vans and cars. Initially both pumps were connected to the existing fuel management control unit.

“The main advantage of the web based service is that I can access my reports anywhere. Even if I am at home I can simply log in to have a look. I can get my reports off at any time day or night.”

“We deferred the replacement of the fuel management system because of the on-going development of web-based subscription services, which potentially, were a more cost effective alternative to purchasing and installing software on the company’s own computer server.”

John Sibley continues. “This was finally resolved with the implementation of the Merridale FuelWorks service.  Fuelling data is captured by a pedestal mounted Merridale GX control panel. This records all the fuelling transactions, which are then uploaded by Merridale for the production of online status, analysis and management reports.”

Sibley Material Movements Ltd is a well-known Southampton based family business.  John Sibley can trace its roots back to a general store set up by his great grandfather, Thomas Sibley in 1896. In addition to general provisions, Thomas also supplied coke, coal and gravel for paths.

Over the years the business has shifted its focus onto the construction sector and the transport fleet is exclusively made up of heavy tippers used for the delivery of gravel and other unformed building materials such roadstone, asphalt, sands and recycled ballast. Key accounts include local concrete production units.

The company’s depot facilities include a fully equipped HGV engineering workshop, enabling Sibley to undertake vehicle maintenance in-house. Capacity is also available to offer technical support for vehicle hydraulics and vehicle servicing up to MoT standards for third party operators. Additionally, Sibley provides depot facilities for 20 vans operated by Tructyre, a national network of commercial vehicle tyre supply and support solutions.

“Tructyre offers complementary HGV support services and we have a good working relationship, and this includes fuelling facilities,” John Sibley continues.

“Clearly this has to be done properly. The fuelling point is compliant with Trading Standards requirements for product resale and we are using the Merridale FuelWorks service to track their usage.”

“We have been using depot fuelling for thirty years and as a business we are well aware of the benefits of accurate fuel management.  We want to know what the fleet is doing in terms of usage and mpg performance. The Merridale system tells us exactly where we stand.”

“From the moment the Merridale was fitted, I watched our fleet fill up that night, making sure that the initial mileage input from the vehicle odometer readings was correct. From logging on I was so impressed, it was easiest thing in the book. The main advantage of the web based service is that I can access my reports anywhere. Even if I am at home I can simply log in to have a look. I can get my reports off at any time day or night.”

Currently Sibley operates 13 HGV tippers and an engineering support van. Fuel usage is running at around 25,000 litres a month – costing around ￡300,000 per annum. The Merridale service enables fuel usage to be costed against purchase price and assigned to different accounts or vehicle groups.

John Sibley concludes by saying. “Whilst technology has improved, the construction industry has been through many challenges.  Each of our tippers represents a capital investment in the order of ￡115K.

“We are under constant pressure in a highly competitive market and therefore it is imperative that we have total visibility of all our fuel usage and other operating costs. Ultimately this is about sustainability. The company’s commitment to keep our promises to its customers is underwritten by our ability to operate the business efficiently and as a profitable enterprise.”