UniChem prescribes Merridale (Part 1)
Leading pharmaceutical wholesaler, UniChem has updated its depot fuel storage and administration with the
implementation of Merridale pumps and fuel management software across its national network of ten regional
distribution centres. Each installation has been equipped with a single Merridale combined pump and Auditor
FS access control unit and software operating license. The system automatically records details of all
transactions and provides desktop office facilities to support local management and the cross charging
of fuel drawn by authorised vehicles from the UniChem fleet.
The implementation has brought all of the sites up to a common and unified fuel management system which is now standard throughout the organisation. Details of all external transactions by agency cards are imported into the system, thereby enabling the maintenance of complete vehicle fuel usage and costing records. As well as providing additional security for diesel fuel oil, the information provides the visibility needed for more effective control of this valuable asset. The Windows based software creates monthly reports against specific vehicles, which is used for re-charging and mpg economy performance calculations. Fuel data can also be exported to a higher level fleet management package for further analysis.
UniChem is a national distributor and wholesaler of pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare products. Basically this covers virtually everything, including prescription medicines that can be obtained from a pharmacy. Currently the business serves over 5,700 pharmacies and hospitals throughout the UK, offering a twice-daily delivery service.
From its headquarters in Chessington, Surrey the business operates through a network of autonomous branches, each of which acts as a regional distribution centres with responsibility for its own fleet of transit size delivery vans and larger commercial vehicles. For trunking the company has a fleet of Scania Tractor units pulling a mixed fleet of standard and large capacity double deck trailers, operating from a central distribution centre located in the East Midlands, just off the M1 at South Normanton, Derbyshire.
Fleet administration for the group is provided by a central operations department with regional managers covering a number of branches. This operating structure is backed up by transport operatives who are responsible for day-to-day operations at individual branch level.
As fleet administration manager for the northern region, Derek Paget was given responsibility for introducing the new fuel management system across the entire national network. The project was formulated as part of a company wide initiative for introducing Best Practice with business procedures being standardised, as much as possible, across all of the company's operations.
Explains Derek Paget: "All aspects of the company's business are under review and the objective is to bring all activities up to the standard of the most successful practice within any part of the organisation. With a total fleet size of around 500 commercial vehicles and drivers, transport operations were naturally an important element of this review."
The implementation has brought all of the sites up to a common and unified fuel management system which is now standard throughout the organisation. Details of all external transactions by agency cards are imported into the system, thereby enabling the maintenance of complete vehicle fuel usage and costing records. As well as providing additional security for diesel fuel oil, the information provides the visibility needed for more effective control of this valuable asset. The Windows based software creates monthly reports against specific vehicles, which is used for re-charging and mpg economy performance calculations. Fuel data can also be exported to a higher level fleet management package for further analysis.
UniChem is a national distributor and wholesaler of pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare products. Basically this covers virtually everything, including prescription medicines that can be obtained from a pharmacy. Currently the business serves over 5,700 pharmacies and hospitals throughout the UK, offering a twice-daily delivery service.
From its headquarters in Chessington, Surrey the business operates through a network of autonomous branches, each of which acts as a regional distribution centres with responsibility for its own fleet of transit size delivery vans and larger commercial vehicles. For trunking the company has a fleet of Scania Tractor units pulling a mixed fleet of standard and large capacity double deck trailers, operating from a central distribution centre located in the East Midlands, just off the M1 at South Normanton, Derbyshire.
Fleet administration for the group is provided by a central operations department with regional managers covering a number of branches. This operating structure is backed up by transport operatives who are responsible for day-to-day operations at individual branch level.
As fleet administration manager for the northern region, Derek Paget was given responsibility for introducing the new fuel management system across the entire national network. The project was formulated as part of a company wide initiative for introducing Best Practice with business procedures being standardised, as much as possible, across all of the company's operations.
Explains Derek Paget: "All aspects of the company's business are under review and the objective is to bring all activities up to the standard of the most successful practice within any part of the organisation. With a total fleet size of around 500 commercial vehicles and drivers, transport operations were naturally an important element of this review."
Explains Derek Paget: "All aspects of the company's business are under review and the objective is to
bring all activities up to the standard of the most successful practice within any part of the
organisation. With a total fleet size of around 500 commercial vehicles and drivers, transport
operations were naturally an important element of this review."
Every year the UniChem fleet covers some 13 million miles, equivalent to 250,000 miles a week. "The auditing process covers department efficiencies and legalities in respect of our Fleet Operating licences. We need to be vigilant in ensuring that the company is compliant with any current or pending legal provisions, such as the working time directive," Derek adds.
One aspect which makes UniChem unusual is the company's dedicated transport operations, delivering to customers twice a day, Monday - Friday and once on a Saturday. Orders placed during the morning are delivered during the afternoon, and the orders placed later in the day are processed during the night and delivered on the following morning.
"Computer systems are crucial to stock control and fulfilling customer orders for such a high speed turnover. We are therefore very computer orientated and the upgrade of our in-house fuelling systems was part of an ongoing strategy for implementing modern information technology systems," says Derek Paget.
"This harnessing of technology has even progressed to the stage where all UniChem delivery vans are fitted with Telematics tracking equipment providing additional flexibility on the road."
For more information on the Merridale range of fuel management systems, pumps and tank gauges,
visit www.merridale.co.uk.
www.fuelmanagement.co.uk/unichem.htm