VAN FLEETS ARE MISSING OUT ON VALUABLE SAVINGS, WARNS ATS EUROMASTER
17 April 2014
ATS Euromaster is urging van operators to strongly consider setting up a formal tyre policy – else they could be paying over the odds for their tyres and reducing fleet efficiency.
The country’s largest commercial vehicle tyre specialist warns that LCV tyres should not be considered a low cost option, as the operational tyre costs of running a modern van fleet are no longer that far removed from that of a fleet of trucks.
A recent survey undertaken by the Freight Transport Association of its van operating members, in conjunction with Van Excellence industry partner ATS Euromaster, revealed a third of respondents did not have a tyre policy in place.
Fleets without a tyre policy risk paying more for their tyres as standardising on one brand can often enable a better fleet discount. An expertly managed policy also has the potential to save businesses huge amounts in running costs, through maximising the longevity, safety, performance and fuel-efficiency of each asset.
Simon Tattersall, ATS Euromaster’s Head of National Accounts, says: “The results highlighted that there are still a significant number of van fleets missing out on potentially valuable savings to their bottom line.
“A comprehensive policy, where regular inspections are carried out by experienced technicians, allows tyres to be closely monitored. This helps to guard against unexpected downtime and ensures replacements are fitted at the optimal time.”
Mark Cartwright, FTA’s Head of Vans, says: “It's staggering to discover that so many don't have a tyre policy in place. Safety is at the core of everything Van Excellence stands for, and to us it makes common sense to introduce a policy similar to which ATS Euromaster offers, it not only can help save costs but most importantly improve safety standards.”
ATS Euromaster suggests rapid e-commerce growth and the need for deliveries to be made quickly to individual customers is leading to a rise in the number of fleets running vans. In particular, it says truck operators are increasingly looking to amend the make-up of their vehicle parc to include more vans, which are easier to operate in a home delivery environment.
Tattersall explains: “As numbers grow, the complexity of running a van operation increases and the process of fleet management becomes more akin to running trucks. Often vans must make timed deliveries, so having a fixed tyre policy in place is crucial to ensure productivity and uptime is maximised.”
ATS Euromaster will be demonstrating its van service, maintenance and repair skills on its stand at this year’s CV Show in Birmingham, which opens on 29 April. It will also be giving away its essential ’25 top tips’ guide, which recommends simple steps to help run van fleets operate more efficiently.
The guide will also be available to download at www.atseuromaster.co.uk/business from 29 April.
ends
About ATS Euromaster
Birmingham-based ATS Euromaster Ltd, part of the Euromaster Group, was established in 1965 and operates approximately 345 centres, more than 820 service vans and employs nearly 2,600 people, providing coverage across Great Britain. It is the country’s largest comprehensive tyre distributor, supplying tyres for cars, vans, trucks, buses/coaches, materials handling equipment, agricultural machinery and construction plant. The company’s expertise also extends to car and van service, maintenance and repair (SMR), including: menu-driven servicing, Class IV & Class VII MoT tests, brakes, batteries, shock absorbers, oil, exhausts, fault diagnostics and air-conditioning servicing. ATS Euromaster is accredited by both safecontractor and the Contractors Health and Safety Scheme (CHAS) and has been granted a Royal Warrant as tyre specialists to Her Majesty The Queen. It is also an official ‘industry partner’ to the Freight Transport Association’s Van Excellence programme. For further information visit: http://www.atseuromaster.co.uk/business
About Van Excellence
Van Excellence is an industry wide scheme to recognise excellence and improve standards amongst van operators. Van Excellence currently has 70 accredited operators running 110,000 vans. Watch out for the Van Excellence tick logo on the rear of these vans.
Note to editor: For press information visit ATS Euromaster’s online newsroom or contact Faye McBride or James Keeler on 020 8647 4467, or by email to faye.mcbride@garnettkeeler.com / james.keeler@garnettkeeler.com.
ATS/515/14
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