One hallmark of successful organisations is that they take nothing for granted and constantly seek improvements. Stiller Warehousing and Distribution, based in Newton Aycliffe, is a family-run business with 60 years of experience in cost-effective regional and national logistics. When refuelling analysis showed that significant cost savings are offered by Dieselink, part of The Fuel Card Group, it was ready to switch from its previous longstanding supplier.
Andrew Winney, Stiller’s finance director, said: “We had been using fuel cards from the same supplier for five years, but we reviewed regularly. It became clear that Dieselink offered greater savings so, as the whole point of fuel cards is to save money, changing suppliers made obvious commercial sense. Any reservations we might have had were dispelled by knowing that Dieselink is backed by a major multinational PLC. Its credibility was enhanced by the fact that, like us, it had invested in achieving ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification.”
Stiller operates a mixed fleet of 60 vehicles, including cars and vans among the predominating HGVs. All are diesel-powered and are refuelled using the UK Fuels fuel card, supplied by Dieselink. This gives Stiller drivers access to more than 1,000 forecourts nationwide, including every major brand, motorway service stations and even supermarkets. It typically achieves a saving of up to 4p per litre on national average pump prices and up to 10p per litre on motorway refuelling. Still also avoids the increasingly common network fees and transaction charges imposed by other fuel card companies.
“Our dedicated account manager, Michael, is extremely helpful,” said Andrew Winney, “and quick to respond to any request or query. Our key aim is to keep costs down and he works tirelessly to ensure that Dieselink pricing is the best available.”
Steve Clarke, marketing manager for The Fuel Card Group, said: “Fuel is a major cost item for anyone in distribution and logistics. Stiller needs to be able to rely on top quality fuels at competitive prices, week after week, which is what Dieselink delivers.”
Stiller also benefits from reduced administration, with a single weekly invoice covering every transaction for the whole fleet. The gap between refuelling and automatic direct debit payment means up to two weeks of interest-free credit, while the use of eServices for online account management means that fuel procurement can now be totally paperless.