Briggs and Bibby Reinforce Partnership with £1.5m Contracts
19th June 2017
Asset management and engineering services specialist Briggs Equipment is continuing to develop its partnership with Bibby Distribution following the 3PL’s decision to expand its fleet in Wakefield and Corby.
With an overall value of more than £1.5million over five years, this latest logistics solution is built around Yale three-wheel electric forklift trucks, low level order pickers and ride-on platform pallet trucks. Special options include Philadelphia Scientific IBOS battery change systems and Optafleet Management Systems.
Briggs has also supplied five Aisle-Master very narrow aisle articulated forklift trucks and a Hako ride-on scrubber/drier at each site with a Genie scissor lift also introduced at the Corby depot. All of the equipment has been acquired on contract hire including full repair and maintenance support from Briggs.
At G Park, near Wakefield, where Bibby Distribution has invested in a 1million sq ft new-build depot, Briggs has supplied 16 machines with a contract value of £558,000. Located close to the M62, the facility serves as a distribution hub for Bibby customers operating in the North of England and is currently supporting a number of national retailers and grocers.
In a separate, new contract valued at £939,000, Briggs is supporting the Max Park depot in Corby, a central hub for Bibby Distribution’s operations in the East Midlands, which has taken delivery of 20 additional machines. Max Park doubled in size to 424,000 sq. ft. last year, when Bibby invested in an additional warehouse, and is currently the company’s largest distribution facility supporting a variety of food manufacturing and retail customers.
The decision to invest in extra equipment was driven by consolidation among Bibby’s supermarket customers in Corby and a new contract win with confectionery manufacturer Tangerine Sweets in Wakefield. Briggs Equipment won the contracts because it has gained an in-depth understanding of Bibby’s business and has been able to tailor its contract management approach accordingly. These latest contracts offer a high degree of flexibility, giving Bibby Distribution the option to add or remove units at either site to meet business demands without incurring onerous penalties.
The total solution provided by Briggs Equipment incorporates full repair and maintenance support from a team of skilled engineers that enjoy a longstanding relationship with Bibby Distribution. Again, they can call on experience and understanding of the 3PL’s business to ensure that servicing is carried out with minimum disruption.
Adam Purshall, Head of Fleet & Procurement at Bibby Distribution (left), said: “Over the past five years our two organisations have developed a genuine understanding and this is now paying dividends in the way our partnership is evolving. Briggs is the only supplier that can offer us the kind of service and overall support that fits in with the way we run our business.”
Since Bibby Distribution is looking to drive down costs, Briggs Equipment’s market-leading asset management tool has an increasingly important role to play. Bibby was an early adopter of the BE Portal technology and has been benefiting from complete transparency and greater control over fleet performance. The new equipment has been added to the system, enabling Bibby’s depot managers to see at a glance how their machines are performing, while Briggs will use the data proactively to ensure the company is able to maximise its investment and enhance productivity, whilst continuing to adhere to safety best practice.
John Powney, Customer Contract Manager at Briggs Equipment (right), said: “These new contracts reinforce the value that Bibby Distribution puts on our ability to understand its needs and manage its materials handling resource in accordance with demands on the business at any given time. We take the time to find out what works for Bibby so that we can deliver a customised service.”
Operating 2.2million sq ft of warehouse space across 90 locations in the UK, Bibby Distribution supports businesses involved in everything from primary production to multi-channel retailing with logistics, warehousing, distribution and IT support. It also offers a host of added value services to help its customers derive maximum value from their supply chain.