Emplas has become one of only a handful of window and door companies to become Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) accredited, having successfully completed a rigorous assessment of its fleet management processes.
FORS is a voluntary scheme which helps leading businesses across sectors, to improve operator safety, fuel efficiency and to lower fleet emissions.
Having gone through a detailed assessment, Emplas has achieved FORS Bronze, the first, but a significant step forward on its journey to FORS Gold status.
This delivers a direct advantage to Emplas customers by increasing safety – but also specifically to Emplas’ customers working in the commercial space, as Emily Earl, Emplas Transport Manager, explained.
“To achieve FORS, we’re inspected against every part of our operation from recruitment, driver health and safety and well-being; complaints; how we deal, record and learn from any infringements. It’s about policies, processes and risk assessments”, she said.
“The advantage that it delivers is that it makes us better at what we do which benefits all of our customers. For some of the customers we work with who operate in the commercial sector, it’s an added advantage as it clears us for delivery to certain sites that we wouldn’t be able to access otherwise.
“It makes us tighter and better at what we do.”
Emplas operates a 14-vehicle fleet. This includes 10 HGVs which exclusively use low emission Euro 6 engines. This includes delivery of two brand new Volvo FM Rigid 18-tonne trucks at the end of August.
This has contributed to a 15% fuel reduction in the last year while Emplas is working to build-in a further 10-20% reduction in emissions through the introduction of new route planning software.
Emily continued: “A lot of the things that we’re assessed against like working to lower and monitor fuel consumption we’re doing anyway.
“What FORS gives you is a recognised framework in which to operate, from how you develop vehicle lists, how you deal with infringements, training and support, how you communicate across the team, as well as setting timeframes for review.
“We’ve also appointed internal champions for different areas of the scheme, for example emissions, health and safety, and security and operations to drive further improvements.
“Our customers know that we are doing everything as a business that we can to get product to them on time and safely.”
Jody Vincent, Sales Director, Emplas added: “The FORS assessment brings together a lot of the things that we were doing but gives us an additional accreditation which directly benefits customers working on new build sites where FORS accreditation is a requirement.
“Maximising efficiencies within our fleet, while upholding the highest standards of safety, is a benefit to everyone.”
