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How United Agri Products recruited a full complement of excellent staff in only two months

United Agri Products, a leading agrochemical company, were setting up a major logistics centre and they needed more than 30 specialist drivers, plus warehouse staff, very quickly.

From a shortlist of agencies they chose Driving Power, who appointed a dedicated manager to the project.

Within two months, all the staff had been recruited, skill-assessed and selected - and the project manager transferred to the client to manage them.

The client gained:

• The full complement of staff on time

• A transport specialist to manage them

• The ongoing support of Driving Power temporary staff for seasonal peaks

• Time to concentrate on the core demands of setting up a new logistics centre

The Challenge

United Agri Products provides technical advice and specialist products to help farmers increase their crop yields. They were rationalising their distribution to provide an even better service to farmers and this meant setting up a major new logistics centre at Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, full staffed with specialist delivery drivers and forklift operators.

The deadline for appointing staff was only two months and the area has near-full employment. The client needed expert local support to attract the right people quickly.

They also needed drivers to be focused on customer service and committed to completing their deliveries, however remote the locations and whatever the difficulties.

Recruitment was further complicated by uncertainty over how many existing staff would transfer to the new centre.

The Solution

From a shortlist of our local agencies, the client chose Driving Power. "We felt comfortable straight away", said Andrew Smith, UAP Logistics Manager. "They had the full range of services we needed. They could supply permanent and temporary staff, they had excellent local knowledge but they are national, too, which is the way we work. It was a perfect fit and they made it easy for us."

To meet the deadline and ensure the necessary level of service, the Driving Power hub recruited a distribution specialist to manage the project exclusively, and trained him intensively in the necessary selection procedures.

The Benefits

United Agri Products were able to leave staffing to Driving Power and focus their own attention on establishing the new centre.

With their local knowledge to structure the right package and a dedicated specialist on the project, Driving Power recruited the full complement of staff within the two-month timeframe.

The skill levels were guaranteed by Driving Power's specialist skills assessments, including Routeskill. This identifies drivers who have first-class route-planning skills, a responsible attitude and the desire to put the customer first.

Warehouse staff were assessed using Ultradex another in-depth Manpower programme to identify the skills and attributes essential for productivity - such as dexterity, co-ordination and the ability to sustain quality throughout the shift.

The client gained a further benefit when Driving Power's project manager competed successfully for the Transport Co-ordinator's position in the centre. He joined the client to manage the staff he appointed. "The continuity is perfect," Andrew Smith said "It also makes it easier for us to work with Driving Power on planning additional temporary staff for seasonal peaks."

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