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How Calor guarantee deliveries when the heat is on

Calor, the liquid petroleum gas company, solved their driver supply problems by switching to Driving Power. They now have the flexibility they need for their highly seasonal business, and they have seen performance rise - especially when demand peaks in the critical winter months.

The switch has given Calor:

• A responsive, professional driving service

• Improved supply of the vital ADR-qualified drivers

• Driver availability to ensure all schedules can be met

• Increased productivity through retention of drivers who know their business

The Challenge

Calor supplies liquid petroleum gas in bulk and packages for commercial and domestic uses from heating to aerosol propellants. Their primary distribution operation delivers raw materials to their filling plants and break-bulk locations, and secondary distribution delivers from these to end-user customers.

They operate a fleet of 38 - 44 tonne articulated tankers and 38 tonne cylinder trailers, and cover about 5 million miles a year, delivering some 500,000 tonnes.

Demand is highly seasonal, so they need the flexibility to increase and decrease driver headcount, and they need a very specific type of driver.

Calor's National Trunking Manager, John Chambers, controlling 10 depots, said: "We need ADR-trained drivers, at least 25-years old, with a minimum of 2-years experience. They must be well turned-out, highly aware of customer service and extremely safety conscious".

The Solution

Calor's existing agency service was deteriorating, and communications were very bad with both Calor and the drivers. From a shortlist of three new suppliers, Calor chose Driving Power. "We were immediately impressed with the people at Driving Power," John Chambers said. "I needed people who would give me service and tell the truth. I saw immediately that this was Driving Power's way. They're professionals, they're committed, they understand our business and they've got the national coverage we need."

The Benefits

Driving Power supply up to 60 drivers, including 30 'core drivers', who are contracted long term. A major benefit is the 99% retention rate of these core drivers. It gives Calor the ongoing service of people who know their routes and requirements inside out. Retention is one of seven Key Performance Indicators that Driving Power work to. The minimum percentage achieved in most cases is 98-100.

"Driving Power have transformed our driver supply," John Chambers said. "They started by transferring 35 drivers from our previous agency without losing any of them, and everything else has gone equally well since. We have drivers available when we need them, particularly in the winter when the demand is greatest. Communication is excellent all round, and any issues are dealt with straight away. It's a thoroughly professional and responsive service. And it's the same all over the UK. Scotland, for example, did an outstanding job recruiting additional drivers when I moved the Calor Aerosol Propellant operation from Southampton to Scotland and the Midlands."

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