News
Moorland Fuels – Becoming part of the landscape
Dartmoor has a harsh, unyielding landscape which is intersected by narrow roads and small country lanes connecting houses and communities together. Deliveries on the moor can be difficult at the best of times, but trying to deliver fuel in the heart of winter along snowy, icy roads brings a whole new meaning to the word “difficult.” It is a challenge that Okehampton-based Moorland Fuels relishes
“We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver,” said Moorland Fuels’ managing director, Ben More. “We like to consider ourselves the fourth emergency service, having the ability to deliver to some extremely remote places, keeping people’s homes warm and their livelihoods secure.”
New tanker joins the fleet
Moorland Fuels recently bought a new tanker from the Maine Group. Ben explained: “Maine was our chosen supplier because they understood the difficulties facing a small company, both financially and geographically. The result of the partnership was a narrow track tanker specifically designed for use in hard-to-navigate areas, both on the moor and in towns and villages. “It plays a vital role in our fleet of vehicles and is a welcome sight for many of our more remote customers,” added Ben.
The new vehicle is unique in that both its tank and pumping/metering equipment are produced by the same company, Maine. “This “one stop shop” has obvious advantages,” said Ben. “Only one place to go with problems and one less profit margin to pay, as other tanker builders purchase equipment from independent metering equipment manufacturers. Maine, like Moorland, are finding their way in a crowded market by trying to do things better and more efficiently but with customer service uppermost in their thoughts.” Both hope for continued success together.
Impressive growth
The addition of the new tanker brings the fleet to five – impressive growth in a tough economic climate for this Devonshire distributor. The tanker’s eye-catching artwork shows Dartmoor’s most visited granite tor – the legendary Haytor. Artwork was designed by Bristol-based Cohort Designs and customised by KBS Signs in Exeter.
“We see ourselves to be part of the Dartmoor landscape,” said Ben. “We’re constantly looking for ways to improve our service to customers. We recently launched a new website
www.moorlandfuels.co.uk to provide more information to our customers about heating oil, tank replacements and boiler servicing. It’s also a good place to catch up on company and industry news.”
Many customers support Moorland Fuels because it is local and a fully independent distributor. “They know we source quality products at the most competitive price to meet the demands of their industry, farm and home.” The company works closely with its contracted supplier, BWOC, who were instrumental in supporting the start up of Moorland Fuels with both supplies and advice. This relationship ensures Moorland Fuels is able to keep an extensive stock of fuels to meet customer requirements.