星空传媒

It is crucial to get a logistics solution that is custom-designed to your exact requirements. One that makes your day-to-day operations more efficient, more productive, more cost-effective and hassle-free, and one that works best for your business and not that of the solution provider.

We believe in getting as close as possible to understanding the client's business. This means that the vehicles, equipment, drivers and management team that we dedicate to a client operation are perfectly matched to the customer's operational requirements and, in terms of personnel, are thoroughly understanding of the client's requirements and sympathetic to its special needs. This enables us to set the day-to-day resources at the right level and then bring in extra resources to support peaks of business as required.

The right mix of vehicles

Because of the unique nature of the products to be transported and unloaded most manufacturers require a unique mix of vehicles and this is where our expertise in understanding a customer's business really pays dividends. After analysing a customer's delivery patterns and its use of stillages, pallets or cradles for transporting glass products we will always look for the most cost-effective vehicular solution to the customer's needs. This may be as simple as slightly altering the overall height or length of a standard curtainside truck body to maximise carrying capacity, thus saving the customer the expense of specialised and more costly vehicles.

However, there are also many logistics operations that require specialised vehicles to ensure that products are delivered safely and efficiently. Hydraulic cranes can be fitted and bodywork that has opening sides, rear and even roof can be custom-built to meet specific needs. Such vehicles can be expensive for manufacturers to purchase outright and, as such, can a negative impact on their balance sheets. In addition, such specialised vehicles can be harder to dispose of at the end of the useful life.

Contract hiring of vehicles relieves glass manufacturers of this burden and ensures that they always have modern, high-specification and well maintained vehicles to ensure that customer requirements are always well met. In fact, understanding the client's business is also key to cost savings that can be made, for instance, by optimising route planning and even working with suppliers to collect raw materials when client vehicles would otherwise be returning to base empty. This gives the customer better control of the supply chain.

Kite's example

Contract hiring of vehicles can relieve glass and window businesses of the burden of running a fleet of specialised vehicles, claims Ryder

An example of a successful customer-logistics provider partnership is that between Ryder and Weybridge-based Kite Glass, one of the UK's leading suppliers and installers of quality toughened glass products for architectural, commercial, home improvement, vehicle and marine window applications.

Since being established in 1986, as a division of Efco Ltd, Kite Glass has invested heavily in the latest plant and technology at its 44,000 sq ft factory. The company's commitment to outstanding quality of product and service has seen it win a number of major contracts at prestigious locations such as the Science Museum in London; the Greater London Authority's eye-catching headquarters on the South Bank; Newmarket Racecourse, Gatwick Airport and the stunning new Wembley Stadium complex.

Free from distractions

鈥楰ite Glass is a highly specialised company and our goal is to manufacturer glass products of the highest quality and install them to the highest possible standard,' comments Leroy Reed, General Manager. 鈥楻unning your own fleet of vehicles is too much of a distraction for any business, so it was essential that we outsourced the day-to-day running of our vehicles to free up valuable management time to focus on what we do best - running our business.

鈥業 had experienced excellent customer service from Ryder at a previous company, so I brought them on board when I joined Kite Glass as I was confident they would provide us with the trouble-free vehicle fleet we required. Our trucks range from 3.5t up to 26t and have very specialised bodywork and equipment. Ryder proved they were the perfect partner for us as they were able to supply the exact specification of vehicles that we required. Some of these trucks are equipped with sliding roofs, to allow purpose-design stillages to be lifted out, and some are even fitted with onboard hydraulic cranes.' Ryder operates more than 16,000 vehicles from 34 locations across the UK.