Contaminated Fuel Crisis - The Uplift

In March 2007 year Adler and Allan received one of their most important and demanding emergency response calls in their history.

In what has become known as the ‘2007 contaminated fuel crisis’ three of the nation’s major supermarket chains Tesco, Morrisons and ASDA, requested an emergency response uplift of millions of litres of contaminated fuel from their petrol forecourts around the country.

Adler and Allan were immediately appointed as one of the few national operators who would have the scale and renowned customer commitment to handle such a crisis within the deadline.

Under extremely tight deadlines and working to round the clock schedules, Adler and Allan rapidly deployed over 30 vehicles which would become dedicated solely to uplifting over 3 million litres of contaminated fuel at hundreds of sites across the UK, with just weeks to complete the task.

The project was completed within the agreed deadline and despite the huge, negative press coverage, all the supermarket petrol forecourts returned to normal business levels the month following the crisis.

It was at the end of February 2007, consumers first began reporting vehicle running problems from fuels purchased at major supermarket forecourts, predominantly in the south east. This was identified as contaminated petrol which was affecting the engine management system.  The result was that all these vehicles began to run badly, slow down and even break down.

Trading standards officials then launched an investigation into the problem after receiving such a large number of complaints from motorists. The ‘crisis’ received massive media coverage across TV stations and press groups and forecourt services for fuel supply were severely disrupted whilst consumers were up in arms at the effects on their vehicles.

The national supermarket chains and contracted hauliers including DHL were left with the massive problem of identifying, uplifting and replacing all contaminated fuel supplies across the country within the shortest timescale possible to minimise disruption and profit loss.

Adler and Allan were quickly appointed by Tesco and DHL (acting on behalf of ASDA and Morrisons) and began uplifting the first loads of contaminated fuel within 24 hours of the request. A&A assembled teams and vehicles to operate at exceptionally high professional standards with every activity on site being closely scrutinised.  

Every affected site, well over 250 forecourts across the country, had to have fuel batches identified for source, tested via the supermarkets appointed laboratories before the uplifts and tank flushing could take place. The logistics management to co-ordinate this pushed all the teams involved to the limits as they all worked to minimise consumer disruption and rapidly bring fuel supply services back to normal. At Adler and Allan, an appointed senior management team worked a 24/7 contact matrix management structure with the supermarkets to ensure all our resources were maximised and communications kept open at all times.

Having taken the brunt of the media coverage, Tesco took out full-page national media adverts stating that its fuel was "back to normal and we're sorry", seeking to reassure motorists, such was the effect of the negative publicity.

The contaminated fuel crisis project has impacted A&A in a number of positive ways:

• It has further boosted morale of the teams involved in the project following on other major projects during 2006 and illustrated their capabilities in a challenging, time critical and pressurised environment.  

• The Health and Safety regime that was insisted upon at Buncefield during 2006 was an excellent standard to work from, with personnel applying well practised and successful health and safety procedures.

• It was a great opportunity to bring together staff from across the Adler and Allan Group nationwide (including from its subsidiary, Industrial Water Jetting Systems Ltd.) sharing expertise and best practice.

• Adler and Allan worked an innovative 24/7 internal contact matrix management structure with the parties involved to ensure all our resources were maximised.

• We have built excellent relationships with supermarket customers and their hauliers which has helped set best practice examples within the industry which can be passed on both internally and externally.

The comments from all parties involved in the contaminated fuel crisis uplift regarding Adler and Allen’s performance has been excellent and gives a very positive testimonial to our levels of customer service commitment.

For any further information please contact Alan Scrafton, Group Marketing Manager on 020 8555 7111.