Inside Track Issue 01 - Spring 2021

Front cover image: Innovative use of reflective vinyls make the new Southern Water branding light up at night.

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CONTENTS 04

Introduction from Barnaby A welcome to the very first issue of Inside Track

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Southern Water Industry annoucement of new vehicles and branding for Southern Water, including an insight into how creative thinking leads to iconic branding.

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Supplier Integration Rob Rudd and Andy Gear provide an insight on the Wales & West Utilities conversion project...

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Great Coffee Moments Lavazza. From humble origins in 1895 to an instantly recognisable brand...

INTRODUCTION FROM BARNABY What a difference a few weeks can make.

Whilst we all understandably remain cautious, there are reasons to be hopeful and optimistic about the weeks and months ahead. Perhaps a resurgent society in Spring and Summer 2021 will show this country at its resilient best, and the business community, which has been patient throughout the troubles, will have a well earned opportunity to throttle up and recover lost ground.

Specifically in the commercial fleet sector we have perhaps been more fortunate than most, with busy order books and plenty of activity. A few pressures here and there on vehicle availability seems a detail concern given what some sectors have faced over recent months.

Lavazza coffee through to major re-brands for E.ON and Npower, and busy factory van schedules for fleets such as Southern Water and Wales and West Utilities. All the while, the percentage of electric vans within these contracts is clearly on the march.

I for one am excited about the road ahead.

There is a growing sense amongst the team at Mediafleet that we are in the midst of a major leap forwards for our company. The combination of electrification and a rapidly changing brand landscape is leading to a very potent mix of project opportunities.

In just the last few months we have been fortunate to work on fleet programs for everything from leading retail brands such as

I hope you enjoy the first issue!

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Hopefully well timed then, I’m delighted to bring you the first edition of our new company magazine, Inside Track. Aiming to provide not just news and commentary on activity at Mediafleet, but also market insight and views and opinions from leading specialists across the industry, we hope that this becomes a helpful monthly catch up for all of our customers and key partners and associates.

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Water for life:

Alphabet partners with Southern Water to deliver fleet with pioneering livery

S

outhern customers

Water

serves

across

4.6

million

Sussex,

Kent,

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and together with

its

customers

provides

sustainable,

and

communities,

high-quality

water

and wastewater services to create a resilient future for water in the South East. With water vital to every aspect of our daily lives, Southern Water works hard to maintain essential services, making its fleet crucial – particularly during these challenging times.

The utility company was looking for a new fleet funding and management partner to help improve its business operations and support it in taking incremental steps towards improved safety and an overall greener fleet.

Alphabet collaborated with Southern Water to first identify new, efficient vans for the fleet and then started work on a groundbreaking livery solution to improve safety for essential workers carrying out operations on the roadside at night.

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Together

with

its

conversion

partner

Mediafleet, Alphabet created a bespoke and pioneering livery using a reflective material developed with Southern Water’s branding team. The new livery provided a solution for both day and night settings, matching brand colours perfectly, in contrast to previous reflective material used, which gave a distorted view of key colours in daylight. This enabled Southern Water to incorporate the vinyl into its logo across its entire portfolio.

The reflective vinyl improves safety for those working on the roadside at night and extends brand awareness throughout more hours of the day.

With Alphabet maintaining business as usual operations throughout national lockdowns, the

project

progressed

without

delay.

360-degree imaging of both the interior and exterior of the vehicles was used to provide Southern Water with a fully remote reviewing process of conversion, meaning decision makers could avoid in-person visits, whilst continuing to progress the build.

Alphabet began replacing Southern Water’s c. 700 LCV fleet in December 2020, delivering an initial batch including Volkswagen Caddy and Crafter, Vauxhall Combo and Vivaro and a Toyota Hilux. 275 orders have been placed so far, with additional orders for over half of Southern Water’s remaining fleet expected to be renewed this year.

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Alphabet provided Southern Water with a new, greener and more efficient fleet of vans Collaboration between Alphabet and Southern Water to create a unique branding solution using reflective vinyl to improve safety for night working and increased brand awareness Innovative ways of working meant that Southern Water was able to review the conversion process remotely using a bespoke portal and 360-degree images

online

our customers and helps increase safety

ordering portal where the full Southern

for those fleets that are required to work

Water conversion catalogue was held,

at night. We’re looking forward to further

including additional CAD drawings and

innovative collaboration with Southern

360-degree images of the completed

Water in 2021, as we continue to transition

vehicles. Managers were able to track

their fleet across to Alphabet.”

Alphabet

also

developed

an

vehicles from point of order through to delivery and access visual representations

Barnaby Smith, Managing Director at

of each vehicle when ordering, giving the

Mediafleet says: “The new vinyl livery we

customer complete transparency.

created for the Southern Water fleet has been a great success, and we’re as thrilled

Martin Mitton, Fleet Contract Manager

as Southern Water is with the results. We

at Southern Water says: “In choosing

believe this new approach to livery will

Alphabet for this contract it was important

become hugely popular across fleets as

we found a supplier who understood

operators start to see its potential. Not

our safety and efficiency needs. We’re

only does it improve visibility of workers at

looking forward to rolling out a new fleet

night, but also increases brand awareness

not only liveried in our new brand but

without compromising the integrity of

with enhanced visibility for our front-line

company branding.”

workers.”

Dan Broom, Corporate Sales Manager at Alphabet (GB) says: “This has been a great project to work on with Southern Water and we’re delighted with the ground-breaking livery we’ve been able to create together. With Southern Water’s focus on safety, we really wanted to provide a bespoke solution that met their requirements, whilst providing exceptional value. The new reflective material offers us a new way to approach branding for 11

SUCCESSFUL SUPPLIER INTEGRATION Rob Rudd and Andy Gear provide an insight on the Wales & West Utilities conversion project...

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Rob Rudd, head of development for Mediafleet Ltd and Andy Gear, sales & marketing director of Modul Systems provide an insight on the recent collaboration for the Wales & West Utilities conversion project.

I

n March 2020, Modul Systems successfully won the contract for the conversion of 195

vehicles joining the Wales & West Utilities fleet.

Andy

Gear:

The

contact

requirements

captured the development of standard conversions for a range of vehicles including Ford, Transit, Custom and Ranger with varying

operational

specifications

and

ancillary equipment requirements. In addition to our standard racking range Modul-System introduced a number of innovative products that reduced operational weight and reduced in-service risk. In addition, the vehicles required a fairly intricate livery design and partial wrap, together with the appropriate safety markings.

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Clearly, it is crucial to select the right livery supply partner for this task. Modul System work hard to deliver a quality and sustainable product that gives our customers on-going confidence that the

End Users are demanding greater competitiveness from their chosen suppliers meaning most markets are moving towards specialist supply to meet this need.

product is fit for purpose and meets their operational needs. When outsourcing this

Rob Rudd: In competitive and developing

important element of the conversion we

business

environments,

had to ensure that we selected a company

enhance

their

that, not only has good intentions and

established

is good at what they do, but mirrored

external

our own customer focussed and agile

demanding more from their prospective

approach to meeting changing challenges

suppliers as they themselves need to

and demands.

compete

resources.

an

order

competitiveness,

supply

in

in

companies End-users

increasingly

to

many utilise are

complex

competitive environment. Consequently, By working this way, we can then be

supply chain organisations need to be able

sure that the agreed project KPI’s will be

to offer increased specialisms in order to

consistently met, but in reality, surpassed.

maintain their competitive advantage and

To achieve this, we distributed a RFP to

retain key customers. Modul Systems,

a number of livery providers. Price and

outsourcing the graphics provisioning to

service levels are of course important,

Mediafleet, is an example of the contract

but what is more important is whether

owner (Modul) identifying the need for

the proposed service levels are in line

service provisioning, which is a mirror

with our own and those of the client’s,

image of their own standards, provided

Wales & West Utilities. After analysing

by an organisation with a track record of

the responses, we were confident that

successful business integration.

Mediafleet would operate as an extension of our own production process and structure.

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Andy Gear: This example of outsourced

possibility of conflict over methodology,

strategy takes advantage of more advanced

preferences, expectations, responsibilities,

and/or lower-priced resources yielding

and priorities. One of Mediafleet’s strengths

greater efficiency, improved quality and

is their ability to adapt seamlessly. When

innovation

working

thereby

bringing

strategic

on

joint

projects

Mediafleet

advantage to Modul Systems. Mediafleet

operate as an extension of our production

has a broad base of competencies from

process working together with a common

design through to graphics application and

goal which is to fully meet customer

after sales care. However, these benefits

expectations and requirements.

could not be realised if the management processes did not align with those of Modul Systems. This not just at a technical or operational level, but at an instinctive level

Successful project delivery means all suppliers pulling on the same rope in the same direction!

that generates a desire to get it right first Rob Rudd: In the case of the Wales &

time, every time.

West Utilities contract, Modul Systems is

Having the right ingredients for a recipe is no guarantee of a ‘tasty’ meal!

the customer, and our duty at Mediafleet is to ensure that Modul’s brand profile is maintained at all times in the eyes of the market. Agreed service levels help to

Rob

Rudd:

‘vehicle

accomplish this. Poorly managed supply

graphics solutions provider’ and that’s all

chain relationships are characterised by

we do. But, to put it another way, we are

adversarial relationships, desire for short

specialists in vehicle graphics provisioning.

term gains, emphasis on cost control at

Some stakeholders in automotive supply

the expense of service levels, and poor

selection underestimate the complexities

communication. A large number of supply

of this discipline. Being able to heat soup

chain providers create service levels with

does not make you a great cook, just as

a total disregard for the customer and/or

being able to print vinyl and stick it on a

end user requirements. They create a rule

vehicle does not make you a great livery

book that they b elieve their customers will

company. There are many intricacies and

like. Service Level Agreements are ‘fluid’

complexities to successful livery supply and

documents that are developed through an

integration within the automotive market.

understanding of customer requirements

It is only when you have experienced first-

and the supplier’s ability to deliver. Working

hand a class leading supplier do these

to and achieving these set levels is the bare

become more obvious.

minimum as far as Mediafleet is concerned.

Mediafleet

is

a

Our market reputation, however, is based Andy

Gear:

Business

management

is

on surpassing service levels.

an example of Mediafleet’s capability.

Supply integration is a cross-functional effort.

However,

business

functionality

and procedures are diverse and when two organisations come together there is the 19

Further benefits Integration

of

Supply

is normally increased operational and procedural synergy making integration easier.

The

overall

effect

of

these

Andy Gear: We all recognise that we are

benefits is realised by the end user who

living in an increasingly fast paced and

receives better products and services

ever-changing

at advantageous pricing. Plus, because

business

environment.

Never has that statement been truer than

specialist

organisations

it is at the moment our customers depend

forefront of development, the end user

on us to deliver on our promise which

that

allows them to focus on managing their

over ‘one stop shops’ receives the future

core business.

proofing they desire.

Products and services have shorter life

The proof of the pudding…

chooses

specialist

are

at

the

organisations

spans than they used to. In the automotive the

Andy Gear: The Wales & West Utilities

industry as ‘lifecycle,’ the period between

conversion programme is well underway

replacement

or

with phase 1 seeing 195 vehicles fully

significant ‘facelifts’ has shrunk from

converted with vehicle graphics applied.

around 10 years in the 1970’s and 80’s to

The application of the graphics took place

around 3-4 years today, CAP’s analysis

at the Modul complex in High Wycombe.

reveals. And the same is true for pretty

The second phase is now underway

much anything from mobile phones to

currently and to date over 223 vehicles

TV’s to vacuum cleaners. Organisations

have been completed.

market

for

example, model

known

in

introductions

with a broad base of supply products and services can struggle to remain competitive

in

these

fast-moving

environments and that is where supply integration offers real benefits.

Rob Rudd: Specialists in product and/ or service creation often have shorter development times leading to significant competitive

advantage.

often

superior,

have

Specialists

highly

tuned

business processes leading to improved productivity. Quality of the product/ service or supply function is usually of a higher standard in specialist organisations.

For specialist organisations operating in a complex supply environment there

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In Summary Rob Rudd: Mediafleet has an ‘adaptive’ approach to working with 3rd party organisations. Team and system integration are crucial and Mediafleet has worked hard to ensure its processes and procedures can be adapted to fit the working methods of partner organisations. The Wales & West project is a great example of joint working to a common goal and it has been a pleasure working with the team at Modul Systems.

Mediafleet has a successful track record in integrating with finance institutions such as leasing companies, as well as vehicle converters, dealers, manufacturers, consultants, to name but a few.

It is the norm for businesses to focus on the essentials of promotion but maybe the most cost-effective promotional tool is that of developing ‘quality business relationships.’

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GREAT COFFEE MOMENTS

Lavazza. From humble origins in 1895 to an instantly recognisable brand...

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1895 26

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The Question is Not ‘How’ but ‘Where’ Do You Like Your Coffee?

Written by Rob Rudd – Head of Development

‘L

avazza Professional’ is 100% dedicated to providing great coffee moments…

in the workplace. Their network of vending systems being supported by the Lavazza fleet and branded by Mediafleet.

The great thing about my role at Mediafleet is that I get to write articles about the work we do for some of the greatest and bestknown brands in the UK, and even around the world. From Avis and Europcar in the rental sector to Western Power Distribution and Octopus Energy in the utility sector and many more besides. So, I was delighted with this opportunity to describe the work we have been doing with a world-wide coffee leader – Lavazza.

Lavazza origins date back to 1895 when

Image courtesy of Lavazza

the founder, Luigi Lavazza, opened a small grocery store and discovered the concept of coffee blending. Luigi founded the Luigi Lavazza Company in 1927.

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Today, Lavazza is part of Luigi Lavazza

Matthew Clewes, head of operations

S.p.A.,

for LAVAZZA Professional Operating

consisting

of

about

30

total

Services

companies.

commented,

“we

are

very

pleased with the outcome of this important In 2018, Lavazza acquired the Mars Drinks

branding project. The Mediafleet team

coffee business from Mars gaining a

understood our business and ensured our

presence

business-to-business

vehicles were only off the road for a very

space. Hence, the Lavazza Professional

short period of time. I would not hesitate

division was born.

to recommend Mediafleet.”

In December, Mediafleet was appointed

Barnaby Smith, managing director of

as the ‘vehicle graphics provider’ for the

Mediafleet, “This has been an interesting

‘Lavazza Professional’ division to brand

project especially as the Lavazza vehicles

around 100 in-fleeted vehicles all supplied

requiring graphics were all operational

by Zenith.

at the time. Plus, this is another great

in

the

example of a successful collaboration As the vehicles were already out in the field,

between Zenith and Mediafleet, and I look

Mediafleet arranged ‘pop-up’ workshops

forward to supporting Zenith, and their

at strategic locations across the UK for the

customers, on more projects in the future.”

graphics application. Drivers within that region were then allocated a time for the branding of their vehicle. The Mediafleet application team then got to work…

To date, Mediafleet has completed 85 vehicles and the project is on track to complete on time.

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