The Customer
Clarion Housing is one of the UK’s largest housing associations. They approached Bri-Stor with a requirement to convert a new, 300-strong fleet for Clarion Response, their in-house repairs service.
The Challenge
Clarion Response were looking for a versatile conversion concept which both suited the diverse requirements of their many user groups such as plumbers and electricians – whilst retaining as much uniformity as possible, enabling vehicles to be easily transferred from one user group to another when required.
The Solution
Bri-Stor very quickly came to the conclusion that a variation of our distinctive ‘Vantage’ wedge-shape racking kit would satisfy these requirements very closely.
The reasons were many – firstly, Clarion Response was to use twin side sliding door Vauxhall Vivaros for the vast majority of the new fleet – and our Vantage kit was designed with this model variant in mind, with racking accessible via both sliding doors.
In addition to the ample storage space provided by the racking, storage boxes, cabinets and tilt bins, there were specific items in the concept designed to be utilised by different user groups: Electricians and Plumbers could utilise the diagonal tray to store length of piping, Plasterers could use the diagonal storage on the van to store sheets of plasterboard and operatives of all types could employ a specifically designed nearside unit to store glass sheets when required.
The Results
Happy with the proposed design, Clarion Response were keen to take advantage of the turn-key LCV conversion service that Bri-Stor prides itself on, and after some intense planning, Bri-Stor rolled out a vehicle replacement plan which saw Bri-Stor undertaking every element of the conversion, from livery supply and fit to tracker install, alongside racking and roof equipment.
The final element of the process saw Clarion Response’s operatives travelling to Bri-Stor’s vehicle handover facilities near Stafford, where they dropped off their old vehicles for de-fleet and appropriate disposal, and collected their new vehicles, which were PDI-ed and ready to be put to work straightaway