Bott and Lex combine to delight Taylor Woodrow with new vans.

Bott has prepared and configured a new fleet of ten service vans in partnership with Lex for use by mobile repair technicians (MRTs) at UK house builder Taylor Woodrow’s Eastern Region who undertake minor warranty repairs to new homes.

Bott provided a complete design and conversion service to prepare each of the Vauxhall Vivaro vans with a standardised interior comprising storage and workshop equipment to create highly efficient and well organised mobile support vehicles.
“We hadn’t worked with Bott before but Lex told us they could provide what we needed,” says Ian Craven, Finance Director at Taylor Woodrow Developments. “When the vans arrived we were impressed with the quality of installation. It exceeded our expectation compared with the previous vans and feedback from our MRT drivers is that they are delighted.” Through its flagship new homes brand Bryant Homes, Taylor Woodrow is one of the UK’s largest house builders. As part of it’s after sales commitment the company’s customer services department operates a team of mobile repair technicians who visit new homes to deal with minor repairs and maintenance tasks covered under the initial two year warranty. Each MRT has a van equipped with tools, equipment and a small amount of materials used on the most frequent repairs.
The existing fleet of ten vehicles was scheduled for replacement in 2006 and this presented Taylor Woodrow with an opportunity to review and upgrade its service provision. Some of the vehicles had been in use for a number of years while others had been acquired following a takeover of another building company. Although each van had in-vehicle storage and workshop equipment there was no standardisation or consistency across the fleet. Taylor Woodrow had previously devised and installed its own in-vehicle facilities but recognised that a specialist service provider would be able to deliver a more appropriate solution for the new vehicles. “The renewal of the fleet presented an ideal opportunity to standardise the vehicles and provide our MRT team with the working environment they needed and which was more professional than the old vehicles,” says Ian Craven. Taylor Woodrow approached its corporate vehicle supply partner Lex to discuss its requirements. Lex recommended Bott, one of the UK’s leading commercial vehicles conversion and preparation specialists. After assessing vehicles from a number of manufacturers, Taylor Woodrow specified the Vauxhall Vivaro. “The specification was created in conjunction with key engineers at Taylor Woodrow where we listened carefully to the needs of the operatives, analysed the function of the van and allowed for any previous health and safety issues,” says Stephen Turner, Special Vehicle Operations Sales Director at Bott. “Working with Lex we suggested the best type of vehicle for the job application and created a mobile workspace that made best use of the available space.” Discussion between Taylor Woodrow, Lex and Bott led to a specification which detailed the storage and workshop facilities needed for the vehicles’ interior. Bott designed a solution based around its Normline range including drawers and shelves that are used to store tools, materials and supplies neatly, securely and safely in the vehicle. The design also enables the MRTs to work inside the vehicle. A special lockable tool chest provided by Bott allows the technicians to secure their tools safely and securely when driving between sites. Bott also installed the new KRS roof rack system for carrying lengthy items including ladders. A skin care safety system was included in each vehicle in compliance with health and safety regulations. “Modern commercial vehicle fleet management is all about providing solutions that meet the customer’s requirement for productive, efficient and economical work tools,” says Matthew Stringer of Lex Corporate Major Fleets. “Bott shares our commitment to these objectives by delivering expertise and capabilities that go beyond simple installation of the equipment. This contract is an excellent example of their approach.” Bott Ltd is the UK’s leading manufacturer and installer of in-vehicle storage equipment. Its Normline storage systems include shelving units, drawer service case units, lockers, bulkheads, floors and linings and in-house signs and graphics department. The company employs 300 people in the UK, provides extensive fleet installation, conversion and preparation services at its facilities in Ashby, Leicestershire and Cumbernauld, Scotland and manufactures products to ISO9001 manufacturing and ISO14001 environmental standards at its factory in Cornwall. It has operated in the UK for more than 30 years and is part of the German-owned international Bott Group. Taylor Woodrow is a leading developer of sustainable communities of high quality homes across the UK and in selected markets in North America and Spain. Taylor Woodrow plc’s shares trade on the London Stock Exchange and in the year ending 31 December 2006 Group revenue increased to £3.7 billion. For further information please visit the company's website - www.taylorwoodrow.com