Jason Whitwell is national account manager for Calor, a leading UK supplier of LPG since 1935.

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In the current financial climate, businesses need to work harder for profits. Downtime needs to be minimised so operators require fleets that respond quickly and effectively.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is widely recognised as a versatile, cleaner-burning fuel, suitable for use both indoors and outdoors. To save operators' time refuelling and managers' time looking after fuel supplies, there are a number of options available that can have a positive impact on productivity.

Fuel boost
One of the easiest ways to reduce downtime is to use fixed fuel tanks (FFTs). A number of major forklift truck manufacturers offer FFTs. These are mounted onto the back of the forklift and allow direct refuelling from onsite bulk LPG tanks.

Feedback from customers using FFTs has been extremely positive with real financial savings easily demonstrated, keeping operators, financial controllers and business managers satisfied.

The alternative involves refuelling a cylinder-powered LPG forklift which can take up to 20 minutes. Where larger fleets operating 24-hour shift patterns are refuelled at the start of every shift, this can mean the truck is out of operation for up to an hour a day while refuelling. Take a fleet of 40 trucks and this becomes one operator's working week's worth of downtime a day.

FFTs are particularly suited to larger fleets in operation for long periods but will not be appropriate for every forklift fleet.

Never running low
Running out of fuel can also lead to long periods of inactivity or downtime and can have a devastating impact on your business.

To ensure your business is not caught short, bulk LPG tanks can be fitted with telemetry devices which use GSM technology and the mobile networks to monitor fuel levels within the tank. As soon as the fuel reaches a certain level, a message is sent to notify the supplier when a delivery is due.

Giving businesses a lift through training
Ensuring operators are trained properly should also maximise productivity. During training courses, they are reminded of the safest, most efficient ways of refuelling and materials handling. Each site will require a slightly different approach to training to make sure drivers are given appropriate training and course content is tailored to meet that business's needs.

And training should not be limited to just new staff or when a new fleet is purchased. Existing operators should receive ongoing refresher training to keep health and safety at the forefront of the business.