Bus Parts takes stock
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• A new company, called Bus Parts, has been set up to distribute parts to major users. It also aims to take over the provision and running of the parts operation for some of its customers.
Formed from the existing 1-1 and D Distribution company, which was a spin-off from the now-defunct Hants and Dorset Motor Services, the company will provide a parts supply service to operating bus companies on a timed distribution schedule. There are two supply depots, at Aldershot and Chelmsford and a headquarters at Eastleigh, but a new depot will open soon in Birmingham, and plans are being made for further national expansion, Bus Parts, now owned by the Frontsource Engineering Group, says its services will be popular with operators and suppliers alike, since it will cut down both on the number of invoices, and individual transactions, thereby reducing administration costs. The real savings, however, according to operations manager Bill Stockwell, will come from taking over an operator's entire stores supply function.
Bus Parts will hold stock, either at the operator's location or at one of the Bus Parts depots, or a combination of both, it can supply the necessary staff, and do all the paperwork. Suitable existing staff can also be taken on, or the operator can decide to provide the labour function himself.
For a new operator, Bus Parts will also provide a full consultancy service advising on the number of spare parts needed and to recommend the best location for them. The customer will then have the choice of operating the system in house, or having Bus Parts run the entire spare parts function on contract.
Bus Parts starts with an existing customer base of 15 major operators and a turnover of more than £7 million. It says that whatever the level of support given from the delivery of a single part to the running of the whole operation — it will be dealing "on a personal basis".
According to Bill Stockwell, one customer has already saved £50,000 on its stock-holding values, freeing up some much needed capital.
"Newly privatised bus companies now need to think more about where the money goes," says Mr Stockwell.