Bakers Basco has ramped up its education efforts with frontline delivery drivers in a push to tackle equipment misuse ahead of the festive season.
The organisation – which manages an equipment pool of approximately four million Omega Baskets and 500,000 dollies – has teamed up with Warburtons to deliver field intelligence sessions exclusively for the plant baker’s drivers across the UK.
Over the past months, it has conducted sessions with 352 drivers at 14 Warburtons sites including the Eurocentral depot in Scotland, which had not previously participated. The interactive sessions, which replace traditional briefings, are designed to provide drivers with essential insights into Bakers Basco’s mission and equip them with the knowledge to spot and report equipment misuse.
By empowering drivers with critical knowledge, Bakers Basco is creating a ripple effect that will secure essential bakery assets, ensuring smoother deliveries and more efficient operations as demand ramps up.
During the sessions, drivers were encouraged to share observations from their routes, resulting in 91 actionable leads covering issues like equipment misuse, improper handling practices, and theft reports across the Midlands.
“Our briefings have been instrumental in connecting directly with drivers, empowering them as vital partners in our recovery efforts,” said Stacey Brown, national investigations manager at Bakers Basco. “By engaging them on the ground, we’ve been able to identify misuse and theft hotspots, taking immediate action to protect our equipment pool and support Warburtons in ensuring the smooth delivery of bakery goods.”
Garry Brown, equipment utensils planning manager, at Warburtons said the collaboration was “invaluable”. “Not only have these sessions educated our drivers on identifying equipment issues, but they’ve also instilled a stronger sense of responsibility and vigilance among our team,” he said.
Bakers Basco was established in 2006 by five of the UK’s leading plant bakers – Hovis, Warburtons, Allied Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, and Fine Lady Bakeries – who represent more than 55% of the bakery market in the UK. The cooperative venture aims to buy, manage, and police the use of a standard basket for the delivery of bread to retailers and wholesalers.
It has recently called on social media and auction websites to prevent the illegal sale of its baskets and dollies, having identified several adverts across various platforms over the past year.
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