Case Study: Multistar converts customer from drums to bulk.

When a particular manufacturer decided to consider converting their existing method of transporting raw materials into the Far East from drums to bulk they approached Multistar and appointed the company as consultants. The remit was to advise them on whether it would be safer, more economical, and less labour intensive, to ship chemicals used in their manufacturing process, in tank containers instead of drums. Following several meetings over a number of months, facts and figures were produced and supplied by the manufacturer, enabling Multistar to provide a strategy for their future transportation methods.

Following analysis, Multistar recommended that the particular products in question needed to be transported in electrically heated tank containers, which would maintain the cargo at a required constant temperature. They accepted the proposal but asked Multistar to perform trial shipments to verify the project.

In April 2000 the first of two trial shipments took place and two key Multistar personnel travelled to Europe to meet with the supplier of the chemical products. Following this meeting time was spent in the local depot ensuring that the tank containers were brought to the necessary standard required for carriage of the products. The requirements included purging one tank with Nitrogen to ensure that it was completely dry, as the smallest amount of moisture would adversely affect the quality of the product.

In conjunction with the appointed agent, Multistar personnel attended the initial loading of the tank containers, which went according to plan. The tank containers were then positioned at the quay and within a few days were shipped to the Far East, the temperature being maintained throughout the journey.
At the end of April a visit was made to the receiving manufacturer's factory in the Far East to inspect the site, and also to be there when the trial shipments arrived. Some modifications were necessary at the factory to accommodate the arrival of the tank containers. This ensured that everything ran according to plan and no problems were encountered during the discharge process of the products.

The second trial shipment commenced after the arrival back into Europe of the empty tank containers in late June and yet again the operation was successful with the tanks arriving and discharging back at the factory at the beginning of August. Multistar personnel then returned to the Far East during October, along with the chemical product supplier, to report on the findings of the trial shipments and to discuss how to take the project further.

The manufacturers indicated that they would be prepared to sign a three-year contract if Multistar could offer tank containers for the same cost as drums. This was accomplished and, with the added advantage of a safer and a less labour intensive transportation method, the contract was awarded to Multistar. First shipments under the newly acquired contract commenced early January 2002.