Stepan UK has signed a three-year distribution contract with Lewis Tankers worth £5 million, following a competitive tender, extending the companies’ 15-year relationship.
Stepan UK, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stepan Europe, manufactures speciality and intermediate chemicals.
The Yorkshire-based road tanker operator provides Stepan UK with a complete distribution service, collecting and delivering raw materials into its manufacturing site in Stalybridge, Cheshire, then distributing the finished products to its customers throughout the UK.
The core fleet of vehicles, tanks and drivers are based on-site in Stalybridge, together with a dedicated traffic manager.
Effective planning is a key element of the contract as a high percentage of the tanks need to be dedicated to meet the product quality requirements of Stepan UK’s customers in the toiletries, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals sectors.
Frank Kinder, Stepan UK’s transport buyer, said: “The nature of our products means we place considerable demands on our distribution partner. Lewis Tankers consistently delivers excellent service and is very proactive in putting forward ideas on how to improve the service. We are delighted to have extended our partnership for another three years.”