With inflation reaching over 9% in the UK, the Bank of England has issued an apocalyptic warning about rising fuel costs¹. 

This could spell disaster for many construction businesses – especially those that rely on mobile welfare units, Vehicle Mounted Access platforms and a range of other motorised equipment.

But what if skyrocketing fuel prices became the catalyst for much-needed change in the industry? And what if the apparent crisis actually led businesses to a more cost-effective approach to fuel?

In this article, we explore these very possibilities, demonstrating how innovative ECO products can slash sites’ reliance on fuel. 

But first, let’s see how bad things really are when it comes to fuel costs.

 

How bad is the fuel crisis?

We began sounding the alarm on rising fuel prices in March of this year. New legislation on red diesel was threatening to double many contractors’ fuel costs, and we’ve since seen a rising wave of fuel theft².

But this has proven to be the tip of the iceberg. From supply chain shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine to the ongoing “cost of living crisis”, upwards pressure on most forms of fuel have been pervasive and intense.  

Petrol and diesel prices both hit new record highs in March – and then once again in May. Petrol was £0.34 more than the previous high of March, and Diesel was £0.39 more³. 

There is, of course, growing pressure on the government to provide relief for businesses and individuals suffering under the weight of inflation. But the reality is fuel prices are, in the words of a journalist, the “prisoner of geopolitics”⁴. And experts expect the current situation to continue indefinitely.

We need long-term solutions

Many industry leaders have frantically lobbied for government support, or tried to access cheaper fuel sources. But these are already being revealed to be band-aid solutions.

Instead, businesses must seek long-term solutions – the most obvious of which would be to replace their existing vehicles with units that require radically less fuel.

Welfare Hire’s ECOXLi unit is a perfect example of how this can be done. Its hybrid system utilises next generation Lithium cell batteries and full solar technology enabling long-life silent running. And its Biofuel generator is used exclusively for recharge requirements, ensuring your fuel needs are minimised.

On top of that, the welfare unit features a user-friendly Smart Telemetry system that enables you to track and optimise your power usage, ultimately helping further minimise the need for fuel and carbon.

Welfare Hire can help you through

At Welfare Hire, we have developed our entire range of mobile welfare units, lighting units and welfare vans around these very issues. We help businesses not only reduce their reliance on fuel, but improve their onsite wellbeing, their environmental impact and their bottom line. 

At Welfare Hire, we have developed our entire range of mobile welfare units, lighting units aIf you’d like to learn more about our range, get in contact today.