Channel warned over next fuel crisis

Distributors and resellers have been urged to form contingency plans in case of further UK fuel shortages.

Distributors and resellers have been urged to form contingency plans in case of further UK fuel shortages.

Hundreds of businesses were affected by last week's oil refinery blockades, which caused problems for companies as staff could not get to work and deliveries did not arrive.

Although fuel supplies in the UK are reaching normal levels again, demonstrators have given the UK government just 60 days to reduce fuel duty before the blockades are re-enforced.

Distribution company Bluepoint, which ships hardware to system builders and retail outlets, was hit particularly hard by the blockades. Representative Sarfaraz Manji said: "We were forced last week to stop shipping to customers because our carriers ran out of fuel."

But although the company's deliveries were back to normal on Monday, it was well aware of the looming threat of further action. "We will be talking to our suppliers and carriers about their contingency plans," he said.

Staff at systems vendor Unisys were sent a memo last week by managing director Brian Hadfield, urging those who could work from home to remain there.

Ruth Constable, senior analyst at IDC, said that although the crisis has not had a devastating impact on the industry it has certainly had an effect, although the exact scale will not be known until shipping figures are released next month.

"With deliveries coming from all over Europe it is hard to say exactly how different companies have been affected and how they will be affected if a further blockade is implemented. But it is always worth making contingency plans," she said.

Resellers were advised to talk to customers about remote access, as the crisis had prompted discussions about teleworking.

First published in Computer Reseller News