Our quality commitment

AMP has put the focus firmly on quality this winter as we strive to provide the best possible wood pellet and chip to our customers.

Good quality wood fuel is a prerequisite to a smooth and efficient biomass heating system. Our customers know this more than most, with “Quality” identified as a key priority from our customer satisfaction feedback. That’s why we’ve invested over £1 million in continuing to improve on biomass quality from source to store.

For the 2019/2020 winter heating season we have made four key improvements:

Independent inspections and assessments of all imported wood pellet:

All of our pellet shipments are inspected by accredited independent surveyors who remain on-site throughout the entire unloading process to inspect the pellet and all of the machinery involved.

The surveyors take samples at various intervals throughout the unloading and submit them to an independent, UKAS-accredited laboratory to check the shipment is compliant with the ENplus A1 specification.

If there’s an issue with any of the samples, the entire shipment is rejected. UKAS is the only accreditation body recognised by the Government to assess against internationally recognised standards.

Operating a market-leading wood fuel depot:

The Groveport depot sited along the River Humber is having a considerable impact on helping support our quality drive. The largest of its kind in Western Europe, the depot is fitted with specialist screening equipment which helps reduce the number of wood fines and foreign objects.

The facility, which opened in November 2018, has the capacity to process more than 300 – 400 truck-loads of wood pellet per week and is already serving around a third of our pellet deliveries.

The depot’s twin screens can each process 100 tonnes of wood pellet per hour, eliminating dust in the product, airborne dust and metal contamination. Since opening, nearly 50,000 tonnes of wood pellet has gone through the facility.

AMP customers as far north as the Scottish borders to Avonmouth in the south are served by the depot, which is also helping ensure delivery timeframes are met, especially in the peak winter season.

Investing in a fleet of low-emission, efficient and specialist vehicles:

Over the course of 2019, we made a significant investment in our biomass delivery fleet to support our market-leading fuel supply service.

We now have 35 highly efficient, specialised trucks, ranging from large 8-wheelers to smaller vehicles. The fleet includes state-of-the-art Volvo trucks with on-board screening facilities to filter out dust and other contaminants. The non-tipping trucks blow wood pellet directly into the store through an auger which further reduces the chance of pellet degradation.

Our wood fuel is delivered using our fleet of low-emission, bulk-blown vehicles, built to move biomass with minimal cost and impact to fuel quality. The trucks provide a range of delivery options including blown, tipped, walking floor and palletised delivery to meet customer needs and reduce impact on quality.

Focusing on high quality, sustainable biomass:

Our long-established, stress-tested supply chain provides our customers with a 100% dependable supply of high-quality biomass fuel, right across Great Britain. Our wood chip and pellet continue to meet the highest possible quality and sustainability criteria.

Our low moisture, high-density wood pellets are made from sustainably sourced forest residues and thinnings and meet the highest quality standard in Europe – ENplus A1 certification – which is audited by the European Pellet Council.

ENplus provides quality assurance throughout the supply chain – from production to when they arrive at a customer’s fuel store. In fact, we did not receive a single non-compliance at our recent ENplus re-accreditation audit. As an approved Biomass Suppliers List (BSL) supplier, our pellets are fully eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

Our high-quality wood chip is locally sourced, seasoned and processed, reducing risk of contamination and minimising environmental impact. It meets the highest possible sustainability standards, being accredited by HETAS, and is Woodsure Plus Quality Assured wood fuel. Like our wood pellet, our chip is also Biomass Supplier List (BSL) accredited timber which is fully eligible for the RHI.

Find out more about our Quality Commitment here.