Cheshire West Recycling expands fuel management partnership with Fueltek
Cheshire West Recycling, which delivers waste and recycling services for Cheshire West & Chester Council, has opted for a multi-site installation of fuel dispensing and storage equipment from Fueltek, complete with integrated fuel management software.
The council had first partnered with Fueltek in 2022 for the installation of a 40,000-litre bunded tank, an FT4000AP twin fuel pump system and integrated fuel management software to improve onsite fuel control and reporting.
As the organisation’s operational network expanded, so did the relationship. In 2023, Fueltek worked directly with Stephen Irwin, senior materials and engineering manager at Cheshire West Recycling, to supply an FT4000AP integrated fuel management system for the Ellesmere Port depot, complete with a 90 litres per minute fuel pump designed to support busy daily vehicle movements.
With connected systems already in place, Cheshire West Recycling could continue expanding its network using the same established fuel management structure across additional depots, says Fueltek, giving managers greater visibility, standardised reporting, and controlled fuel access across every location.
In November 2025, the company was approached by Chris Bell, the household waste recycling centre mobilisation lead. The organisation was preparing to take control of five additional household waste recycling centres by April 2026. The team had a strict twelve-week window within which to source, install and commission fully functioning fuel stations across every new location. Delays were simply not an option.
Fueltek highlights the significant efficiency gains that can be achieved through expanding an existing fuel management network rather than introducing disconnected systems across different geographical locations. Cheshire West Recycling needed a unified system that provided consistency across all sites, central visibility for management teams, and secure authorised access for vehicles operating across multiple postcodes.
Fueltek manufactured and delivered five 1,500-litre fuel tanks equipped with FT4000 large compact units. The hardware specification was designed for demanding commercial use. Fueltek provided direct drive pumps, extended 3.66-metre hoses, automatic shut-off nozzles and high-precision hydrostatic gauges with pulsers.
The company’s engineering teams successfully installed and commissioned the equipment well within the allotted timeframe at recycling centres in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich, Winsford and Neston.
Alongside the physical installation, Cheshire West Recycling required centralised fuel monitoring and reporting across the expanding network. Each depot was linked to the same central account through Fueltek’s browser-based FMO software. This setup allows any authorised driver to pull up to the pumps at any location and dispense fuel securely using the FT4000 systems.
The management team at Cheshire West Recycling now possesses a central login. They can view live fuel activity across the entire network instantly. Local site managers also hold individual authorised logins to monitor their specific depots. This system is said to remove manual paperwork completely, enforce accountability and stop fuel discrepancies before they start.
Delivering the project on schedule meant the mobilisation team could focus entirely on the rest of the site handover. The vehicles were fuelled and ready for the April handover exactly as planned.
Cheshire West Recycling’s Stephen Irwin shared his thoughts on the completed project.
“I have always found Fueltek’s service to be both professional and friendly,” he said.
“During a recent project, their team fitted five new tanks across our sites, and the entire installation was carried out seamlessly, without any issues or delays. In fact, the work was completed to an impeccable standard, which really impressed me.”
The FT4000 from Fueltek is designed to connect fuel pumps, vehicles, and drivers through a single access and monitoring point. Fuel is dispensed only after authorised identification, ensuring every transaction is recorded accurately. Transaction data is then transferred into Fueltek’s fuel management platform, allowing operators to monitor fuel activity across one or multiple sites from any internet-connected location.
The FT4000 is built around a fuel access control terminal positioned at the point of dispense. Drivers or authorised users identify themselves before fuel is released. During fuelling, operational data can be entered directly into the terminal, including odometer readings, driver ID, vehicle or fleet numbers, and job or route references.
This process links fuel usage to vehicles, drivers, and tasks, creating a complete audit trail for each transaction.
The FT4000 supports up to four pumps operating simultaneously, making it suitable for busy depots and fleet yards. A heavy-duty integrated keypad enables data capture at the point of fuelling. Configuration formats can be adapted to site requirements, including alphanumeric, numeric or structured entry fields.
The terminal also includes a backlit quarter VGA graphics display, providing clear fuelling prompts and transaction guidance in both daylight and low-light conditions.
Transaction data is stored locally within non-volatile memory, protecting records during power interruption.
Fuel dispensing is controlled through secure identification devices. Datatag is the most widely deployed method, says Fueltek, offering encrypted authentication with long operational lifespan and no moving parts. Access permissions and device data are managed remotely through the fuel management platform, with updates applied at the next terminal interaction.
Fuel transaction data transfers from the terminal into the central reporting system, providing full operational oversight. Operators can review fuelling history, generate usage reports, export transaction data, and print operational summaries.
Fueltek works with organisations across transport, recycling, construction, infrastructure, and commercial fleet operations to design fuel management systems that support day-to-day operational requirements.
From the initial site survey through to installation, commissioning and ongoing software support, the company says it can provide complete onsite fuel management solutions tailored to each operation.
