Flexible container solutions from Close Brothers

Brewers from small to large are reducing costs and gaining additional flexibility in their container fleet by using EkegPlus from Close Brothers Brewery Rentals

EkegPlus is a rental solution that enables you to only pay for containers when they are being used This means the shorter the hire cycle, the less you are charged

How does flexible container leasing work?

The pay-as-you-fill model gives users more control and access to a container pool of over 400,000 ekegs and ecasks

As one of the largest keg pooling networks, it gives the freedom to adjust the size of your rental fleet as often as needed With fixed RFID tags, you can also track and manage hundreds of containers in seconds, giving access to data that enables better understanding of products, logistics and supply chains, as well as increased asset visibility, via an online system

The hire cycle works in four steps: GET containers you need –collect them from a local depot or arrange for a stockpile to be kept on site

FILL AND SCAN containers to start the hire cycle

DELIVER the product direct to a venue or to an approved wholesaler

COLLECT AND RESCAN the empty containers – you can reduce charges by collecting them or wait for EkegPlus to collect, automatically ending the hire cycle

Flexible leasing in practice

Brew York was established in 2016 by two friends with a passion for craft beer Since then, the brewery has grown quickly and now boasts a range of beers, as well four tap rooms in and around York The brand is well-known for its rich flavours and quality Brew York has worked with Close Brothers Brewery Rentals since it opened As a partnership they have invested in the business and provided access to a container fleet

Having previously used a mixture of longterm and short-term rental solutions, during the coronavirus pandemic, the brewery required a more flexible container solution that would mean they could reduce and increase their fleet usage when needed

With consultation from container rental experts at Close Brothers Brewery Rentals, Brew York started to use a more adaptable rental solution, EkegPlus Benefits of flexible leasing for Brew York, EkegPlus means that the company can access ekegs and ecasks as needed and has more control over distribution costs Using the platform it has oversight of costto-serve and daily hire charges This system removed any issues around keg availability due to market fluctuations that can’t be predicted, allowing for dynamic responses to increases in demand, without logistical headaches

Having previously used some plastic casks, Brew York was also pleased with the quality of the fleet All EkegPlus containers are made of stainless steel, the preferred solution across the brewing industry, making them more environmentally friendly due to their high quality, hard-wearing, and reusable nature

Wayne Smith, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Brew York, said: “Ekegplus works really well for our brewery We use both kegs and casks, and it’s a better solution for us Everyone is happy with the product While prices have increased elsewhere in our operations, moving to the new rental option has helped us to save on packaging and distribution costs The payper-use model gives us more flexibility, so we can top up our container fleet when we need to ”

For further information: www.closebreweryrentals.co.uk/ekegplus