NRW Timber Sales Contracts – Despatch Procedure

 

NRW Timber Sales Contracts – Despatch Procedure

This document describes the methods by which a timber sales contract holder (the Customer) may obtain authority to remove each load of timber from NRW land.

This Despatch Procedure is referenced by, and incorporated into, NRW’s timber sales contract Terms & Conditions. Customers must ensure their drivers and hauliers follow these procedures.

Main Points

  • Customers are fully responsible for the actions and omissions of their hauliers.
  • A PIN is your authority to enter NRW land with a vehicle to remove a load of timber. A PIN must be obtained before entering NRW land.
  • Timber should be uplifted within 4 hours of the PIN start time, unless NRW has previously specified a shorter period.
  • PINs will not be issued on any contracts that have expired, or for any Customers who have been placed ‘on-stop’ or suspended for whatever reason.
  • If a PIN cannot be obtained (whatever the reason), then no authority exists to enter NRW land to remove timber. To do so would be a serious contract breach.
  • Whenever a PIN is requested, there is a presumption that the timber is to be uplifted and paid for. If there is a change of plan or a mistake has been made, the PIN must be cancelled as soon as possible, and preferably within 24 hours. When a haulier informs the Despatch Desk of a cancellation, we will immediately email the customer for confirmation.

Preparation required before requesting a PIN

  • Customers’ hauliers must first be pre-registered in NRW’s Timber Sales System (TSS) (including business contact details, timber lorry registration numbers, etc).
  • Customers must register the Despatch Reference Numbers (DRNs) from their despatch ticket books, with NRW’s Despatch Desk. Mobile Despatch will not issue a PIN unless there is a valid and unused DRN number assigned to the load.
  • Hauliers must register a mobile phone, driver, and vehicle registration with the Despatch Desk to use the mobile despatch system.
  • Cash-only customers can only call the despatch desk to request a PIN and payment checks will be made before a PIN is provided.

Customers must ensure that their haulier’s details are maintained in NRW’s Timber Sales System by emailing any changes to drivers, mobile numbers, vehicle registration number to the Despatch Desk email, timbersales.creditmanagement@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk, as soon as possible. These details are important as they form part of the security process for each despatch.

Requesting a PIN

Important information

Despatch Desk opening hours      Monday-Thursday:  07:00-16:00
Friday:                        07:00-15:00

Despatch Desk number                  0300 065 4000

Mobile Despatch number               07481 344 921 (SMS)

02920 101 503 (Voice)

 

If the mobile despatch system is unavailable and the desk is closed, registered mobile despatch customers only may email BST to request a PIN.

Despatch Desk email: timbersales@creditmanagement@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Cash-up-front customers, or ones not registered to use the mobile despatch system should not request PINs via email, and instead must telephone the Despatch Desk within opening hours.

 

Manual Request

Call the Despatch Desk within working hours (and within 72 hours of the planned uplift time) and provide the following information:

  • Customer name
  • Contract number
  • DRN number
  • Coupe number/product
  • Haulier name
  • Time/date of uplift

 

Mobile Request

  • Using the mobile phone that has been registered in NRW’s system for this purpose. Send a text to the SMS number or call the Voice number.
  • Provide the details in the format required.
  • Ensure you supply the correct Access code, which links the PIN request details to the correct Contract details in NRW’s system. NRW automatically issues a list of updated Access Codes to mobile despatch customers (via email) daily.
  • IF AN ERROR IS MADE BEFORE A PIN IS PROVIDED – cancel the request and restart.
  • IF AN ERROR IS MADE AND A PIN IS PROVIDED – ensure that PIN is cancelled and request another correct PIN for the load.

PIN checks & security

  • If an error is made, the PIN must be cancelled by ringing the despatch desk as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours.
  • NRW may ask to see evidence that the despatch did not take place.
  • If a PIN is not cancelled an invoice will be raised for the requested despatch.  The customer will then need to query the despatch to resolve the original error, otherwise the contract terms will apply, and payment will be required.

PIN checks & security

  • PINs are a primary security feature of NRW’s despatch procedure
  • NRW will carry out security checks on contract despatches using cameras to record lorry movements, by observation or by manually stopping lorries to check the details of the despatch directly.
  • Removal of timber or loading a lorry without a correctly assigned PIN, that has been obtained in advance of entering NRW land, is a contract breach.
  • Hauliers found to be in breach of despatch procedures must immediately unload in a safe place and leave NRW land. Further despatches may be temporarily suspended until the cause of the breach has been resolved to NRW’s satisfaction
  • Frequent, careless, or deliberate breaches of despatch procedure may result in termination of the customer’s timber sales contracts. NRW may decide to ban individuals or companies from working on NRW land and NRW may also cease trading with the customer altogether.

Secondary handling and loading of flats

  • Parking trailer flats on NRW land for later loading and despatch must be agreed beforehand with the Contract Manager who will advise where the trailers may be parked so that timber security can be managed.
  • A PIN should not be requested for the secondary handling of material just to load a parked trailer.
  • Any lorry that takes a loaded trailer away must get a PIN to register the despatch.
  • When the crane lorry has loaded the flats, it must then get a PIN to take its own load from NRW land.

 

DRNs and Weight-tickets

  • Non-self-bill customers must supply a DRN and a weight-ticket for every despatch, within 25 working days of the date of the despatch. These must be emailed to creditmanagement@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk as pdf or jpeg attachments
  • Self-bill customers must supply a DRN and weight-ticket for each despatch upon request (for audit purposes).
  • DRNs must include the following information:
    • Customer name
    • Contract number
    • DRN number
    • PIN number
    • Haulier name
    • Time/date of uplift
  • Weight-tickets must be printed with the following information:
    • Weighbridge name
    • Weight-ticket number
    • Gross, Nett, and Tare weight
    • Weighbridge Date/Time
  • Hand-written weight-tickets may be accepted in exceptional circumstances (e.g., weighbridge printer not operational)