Running one fuel distribution business efficiently is a massive feat. But what if you had to merge three small distributors into one seamless new operation?
That was Spec Oil's plan when it acquired Houston-based 3L and two other fuel distributors. Spec Oil, an above-the-rack global commodity trading firm, would merge the distributors into 3L Energy Solutions.
But to capture the last-mile margins Spec Oil expected—and drive growth in Houston and nationally—3L Energy Solutions' merger would have to successfully manage:
• cultural differences;
• operational challenges;
• structural inefficiencies.
Get your copy of 3L Energy Solutions' story to get inspired (and steal a few tricks) about how they did it (with some help from FleetPanda).
"We needed to integrate dispatching and trucking into one function and process, as all fuel distributors are primarily trucking entities.
The Fleet Panda team, with a background in Silicon Valley technology companies, provided us with the necessary tools and technology to achieve this."
Pre-acquisition
When Spec Oil acquired 3L and two other small distributors of 5–10 trucks each, all relied on outdated manual workflows. This led to errors, inefficiencies, and reduced profit margins. Employees spent hours each day on paperwork, causing long order-to-cash timelines and less operating capital.
Post-acquisition
Now, those three distributors operate as 3L Energy Solutions, a large 50-plus-truck business with end-to-end automation through FleetPanda. This has lowered operational costs and improved efficiency, resulting in double-digit revenue growth and gallons sold. Onboarding new companies onto FleetPanda's platform will also streamline future acquisitions for 3L Energy Solutions.
The core modules of FleetPanda's platform that supported 3L's transition:
• Dispatch Dashboard: Manage orders, track drivers, and plan shifts all in one place.
• Accounting and Dispatch Sync: Eliminate errors and save time by syncing accounting and dispatch data. This speeds up invoice processing and ensures clean data.
• Geofencing: Track fuel efficiency and profitability with ease using geofencing technology.
• Inventory and Shift Reconciliation: Verify shift gallons to account for losses and accurately reconcile data before sending invoices.
• Driver App: An Uber-like app that allows drivers to manage their workloads on-the-go, reducing paperwork and improving efficiency.
"FleetPanda has exactly what the industry needs. Its fully integrated system brought all aspects of operations under a single platform and helped us improve cash flow, profit margins, and customer experience and made us more competitive."