Van Stock vs. Cash Flow: The Engineer's Guide to Smart Spares Inventory

The £5,000 Question in Your Van
Every heating engineer knows the dread of arriving at a breakdown only to realise the critical spare part isn't in the van. That means a costly trip to the merchant, lost time, and a customer waiting. To combat this, many tradespeople over-stock, turning their vehicle into a mobile warehouse.

While convenience is key, an over-stocked van is a drain on your cash flow. If you have £5,000 worth of parts sitting on shelves, that is £5,000 you can't spend on marketing, training, or reducing overheads. The real trick to profitability is finding the sweet spot between readiness and financial efficiency.

Phase 1: Identifying the 'Must-Have' Core 10

Your van stock should focus only on the fast-moving, high-failure-rate parts that differentiate a five-minute fix from a two-hour round trip. We call this your 'Core 10'—the components you know will get 80% of common boilers running instantly.

This list must be regularly audited, but typically includes:

Primary Ignition Components: Electrode/lead assemblies for common boiler models (e.g., Worcester, Vaillant).

Pressure Relief Valves (PRVs): Universal 3 bar PRVs are essential stock-ups.

Air Vents: Auto air vents for expansion vessels and system purging.

Gaskets & Washers: An assortment kit of common fibre and rubber washers, especially for boiler plate heat exchangers.

Fuses & Relays: Low-cost, high-impact components that can restore power instantly.

Tangible Action:

Create a simple quarterly audit. Review your invoices from heating-parts.co.uk over the last three months. Identify the top 10 parts by volume, not value. These are your 'Core 10' van standards. If you are frequently buying high-value items like PCBs or fans, you should be moving them to a 'Just-In-Time' procurement model.

Phase 2: Mastering the ‘Just-In-Time’ (JIT) Spares Model

For high-value, slow-moving items like Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), heat exchangers, or specific fans, stocking them in your van is financial suicide. These parts can sit for months, tying up capital and potentially becoming obsolete.

The solution is the JIT method, where you rely on a fast, reliable supply chain, allowing you to secure the part only when you have diagnosed the fault and secured the payment from the customer.

How HPS Supports Your JIT Strategy:

Diagnosis First, Order Second: Complete your fault finding on-site. Inform the customer the part is high-value and non-stock.

Leverage Online Stock Check: Use the heating-parts.co.uk website to check real-time availability and confirm the manufacturer reference number (using our exploded diagrams) before you leave the site.

Next-Day Reliability: HPS is geared to support JIT. Our logistics focus is on ensuring you get that critical part delivered to site or collected the very next morning, allowing you to return and complete the job efficiently. This keeps your capital free.

Phase 3: Leveraging Specialist Inventory

Your business isn't just about boilers. You also handle full system installations and bathroom renovations, often sourced through our 61 Fullers Road Showroom.

Don't stock decorative items like radiators, fancy TRVs, or bathroom mixers in your van. These are high-cost, easily damaged, and customer-preference driven.

Instead, use the HPS Showroom as your inventory extension:

Visual Aid, Not Van Stock: Bring clients to the E18 2QB Showroom to select brassware, radiators, and shower systems. This professional approach builds trust and confidence far more effectively than showing them a brochure in your van.

Secure the Sale, Then Order: Once the client has approved the product and the price, order the high-end materials through HPS for direct delivery to the job site. This means the components go straight from our stock to installation, eliminating the risk of damage or theft from your vehicle.

Maximise Your Profit Per Job

Your most valuable asset is not your inventory; it is your time. By streamlining your van stock to the essential 'Core 10' and leveraging the speed and reliability of HPS for JIT deliveries, you reduce capital lock-up, minimise lost time, and project a professional, efficient image to your customer.

We are dedicated to helping you work smarter, not harder.

Published on 12 December 2025