Saving fuel, reducing road miles, reduced environmental impact
Dave Tilmouth on 22 March 2016 09:56:30
Tags:
Value - Corporate Social Responsibility
Reduced Environmental Impact
To decrease the number of trips the Unipart Rail fleet undertakes, Bibby Distribution has added seven 13.6m triple-deck trailers, which are used for the distribution of specialised train components.
The greater capacity means fewer deliveries are required, cutting down on fuel use, road miles and demand on drivers. Bibby has also provided urban flatbed trailers for transporting rail bogies (part of Unipart Rail’s joint venture with Lucchini, called LUR) to less accessible delivery points.
The new fleet of trailers incorporate the latest branding graphics of Unipart Rail which illustrate the seven propositions that the company offers the rail industry which are Supply Chain Services, Product and Innovation, Consultancy, Manufacturing Services, Overhaul and Repair, Technology Management Services and Products.
Bibby Distribution also investigated ways in which it could help reduce operational CO2 emissions and fuel costs. As a result, in 2014, it introduced five MAN tractor units converted to run on dual fuel LPG and diesel. This innovative move, developed proactively by Bibby Distribution, has helped Unipart Rail to reduce its CO2 emissions by 65 tonnes per year, while delivering an exponentially growing fuel cost saving that will rapidly pay back the initial investment in the conversion, before making a serious impact in reducing the overall cost of logistics. To support these vehicles, Bibby Distribution also installed an LPG tank at the vehicles’ home depot in Doncaster, allowing for quick and easy refuelling.
The key facts and figures
- 30-strong fleet, with some assets double-shifted and travelling more than 200,000km annually
- Deliveries to more than 100 depots nationwide on a daily basis
- Specialist 13.6m triple-deck trailers specified to maximise efficiency of delivery
- Tractor units converted to use both diesel and LPG – successfully reducing CO2 emissions by 65 tonnes per year
Duane Trower, Logistics Operations Director at Unipart Rail, says: “Fuel usage comes with both financial and environmental costs, so we were delighted when Bibby Distribution proposed a solution that would help cut both without compromising on service. We have seen substantial savings, both in terms of cash and carbon emissions, even with the massive drop in the price of fuel and we broke even on the investment in 18 months.”
Unipart Rail Transport Logistics Manager Rick Moglia says: "We have been working with Bibby Distribution for nearly 20 years. They fully understand our requirements and are always looking for ways to improve their customer engagement and operational excellence. This fully aligns to our philosophy within Unipart."