XPO and Schneider Electric launch rail-road between France and UK

XPO, A leading provider of freight transportation services, and Schneider Electric, a global leader in digital energy management and automation, have deployed a new multimodal freight solution between France and the UK. The sustainable road-rail combination is the latest innovation in the companies' longstanding European partnership.

XPO has been a strategic partner to Schneider for 10 years, providing Schneider with full truckload, less-thantruckload and multimodal services in France and Spain.

Klaids Lafon de Ribeyrolles,Vice President – Indirect Procurement for Schneider Electric, said: "As a market leader in Europe, our growth strategy prioritises innovation and continuous improvement. "

XPO's bespoke solution for Schneider is managed by proprietary XPO technology and moves parts and components on round-trip runs between Schneider's warehouse in Mions, France, and its production plant in Telford, UK. XPO's road fleet transports containers of freight from Mions to the rail terminal in Vénissieux; from there, the containers travel by train through the Eurotunnel or terminate at Dourges, where they cross the Channel by ferry. Once in the UK, XPO's road fleet completes the deliveries to Telford.

By utilising rail and ferry to cover more than 650 km of the trip, XPO has created additional capacity for Schneider and will reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 46% per year (172 tonnes of CO2), compared with all-road transport of 200 full truckloads.

Luis Gomez, President – Europe for XPO, said: "Our multimodal corridors are connecting key trade areas in Europe by road, rail and sea in response to customer requests. These solutions deliver cost efficiencies and contribute to the decarbonisation of supply chains.

"We are strongly committed to alternative transport solutions and will ensure that our valued partnership with Schneider Electric receives the full benefit of our innovation," he concluded.