Motor Transport 25 June 2018 by Motor Transport

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

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NEWS INSIDE

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01/02/2018 12:03

All change

Angela Butler appointed MD at distribution giant p3

Fast food

Bidvest rebrands to show that it is the best p6

Wonder women

Minister calls time on sexism in transport

Abbey Logistics .....................................p6 Bibby Distribution................................p16 Bidvest Logistics ...................................p6 Brakes ................................................p17 City Sprint...........................................p17 Culina/Great Bear................................p16 DHL Supply Chain ..................................p8 DPD ....................................................p10 Fraikin ................................................p17 Gregory Distribution ..............................p3 Howard Tenens....................................p16 Kuehne + Nagel...................................p16 Parcelink Logistics ................................p9 Sealane Freight ...................................p11 Williams Transport................................p8 Wincanton .................................... p6, p16

politics

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QUIETLY NOW: Volvo Trucks is making its mark in the clean air revolution with its new all-electric FL, which will be available in 2019, along with an electric version of the FE. DB Schenker is about to begin a 12-month trial with a 16-tonne eFL. This is the lower end of the available weights with the highest 19 tonnes. Volvo is also poised to deploy an eFL refuse truck in Gothenburg. The vehicle has a maximum range of 300km and operates on two to six lithium-ion batteries. Volvo Trucks product manager of electro-mobility Anna Thornden said the OEM will be working with operators to ensure they do not overspec their trucks’ battery power. “They’re expensive, there’s an environmental cost in producing them, and they weigh 520kg,” she said. At cruising speed the truck, originally announced in April, produces 69dB, compared with 79dB in an equivalent diesel. This, said Thornden, is the difference between an alarm clock and a quiet conversation. Prices for the eFL have not been announced, but both it and Volvo’s eFE will go on sale next year.

Clean Air Zone proposals seal the fate of emission standard in urban operations p8

OPERATORS IN THIS ISSUE

Focus:

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End is nigh for Euro-5 By Hayley Pink

Last week’s flurry of Clean Air Zone (CAZ) announcements from major UK cities has left logistics operators in no doubt that the clock is ticking for Euro-5 lorries in urban areas. Birmingham and Southampton released their proposals for the first time and both require Euro-6 HGVs or a daily fee of up to £100 (charge to be set following consultation). Leeds City Council moved its CAZ plans a step forward: while still requiring Euro-6 lorries, it has taken feedback from industry and halved its proposed charge to £50 a day for older HGVs, and reduced the size of its charging area. The regional city announcements follow hot on the heels of London’s confirmation earlier this month that it would require Euro-6 lorries across Interview:

Andy

Kaye

the whole of Greater London by October 2020. Duncan Buchanan, head of policy at the RHA, told MT: “We are disappointed that people are still not listening to the realities that the road haulage industry is facing: having to adapt at short notice in a way that is actually impossible. “There is no retrofit available, half the lorries in the country are not going to be compliant and there are not enough Euro-6 vehicles to do the work. The fundamentals of charging all non-Euro-6 lorries the same is a huge flaw. We need proper phasing for Euro-5s.” For example, RHA suggests that Euro-5 trucks are not charged until 2024, but if they were to come into scope before this, only a minor fee should be applied, such as £10 per day. p14

Low-carbon

This would help keep the second-hand market buoyant for Euro-5s, which have seen values plummet because of CAZ requirements, while used Euro-6 models can charge a premium. Bradford-based Freightlink Europe partner Lesley O’Brien said: “We want a more staged approach where maybe they will be more lenient with regards to Euro-5. Of our fleet, 80% will not be affected, so we may be able to work around this. “This is an intelligent approach, so don’t kill the industry that is keeping the UK economy alive and putting goods on the shelf.” Bibby Distribution head of fleet and procurement Adam Purshall said: “The concern we have, along with most operators, is just around the

vehicles

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complexity and administration of managing all these CAZs. They all want something slightly different, varying requirements and it’s about the compliance and monitoring to adhere to them.”

Awards

shortlists

p18-22

21/06/2018 16:24:46

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20/06/2018 14:20:09 05/02/2018 10:28

News

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Angela Butler becomes MD as transhipping facility is planned to open in July

Big changes at Gregory By Carol Millett

Hay appointed Scania (Great Britain) MD Martin Hay (above) will succeed Claes Jacobsson as MD of Scania (Great Britain) from 1 September. Jacobsson will take up a role within Scania AB in Södertälje. Hay has been with Scania for more than 28 years, where he worked in the dealer network, at importer level and at the manufacturer’s headquarters in Sweden. In 2009 he moved to the Milton Keynes headquarters of Scania (Great Britain) to take up the role of sales director. In 2016 he transferred to Scania AB to become vice-president – truck sales. “The UK is one of Scania’s most important markets worldwide and I am looking forward to rejoining the team as we continue to develop the market and drive the shift towards more sustainable transport solutions,” Hay said.

Gregory Distribution is looking to the future with the appointment of a new MD, the expansion of its apprenticeship training programme and the opening of a new depot. This month the group’s deputy MD Angela Butler (pictured) was appointed MD, after the retirement of Andy Walker in May. The company, which is a member of Palletline and Palletways, is also set to open a 25,000ft² drive-through transhipment facility in July. The facility will provide 15,000ft² of warehousing and parking for approximately 50 vehicles and 80 trailers. The depot, which is in the northwest of Plymouth close to the A38 Expressway, will consolidate a number of the company’s operations in the Plymouth area and accommodate its expanding pallet network business. Gregory Distribution, which has its headquarters in North Tawton, Devon, is also looking to take on 80 apprentices. This comes as the company reported a 15% fall in pre-tax profit to £5.5m (2016: £6.6m) in its latest annual results to 30 September 2017, which it

attributed in part to the continuing effect of the loss of a major client in 2016, along with “tough” market conditions. Speaking to MT, chief executive John Gregory said the firm had offset the losses to a large extent through winning new contracts in the year and expanding business with existing customers. He added: “Losing a major customer is significant but we have delivered more than 30 years of underlying growth, so it is part of the cycle. We may have gone back marginally but the long-term trend is upwards.” Turnover in the period was 3% down year-on-year at £160m (2016: £165m).

Turnover including a contribution from Scottish joint venture Hayton Coulthard was £171m (2016: £176m). Gregory added that Butler’s appointment made for a “seamless transition” for the firm. He added: “Angela has been with us for seven years and has been working with myself and Andy for the past two years to prepare for the transition.” Gregory said the market continued to be tough but added that customers are recognising the challenges hauliers face. He said: “Fortunately most customers are realistic about the need to invest in the rising cost of transport. It is all very well having a tender that drives

prices down but most customers realise there are factors such as rising fuel and labour costs that are bound to effect the cost of transport.” The driver shortage has prompted the firm to put more money into its apprenticeship training programme. Gregory said: “This is an ambitious plan to bring many apprentices into the business this year and in the future. What we are trying to do is to control our own destiny in the light of the driver shortage.” The group dissolved its subsidiaries PF Holdings and Framptons Transport Services in July last year. In the same year the firm integrated Kay’s Transport, which it bought in 2009, into the business.

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“WE’RE SAVING £200 A WEEK WITH EACH S 450, SO WE’RE QUIDS IN.” “We’ve found other trucks susceptible to fuel consumption variations depending on driver/weather etc, so we’ve recently taken eight new S 450s. The savings are remarkable – approximately £200 a week. We’re finding that our Scania fleet performs well in all circumstances. As a result, we now have another three on order.” Arran Courton, Transport Manager CPT Distribution Ltd.

performance redefined AD_250618__P4.indd 4

20/06/2018 14:24:37

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20/06/2018 14:24:57

News

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Operator changes name to Best Food Logistics

Bidvest gets rebranded By Chris Druce

DRIVER COMFORT: Abbey Logistics has bought 28 Volvo FH units after an extended trial of the new model in 2017. The fleet additions will work across the UK and Europe and are fitted with four-way colour camera systems to enhance driver visibility. Mellor Flow Trans and Gardner Denver discharge compressors have been fitted to the tractor units that will work on Abbeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liquid fleet, while the powder fleet vehicles have Meller Flow Trans blowers installed. Abbey has kitted out the vehicles for its drivers with extra storage, microwaves and fridge freezers, as well as the FHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s improved climate control system. All the new Volvos are fitted with Microlise telematics. Abbey Logistics fleet engineer David Batty said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The feedback from drivers on the new FH tractors has been fantastic and is one of the key areas we look at when selecting new vehicles. The Volvo FH model combines proven reliability, which we saw from an extended trial of the vehicles in 2017, with engineering innovation and a strong focus on having a comfortable working and living space for drivers, which is key considering the work they will be doing throughout the UK and northern Europe.â&#x20AC;?

The Bidvest Logistics name is to disappear from the roads after the operator rebranded itself as Best Food Logistics today (25 June). Business unit director Paul Whyte said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The name Best Food Logistics is a natural evolution from our current brand name. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allowed us to be playful with the re-brand and communicate our friendly and straight-forward approach.â&#x20AC;? The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new logo features a full stop after the word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which it said demonstrates that in its sector, it â&#x20AC;&#x153;wants to be the best. Full stop.â&#x20AC;? The food service company said there would be a period of transition from June, in which the new name and logo will be introduced across the business on its website, uniforms and depot signage. The former Bidvest also announced a recent string of new long-term

contracts with wellknown brands including Pizza Express, TGI Fridays, ASK Italian, Zizzi and, notably, KFC. KFC stripped DHL Supply Chain of some of its supply chain and distribution work in March, returning to Bidvest to service its outlets in the North after DHLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s failure to deliver. Supply chain director at KFC UK & Ireland Mark Hayes said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are delighted with how Bidvest seamlessly transitioned our northern supply chain operations into its shared user network. From day one our deliveries have arrived on time in full and Bidvest continues to provide an excellent service to KFC UK and Ireland.â&#x20AC;? Earlier this year (14 May), MT revealed that DHL Supply Chain had signed up pallet network Palletways to handle the non-chilled requirement of its remaining KFC contract, serving 550 KFCs across the UK.

Gripping new deal for Wincanton

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The Ideal candidate will have proven trailer sales experience and will be expected to maximize the market potential for his area. They must be a team player, have the work ethic to exceed agreed sales targets, along with skills to review database, customer coverage, accurately forecast against targets, and secure deals with concise communication to meet the customers expectations at all times. An excellent package will be available, reflecting the importance of the role to SDC. To apply for this challenging and rewarding position, please email your latest CV to the Human Resources Manager at janemillar@sdctrailers.com. Closing date for receipt of applications will be Monday 9th July 2018. 6 MotorTransport MTR_250618_006.indd 6

Wincanton has won a 10-year contract to provide transport and warehousing services to Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS). The tyre specialist is working to double the size of its operation within the M25, and this deal with the operator comes after more than 10 years of the businesses working together. Wincanton manages two of MTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 14 warehouses in the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11 of which MTS manages itself. MTS has leased a new 58,000ft2 DC

in Greenford, from which Wincanton will provide transport and warehousing. The operator also helped MTS find the new site, and managed the transfer of operations to it. The new site could boost MTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual output from 6.4 million to 7.15 million units. Wincanton director of general merchandise Huw Jenkins said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our standing and experience in the market puts us in an unrivalled position to act when our clients express a desire to expand their operations.â&#x20AC;? 25.6.18

21/06/2018 14:52:24

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20/06/2018 14:27:01

News

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Sector has long way to go to end outdated mindsets, but should be bold and ambitious

Grayling urges end to gender stereotyping By Emma Shone

It’s time the transport sector eliminated the “outdated stereotypes” around gender and job roles, transport secretary Chris Grayling told delegates at the 2018 FTA Everywoman in Transport and Logistics awards in London last week (MT 18 June). “It’s more essential than ever that we celebrate the inspiring women who provide leadership in the transport sector,” he said. “We have to consign to history the outdated stereotypes of what constitutes a man’s role or a woman’s role in a transport career. We should be highlighting what ambitious women can achieve in this sector,” he added. The minister praised the event and said its success “is clear evidence of the success women have made in transport in recent years”. However, Grayling added that the sector still has a way to go: despite women repre-

senting 42% of the UK workforce, he said, just 22% of the transport sector is female. “Within freight and logistics the picture is even less encouraging at only around 10%,” he added. Grayling said these figures give a sense of the challenges ahead, and that the answer lies

in the sector being bold and ambitious in the way it attracts and develops women in the industry. He said: “This is a world where you can make a lot of difference to huge numbers of people and we have to excite the younger generation of potential recruits, leaders and

people who could be the future drivers of the sector.” The annual awards, held at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square, saw leaders from operators including TNT, Asda, DHL Supply Chain and DB Cargo UK honoured. ■ To see the full list of winners, go to everywoman.com.

Murray Hogg joins Palletforce Pall-Ex founder member Murray Hogg has left the network and joined Palletforce. The Newcastle haulier, which has an O-licence for 121 vehicles and 143 trailers, will handle the NE postcodes. Murray Hogg director Alyson Summerhill said: “We have enjoyed 90 years of success in the haulage industry, but we don’t believe in resting on our laurels. To remain at the cutting edge, it’s important to offer our customers the very best service possible. “The pallet sector has expanded hugely and Palletforce is the undoubted market leader. We are delighted to be joining a network that believes in continued investment in its infrastructure and pursuing new markets and opportunities for its members and their customers.” The firm specialises in general haulage, car transportation, warehousing, container loading and unloading and overnight pallet deliveries. Pall-Ex MD Kevin Buchanan confirmed to MT the operator had left, adding that the network had terminated its arrangements with Murray Hogg “as it was not able to comply with the operational requirements of being part of Pall-Ex”.

DHL and Morrisons sign Safeway logistics deal DHL Supply Chain is to manage wholesale logistics operations for Morrisons. The haulier will deliver the supermarket’s Safewaybranded products to 1,650 McColl’s Retail Group stores. It will also provide IT infrastructure and order fulfilment as part of the deal. Morrisons announced it would be reintroducing the Safeway brand in 2016, more than 10 years since it was axed. By moving into the wholesale space, DHL said, Morrisons is using its existing assets to tap into the UK’s expanding convenience market. The operation will be 8 MotorTransport MTR_250618_008.indd 8

based across five picking centres in Bury, Lutterworth, Livingston, Bridgewater and Allington. It will use 200 vehicles, 200,000ft2 of warehousing space and create 550 jobs to service the contract. Morrisons supply chain director Graeme Douglas said: “As we continue to expand our wholesale business, we are confident that DHL will provide the services and experience needed to serve our customers well.” While the wholesale operation is new for DHL Supply Chain, the operator has been working with Morrisons for more than 20 years.

MOVING STUFF: Ryder has supplied Williams Transport with four BMI moving-floor trailers. Two of the trailers are replacements, while the other two are additions to Williams’ fleet as the haulier expands its waste and recycling operations. It is the first time that Cambridgeshire-based Williams has operated BMI trailers and the first time the business has leased specialist equipment. General manager Malcolm Shovelton said: “The leased trailers are in our livery, so it feels no different to us owning them.” The trailers feature side-to-side electric roll-over sheets, extra wide rubbing plates as loads tend to be baled or palletised and steel-capping around the top reel. Shovelton added: “The spec means these new trailers are a little heavier than the other ones in our fleet, but sometimes it’s worth trading a bit of weight saving for strength. Most of our loads are 14 tonnes to 15 tonnes, so we’re not as payload-sensitive as some other operators.” 25.6.18

21/06/2018 10:13:13

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motortransport.co.uk

Former City Link manager got back on the horse and founded regular freight carrier Parcelink Logistics

Business in a pole position By Emma Shone

On Christmas Day 2014, Sarah Squire turned on her TV and learnt she had lost her job. As City Link’s national business development manager, Squire had been at the company for nearly six years, and said losing the firm was a shock that triggered a grieving process. When she found a job with another carrier just days later, she couldn’t give it her all. “I loved City Link,” she told MT. “I loved the people and the way they worked. So when I worked for someone else, I couldn’t give it my life and soul. I couldn’t imagine doing that for anyone else.” Instead, after a brief stint in consulting, Squire saw a gap in the market for a uniquely structured carrier of irregular freight and jumped headfirst into founding Parcelink Logistics.

anyone could sell the service as well as I could, but the business couldn’t expand because I was busy running it,” she admitted. Parcelink is midway through its third financial year, which will close in September. In its first year the company turned over £2.2m, followed by £2.7m. While these figures may not paint a picture of strong year-on-year growth, Squire explained, what they do not show is the hurdles the business overcame in its second year. “In the space of seven days, a customer went bust and left a deficit of £40,000, and we lost those two customers. Everything was turned upside down.”

Losing the hub

Parcelink’s USP is that it cuts out the hub part of a parcel’s journey. The business moves mostly curtain poles and window blinds – cosmetic products that don’t fit onto automated sorters so get manhandled through hubs, picking up scuffs and bumps along the way. “Because they can’t be automated, they tend to be dragged off the van and dragged across the hub. But these products sit in customers’ living rooms – they can’t be damaged,” Squire said. “Some major carriers say ‘I don’t want that in my network, there’s a reason City Link went bust’. But when you think about it, it’s not a bad shape; it’s long and thin, and you can fit loads of them into a van.” So Squire’s drivers collect products from retailers and deliver to the Parcelink depot, where they are manually sorted (“City Link did this too but because we deal a lot with similar products, there’s a particular way of handling it”) and loaded back onto vans and sent off to its delivery depot for the final mile. Squire doesn’t shy away from the fact her operation is a costly one, but she said that customers see the benefit of the bespoke way it functions. “In the two and a half years we’ve been going, I’ve only lost two customers to other carriers, both on pricing. And both of them came back, without any prompting from me.” The final mile element of the operation is fulfilled by Yodel, with any trunking carried out by a third party. Parcelink has 19 customers, not all of which are in the window decoration 25.6.18

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Off the payroll

space, but are in the market of items that do not fit well into a hub. “One of our bigger customers sells car mats,” she said, “which you’d think would fly around on a sorter. But they’re packed in shiny plastic bags and the scanners reflect off them, so they get a lot of mis-sorts.”

Niche market

Her niche market hasn’t dampened Squire’s appetite for expansion. Earlier this year the business moved to a new depot twice the size of its original site, and Squire is confident she can build on the 12,000 consignments moving through her network weekly. “We’ve barely scratched the surface of what we could do for our customers,” she said. “We’re talking to Dunhelm

Mill and Robert Dyas as they don’t sell a lot of our typical product on their websites because they have to add the carrier’s surcharge. But they still move approximately 800 a night, without pushing it. We don’t charge a surcharge, and our business could easily double in size overnight with one of those contracts.” These household names aren’t the only ones Squire has her eye on. “UPS has a lot of business I would like to take. I’ve just taken on a new sales manager and she’s looking at a lot of opportunities I’ve identified but haven’t been able to pursue because I’ve been busy running the business,” she said. Handing over the sales reins was something she found particularly difficult to begin with. “I didn’t think

Squire could not afford to keep all her staff on the payroll. “I had to go to our customers begging them to take on my drivers for a few weeks. They took them for six weeks. We found everybody a job and we took everyone back.” With its balance sheet intact, 15% turnover growth forecast and a dedicated sales manager in place, Squire told MT now is the time for the business to increase. “We are ready for growth. I’m proud of what we do. We own our vans and our drivers are all employed.” But, she added, with City Link ever present at the back of her mind, Squire is confident she won’t make the same mistakes as the ill-fated carrier. “With a big business, costs get hidden to show what people want. I have complete control and all our costs are transparent. “We are ready to expand with the right customers at the right pace. Every day I feel as happy as I did at City Link – just less frustrated because there’s less red tape. And I love it.” MotorTransport 9

21/06/2018 12:50:48

News

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The software generates HGV-compliant routes with access to live traffic conditions

DPD takes another slice of Pie with routeing app By Christopher Walton

In November 2016 DPD added another piece to its successful software portfolio – Pie Mapping. Software at DPD, primarily its Predict and Precise offerings, has changed the face of parcel home delivery and made it a juggernaut of online retail. It quickly renamed the firm as simply Pie (adding another P product to the portfolio) and – probably more importantly – appointed Stuart Hill (pictured) chief executive in March 2017. A year later it launched its London Lorry Route Approver (LLRA) app. Taking LLRA as an example is the easiest way to explain what Pie does. Simply, it generates HGV-compliant routes tailored to vehicle weights and dimensions, avoiding restrictions. It also uses Mapbox and OpenStreetMap technology to create compliant routes with live traffic conditions and turn-by-turn instructions, as well as send alerts when the driver goes off a London Lorry Control Scheme (LLCS)compliant route. This eliminates the chance of a penalty charge notice, an offence that can cost up to £500 the first time, and £800 or more for a second. Drivers can run the app on Android and iOS mobile devices – at an individual charge per user, per month. Hill said: “This feels like we are on the brink of something that is really exciting,” and given DPD’s pedigree, that’s a feeling with substance behind it.

Wealth of experience

Hill has 15 years of experience in logistics, retail and e-commerce. He co-founded wnDirect, an international retail logistics company, in 2012 before selling it to DPD Group in 2017. This led to a fortuitous meeting with DPD chief executive Dwain McDonald in Paris. “My background is in logis10 MotorTransport MTR_250618_010.indd 10

tics for John Lewis where I was designing warehouses. It bought Buy.com (in 2002) and I managed the carrier base, all of the non-green van fleet and I expanded that role for the entire John Lewis Partnership,” he said. Hill then went to Asos in its early days. “We decided to take the offering internationally,” he said, “and the biggest barrier we found wasn’t taking payment, but getting the parcel delivered from a central source of stock in the UK to a customer anywhere worldwide.”

From A to B

Fixing this problem led Hill to start wnDirect: “It started as how we get parcels out of the UK to anywhere and ended up as how do we get parcels from anywhere to anywhere globally. DPD acquired a minority stake in the business and that is where my relationship with it started. It also led me to Pie. “Our last peak at wnDirect was our busiest. Last year we did £100m turnover and 30 million parcels. Our biggest problem as a business was managing our third-party truck suppliers – knowing where they were, how many parcels were on the back of them.” Then came that stroke of Parisian fortune: “We had to do a yearly budget meeting in Paris and I bumped into Dwain. We chatted and he asked what I was doing next. He said he’d just made this investment in this company called Pie.” Pie has two product offer-

IRS contractors will need FORS silver by 2019 Airdrie-based housing contractor Insulated Render Systems (IRS) has told its haulage suppliers they will need FORS silver accreditation. The external wall insulation specialist wants all deliveries to its sites to be made by companies working to a minimum FORS silver standard within 18 months. The requirement will then become mandatory and written into all IRS contracts from the beginning of 2019. IRS operations manager Kevin Callaghan said: “Construction vehicles are involved in a disproportionately high number of fatalities with respect to all road traffic deaths and we feel a moral obligation to address the issue. We want to make a difference.” He added: “By demanding our supply chain operates to a minimum of FORS silver, we will know all our contractors and suppliers actively promote safety on the roads by educating their drivers and staff, and that they have robust procedures in place to effectively manage their workrelated road risk.” From March all subcontractors working for Aggregate Industries are required to hold at least bronze level FORS accreditation.

Beat the delays ings, Pie Fleet and Pie Drive (the LLRA product is based on a combination of both). Simply, Pie Fleet is the data, for someone on a desktop or tablet who is requesting and organising vehicles. Pie Drive is the product in the cab that enables the driver to follow their route. Hill explained: “In the retail world it is Asos or Boohoo or Missguided that is requesting vehicles and managing vehicles, but the outsourced warehouse provider is having to deal with that. You have a whole system that is retailer to carrier, retailer to 3PL, 3PL to carrier. There are so many points at which it can break down. Bringing that all online feels

like a massive opportunity.” That means bringing managers throughout the supply chain the same visibility the customer gets with their parcel delivery. It may sound unbelievable that this never happened before, but – as Hill said – it’s taken time to get the “data across the whole piece”.

Share the pie

However, unlike Precise or Predict, everyone can have a share of this Pie. Its website Pie.io has testimonials from mid-size hauliers such as TJ Hammond Transport, through to the big boys like XPO Logistics. Given DPD’s record this pie is only likely to get bigger.

Hauliers could avoid Brexit border delays at Channel ports by sending freight unaccompanied via other routes, according to a report by Peel Ports. ‘Brexit Unlocked: a contingency option using uncongested ports’ argues that the best way to ensure cargo is not caught up in delays is to switch non-perishable goods from accompanied freight services to unaccompanied services. The paper said this would allow hauliers, manufacturers and retailers to avoid queues at the Channel. 25.6.18

21/06/2018 10:24:50

Focus: Politics

motortransport.co.uk

Dover-based operator warns MPs that negative effects of Brexit on road transport could be ‘enormous’

Industry responds to Brexit inquiry The Transport Committee is taking written evidence as part of its Freight and Brexit inquiry and it was particularly keen to address the adequacy of steps being taken by freight companies, their representative bodies, their customers and the government in preparation for the challenges and opportunities of Brexit. Chairwoman of the committee Lilian Greenwood MP said of the inquiry: “We haven’t heard enough about transport infrastructure, policy and regulation implications affecting freight operators and their customers. From day one after Brexit we will expect our goods to turn up and for life to continue as normal. “While the agreement of a transitional period to December 2020 is welcome, there remains a great deal of uncertainty for UK freight operators and their customers. The implications of Brexit will vary across freight modes and types of freight. We want the sector to tell us what’s worrying them. What is required to make this work?” International haulier Sealane Freight, which holds an O-licence for 50 trucks and 100 trailers out of an operating centre in Dover, was among the first to submit written evidence to the inquiry. It said that 83% of its turnover was directly related to trade with the European Union.

Lack of leadership

“We are extremely concerned over the lack of progress, the lack of leadership and direction being shown by our government, and an apparent lack of understanding of the likely consequences of a failure to remain part of the Customs Union,” it said. “We have many specific concerns for our 245 staff and their future employment, and the sustainability of our business. We believe that our business will suffer substantially and the consequences will be rapid.”

CILT said, have cabotage rights. If cabotage rights are withdrawn or some of the changes indicated above take place, the UK will be short of haulage capacity and prices will rise, it warned. Also of note in the written evidence was a submission from the assistant chief constable of Kent Police responsible for central operations, including the roads policing unit.

Policing issues

The evidence submission also warned that it was not possible to adequately train the large numbers of customs clearance/customs entry clerks required in a realistic time frame. “We are concerned that British companies will abandon exports into Europe due to the difficulties involved [and perhaps seek other markets]. We are concerned that current supply chains will be so badly disrupted as to force buyers of British goods to look elsewhere for their suppliers. “The overall negative effect on the European road transport industry could be enormous,” it added. The warning came weeks after FTA deputy chief executive James Hookham accused the government of wanting to “destroy the businesses” of its international haulier members if it continued with its current approach to Brexit (MT 18 June).

In a further written evidence submission, the CILT said that harder Brexit scenarios would lead to an increase in unaccompanied trailer traffic across the channel, reducing volume through Dover and the Channel Tunnel.

Increased inventories

It also warned that any delays or unreliability in movements across the Channel on current high-volume routes would lead to the holding of increased inventories, requiring larger warehouses and potential double handling in the supply chain when existing sites do not have the capacity. Finally, the CILT also stated in its evidence that foreign-registered trucks operating on UK roads total between 16,000 and 20,000 vehicles. This, it said, is approximate by 15% of trucks of 30 tonnes and above and is a key part of UK capacity. These trucks, the

The issue of Brexit and freight is of particular importance for the force, the assistant chief constable said in the submission, as any issues that have a negative effect on the movement of freight in and out of Europe via the UK port of Dover or the Channel Tunnel would significantly affect the strategic road network and Kent policing. Kent Police supports the notion that further work is required to understand the scale and challenge Brexit presents to freight companies, the evidence said. It pointed to different freight-related needs and those deemed as ‘at risk’, including perishable goods. Due to the high volume of freight moving through Kent, it said, consideration of individual commercial needs during any phase and implementation of Operation Stack would create further disruption and would be unviable for Kent Police to manage. The infrastructure does not support consideration for preferential lanes for loads that maybe categorised ‘at risk’. Kent Police, it said, would also seek a review of other, existing, road infrastructure, which may not be fit for purpose, which affects the strategic road network, in particular in the east of the county, towards the port of Dover. This includes the A2 and M2 corridor, which is often at capacity or carrying a large amount of freight. The deadline for written submissions has passed and there are no further public meetings scheduled.

Image: Shutterstock

Lack of progress from government on Irish border controls The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is demanding more detail from the government on its plans for postBrexit border controls between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The committee published its report in March on the land border between the two countries, however most of the government responses to the committee’s key recommendations referred the committee to the Joint 25.6.18

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UK-EU report published in December last year. “As a committee we were expecting more at this stage, but are left none the wiser on progress made on the border conundrum. We are obliged to press the government for answers,” said committee chairman Andrew Murrison MP, adding that he had written to the secretary of state for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley, asking her to

expand on the government’s original response. “We are disappointed with the lack of detail provided by the government in response to our report on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland,” Murrison added. “We had hoped that the government would recognise our intent and engage seriously with the issues we highlighted in our report. Instead we have been

provided with little more information than when we published our findings three months ago. “Time and again in the response the government refers back to previously published documents or agreements to set out their position. It has provided the very broadest impression of its intentions when our recommendations asked for detail,” Murrison said. MotorTransport 11

20/06/2018 09:44:27

Viewpoint

motortransport.co.uk

What to do about rising fuel costs? C Paul Holland COO Fleetcor UK

ommercial fleet operators are facing the highest fuel costs since 2014. Driven by the rising price of crude oil, which peaked at $80 (£60)/barrel in May, the cost of fuel at the pump has risen by nearly 6ppl. Worse, the volatile relationship between the US and Iran could drive further increases in costs. The US recently withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement and has threatened to cease trading with other countries that continue to trade with Iran. The deterioration of such trade contracts could limit the supply of fuel from affected countries, with a potential rise in costs. Similarly, Saudi Arabia, the biggest member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is voicing its concerns about volatile oil prices. Oil exports represent a major part of OPEC members’ economies. However, with consumption potentially set to diminish in 2019, these countries may restrict supply to maintain higher oil prices. Finally, the falling value of the pound against

the US dollar is making fuel more expensive, as oil is traded exclusively in dollars. Operators can mitigate against these factors by implementing three cost-saving measures today: ■ by shopping around the fuel card market, operators can benefit from significant savings. Larger operators can also bunker their own fuel – which is generally the most cost-effective way to refuel on the road; ■ many commercial vehicle drivers deviate from their routes to fill up, wasting fuel as they do so. Keyfuels gives drivers access to more than 2,020 fuel sites, the UK’s largest commercial fuel network, to maximise efficiency; ■ operators can improve their fuel efficiency and keep overheads under control by better harnessing data. Again, fuel card providers can facilitate this by giving operators access to real-time management information reports. This allows for improved visibility around fuel transactions, enabling operators to plan their fuel purchases.

UPTIME REDEFINED

Act now to reduce your carbon footprint T Steve Hobson Editor Motor Transport

his is the last issue of MT before the Motor Transport Awards on 4 July and so completes the round up of our 82 outstanding shortlisted companies. Road transport is a tough business: highly regulated, ultra-competitive and constantly picked on by government – both local and national – when it comes to the environment. And yet reading the shortlists it is clear that operators and their suppliers are always finding ways to do things better – more efficiently, more safely and with less impact on the environment. As an industry that relies on vehicles that largely still burn non-renewable fossil fuel it is arguably time road transport did something about its carbon footprint before it is forced to take action by legislators. Just saying there is no alternative to diesel if the nation wants fast, reliable and affordable deliveries will not wash in a world where only the most myopic of climate change deniers continue to claim that we can carry on emitting unlimited amounts of carbon without damaging the planet.

12 MotorTransport MTR_250618_012.indd 12

MT has been running either an Environmental or Low Carbon category since the awards were launched in 1986 and its significance has never been greater. Low- or zero-carbon alternatives to diesel power for long-distance heavy haulage are still some way off. Even if there is a miracle with battery technology that makes full electric viable, let’s not forget that in the UK 40% of electricity is generated from coal and gas. So while electric vehicles may be zero emissions at the tailpipe, they still rely on fossil fuels to charge their batteries. And how recyclable will all those lithium batteries prove to be? Will we end up with mountains of battery waste just as we have with spent nuclear fuel? There are just a few tables left for the MT Awards so to see who walks away with those 20 iconic bronze trophies book now. See you there.

The newspaper for transport operators

To contact us: Tel: 020 8912 +4 digits or email: name.surname@roadtransport.com Editor Steve Hobson 2161 Editor-in-chief Christopher Walton 2163 Group news editor Chris Druce 2158 Deputy news editor Emma Shone 2164 Group technical editor Colin Barnett 2141 Aftermarket editor Roger Brown 2168 Vans editor George Barrow 2156 Urban editor Hayley Pink 2165 Group production editor Clare Goldie 2174 Deputy production editor Jo Saunders 2173 Key account managers Andrew Smith 07771 885874 Miranda Hall-Morley 07825 409551 Display telesales Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Richard Bennett 07889 823060 Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising Head of sales operations Julie McInally 2122 rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Sales director Vic Bunby 2121 Head of marketing Jane Casling 2133 Head of events/MT Awards Stephen Pobjoy 2135 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, Sixth Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1JB 020 8912 2170 Free copies MT is available free to specified licensed operators under the publisher’s terms of control. For details, email mtsccqueries@roadtransport.com, or call 01772 426705 Subscriptions Tel 0330 333 9544 Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £135/year. Europe £163/ year. RoW £163/year. Cheques made payable to Motor Transport. Apply online at mtssubs.com Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper Published by DVV Media International Ltd © 2018 DVV Media International Ltd ISSN 0027-206 X

Got something to say?

If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 25.6.18

21/06/2018 12:37:31

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20/06/2018 14:32:24

Interview: Andy Kaye

Selling logistics

The UK logistics industry is facing skills shortages as we head towards Brexit, and that includes managers. One firm is doing something about it, as Steve Hobson reports

onsulting and executive recruitment specialist Bis Henderson was founded by CEO Andy Kaye in 2000 and now employs 43 people in two locations, Northampton and High Wycombe. A former NFC management trainee, Kaye was logistics director of Storehouse Group, former owner of BHS, until Philip Green bought the company and he decided it was time to move on. “I set up a consulting company in conjunction with a property developer, Barwood, and we called it Barwood Integrated Solutions,” Kaye recounts. “The business required people because you cannot do all the work. You cannot clone yourself. “I very quickly broke into the interim management market and then the recruitment side of the industry because I realised that the industry didn’t really understand interim management as a way of resourcing projects. “So we started the executive recruitment business Bis Executive and we went from consulting to recruitment. Then, in 2008, I bought the George Henderson recruitment business, put the two together and created a business called Bis Henderson.” The business specialises in recruiting middle to senior managers in the salary range £35,000 to £300,000 a year. The company survived the credit crunch, but Kaye realised the business needed more strings to its bow than executive recruitment and interim management, so he went back to his roots and set up another consulting business, Bis Consulting. “The logic was quite simple,” says Kaye. “If you’re recruiting logistics directors into the sector, why wouldn’t you then do consulting for those individuals as well? The consulting side is growing really quickly.”

Logistics graduates

Working in logistics recruitment, Kaye sees the industry skills shortage first-hand every day, which motivated him to set up the Novus Trust to help recruit and employ logistics graduates. The logistics sector used to have its own guardian of skills resources, the sector skills council Skills for Logistics, but this got into financial difficulties, largely due to its pension deficit, and was forced to close in 2015. It was subsequently acquired by Logistics Job Shop owner David Coombes and is now a not-for-profit consultancy and apprenticeship endpoint assessor. “Back in the day, Skills for Logistics was quite right in what it was trying to say, that the industry is hugely underskilled and under-paid, and that it’s going to be challenged even further with the fact that very few people are coming in,” says Kaye. “They were trying to provide a logical career pathway and stairway to progression, but the industry was never behind it, and it was too reliant on government funding. “In about 2012, I was asked to speak at a CILT supply chain conference. I sat on the panel on supply chain risk, and the obvious thing to talk about was the lack of talent and skills shortage. “The Novus Trust was my brainchild because I was a business graduate of Trent University. It was a four-year degree and for the first three years I would spend the first two terms in college and then the third term and the summer break in the industry. I had three fantastic industrial placements which when I came out of university helped me get a job.” Novus sponsors undergraduates on logistics degree courses, 14 MotorTransport MTR_250618_014-015.indd 14

and guarantees successful graduates a job with one of 25 companies supporting the trust. “The idea was to acknowledge that we have a lack of graduate talent in our industry, and while we have some huge organisations like DHL that have graduate schemes, the reality is we don’t attract enough talent at a time when this sector is going through enormous amounts of change from a technology perspective,” says Kaye. “The industry would openly admit that even the big companies really struggle to bring graduates into logistics and supply chain.” Kaye started out by designing “a blueprint of the degree course” at the University of Huddersfield and recruiting five companies as initial sponsors. “The blueprint was that students on that course would get a mentor from one of the sponsors, a paid placement in the third year, the opportunity for work experience in the first year and if they got a 2:1 or better at the end of the degree there was a guaranteed job,” says Kaye. “We have now started running courses at Aston and Derby, and have 150 students going through that scheme, with 25 companies sponsoring them. “It hasn’t been difficult to attract companies. It’s a charitable trust and the CILT manages the money because I didn’t want to associate it commercially with Bis Henderson.” Some of the big sponsors of Novus then approached Kaye about setting up apprenticeships for logistics. “At that time, we didn’t know the apprenticeship levy was coming,” says Kaye. “I engaged Paul Brooks to start an apprenticeship programme and to get the accreditation needed to be a training provider.” Brooks, currently interim sales director at Wincanton as well as owner of the Logistics Guild, is a former Unipart logistics director and president of the CILT. In 2014 he became MD of the Bis Henderson Academy, which has the stated mission to “create a gateway into the logistics and supply chain industry for young talent”. “It took us two years to get accreditation,” says Kaye. “It was highly complex, and we needed to recruit the people who were going to deliver the training. In all we spent four and a half years getting ourselves to a point where we’re an accredited training provider and we have training programmes out to NVQ level 5 and above. We had 200 people going through our courses and then the levy arrived. “We said ‘let’s adjust our focus, so rather than bringing in new apprentices let’s look at how we help companies utilise their levy’. We’re now helping companies internally train their own people because the reality of the levy is that companies can’t possibly bring in enough new apprentices over a year to justify the levy payment.” So, for some of its major 3PL clients, Bis Henderson has set up an accredited programme for first-line management, funded by the apprenticeship levy. “It’s hard work, of course, but trying to use government funding is always hard work,” says Kaye. 25.6.18

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“It’s the paperwork but it’s also the cost. We put lot of upfront investment into getting our accreditation and hiring the people.” While training of existing staff is important to raising productivity and staff retention, it is not going to fill the looming skills gap facing the logistics industry, which Kaye estimates needs to recruit 1.2 million people – 350,000 in management roles – by 2020. “We have become heavily reliant on eastern European labour to populate warehouses, especially during the critical eight- to 10-week peak period,” says Kaye. “That is disappearing and it is not an easy challenge to fix. “The obvious solution is more mechanisation, but you can’t install an automated picking system overnight. It could take a year to get it designed and another year to implement it. So there’s a time bomb. “The other issue is van drivers. You don’t see too many 18- to 21-year olds coming in to this sector. At one end, HGV drivers are in a large part highly skilled and well remunerated, but at the other end you’ve got the white van drivers who are often self-employed couriers working on a part-time or semi-retirement basis. It’s not the future of this industry.”

Funding barriers

The perennial problem facing logistics is the barriers to using government funding – including the apprenticeship levy – to recruit and train for relatively low-skilled jobs such as warehouse staff and van drivers. It is even debatable whether or not public money can be used to fund HGV licence acquisition. “The problem is it isn’t a commercial model, and there’s no money because we can’t rely on funding from government. It’s not sustainable,” says Kaye. “At the moment 48% of young people over 18 in this country are going on to some form of higher education in colleges or universities. “That has done two things. It’s created a hugely unrealistic expectation for graduates doing what I would call tertiary degrees in tertiary locations. They’re not at university doing top degrees; they are glorified apprenticeships at best, for which the young person is writing a cheque for £9,000 a year through the student loan scheme. “It is also making those academic establishments extremely wealthy. Northampton University is sponsoring the Northampton Saints [rugby union] and Northampton Town [football]. You’re telling me an academic establishment can afford to do that?” In this numbers game it is very hard for the industry to interest students in logistics degrees. “With regard to graduate recruitment, we’re a very small voice in a very big and expensive world,” says Kaye. “Trying to get logistics and supply chain even on the radar of somebody

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who’s thinking of maybe doing a business degree is nigh-on impossible. “We’ve got the infrastructure with Novus to accommodate 300 students a year, and we probably got at most 60 because we are just not getting the applications.” The industry has tried many times to come together to raise its profile with potential recruits, and another joint push is currently under way, supported by the RHA, FTA, CILT, Novus and Think Logistics and led by ex-senior traffic commissioner Beverley Bell. Motor Transport has donated sponsorship of the Training category in the MT Awards 2018 to Think Logistics to help raise awareness of this initiative. “We came together as an industry to go out to schools and colleges and to say ‘this is the reason why as a young person you can have a great career in this industry’,” says Kaye. “We are not talking about drivers, we are talking about stock control, HR, finance and all manner of different things. Unfortunately there is still no commercial model lined up. We’ve got a bit of government funding promised, about £50,000, but the reality is you need a couple of million to do this job.” While logistics may not get young people’s pulses racing, talking about opportunities in e-commerce and automation might be more appealing. “The UK has been an early adopter of e-commerce compared with other countries and there will be more automation and mechanisation,” says Kaye. “There is a need for many more highly skilled engineers in the sector. We work with a clothing e-commerce client that is in the process of implementing a 170,000ft2 fully automated extension to its warehouse. It needs 45 engineers to maintain it. “So what we’ve got to do as an industry is to get in front of those 12- to 14- year olds as they are starting to formulate their ideas about what they want to do. I’m not saying they would want to work in a warehouse or drive a truck, but they might want a job that will allow them to deal with data, meet suppliers and travel the world.” Without a multi-million pound budget, it is the responsibility of every firm in the transport and logistics industry to do its bit. “We’ve got 25 businesses in Novus and we have created what we call an ‘adopt a school day’,” says Kaye. “We want them to adopt two schools in their local area and use the materials that we’ve given them to go out and talk to those schools and build a relationship. “Not just one visit – we want them to have an enduring relationship so that we can start to inspire some young people to think about the industry. That for me is a really simple way of doing this stuff that doesn’t cost a lot.” ■

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19/06/2018 15:13:06

Low-carbon vehicles

What’s the alterna MT looks a look at how the industry is beginning to transition towards alternative fuels and operating practices. Hayley Pink reports

he road transport sector has long been in the hot seat with government when it comes to headline strategies to reduce CO2 emissions and,more recently, improve air quality. Latest government figures state that HGVs account for approximately 17% of UK greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and about 21% of road transport NOx emissions, while making up just 5% of vehicle miles. But the emissions figures used by government, taken from 2014 data, arguably do not reflect the positive effect of Euro-6 lorries since their introduction. Indeed, in its latest research into NOx from lorries, the RHA reveals that the sector has slashed its emissions by 43% in four years and is set to reach a 70% reduction by the end of 2021 as Euro-6 becomes more prevalent. But despite the low emissions of the latest diesel trucks, it is becoming abundantly clear to the logistics sector that it must look beyond the status quo and explore new technology. Be it the government’s plan to ban the sale of diesel vans and cars by 2040, London’s worldfirst Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)coming into force next year, or a rapidly expanding network of Clean Air Zones (CAZ) across the UK, doing nothing is not an option. So what is piquing the interest of MT operators, and is anything already beginning to penetrate diesel’s dominance in the world of commercial vehicles? The government’s £20m Low Emission Freight and Logistics Trial, which began last April and will run until March 2020, aims to help industry explore a wide range of new technology, including electric, gas, hydrogen, KERS, geo-fencing, clean refrigeration and aerodynamics capabilities.

Gas and cryogenic refrigeration

One of the largest projects in the trial, led by Air Liquide, will see more than 80 gas vehicles and five cryogenic refrigeration units tested by the likes of Culina/Great Bear, Wincanton, Howard Tenens and Kuehne + Nagel. These range from 12 to 44 tonnes and feature trucks from four OEMs: Volvo, Iveco, Scania and Mercedes-Benz. Operator Howard Tenens is to trial the UK’s first pair of 26-tonne dedicated gas rigids supplied by Scania from its Swindon depot on main contracts with the likes of Toolstation, Honda and Cotswolds Outdoors. An early adopter of gas trucks, the operator 16 MotorTransport MTR_250618_016-017.indd 16

has previously run 36 dual-fuel HGVs through the DfT’s Low Carbon Truck Trial between 2012 and 2016. However, it now believes dedicated gas trucks, fuelled with sustainable biomethane, are the best fit for its operation and deliver the most environmental benefits. Howard Tenens executive director Ben Morris said when the scheme was announced: “These vehicles will reduce carbon emissions by around 70% compared to a normal diesel engine and is the most viable option available to us for reducing our carbon footprint.” The company owns its own gas refuelling station in Swindon and will partner with Advanced Plasma Power to supply biomethane for the trial, made from household rubbish. Refuelling firm Gasrec certainly believes that a combination of new vehicle ranges and political will to move away from diesel will see gas technology continue to gain momentum. Gasrec business development manager Matthew Hunt tells MT: “Three of the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturer – Iveco, Volvo and Scania – have invested in this market and are all able to offer natural gas products. “With trials underway of Volvo’s new 460hp LNG vehicle in May 2018, fleet operators now have the full range of dedicated natural gas vehicles to choose from. For the first time, products now range from small vans to high horsepower tractor units, ensuring no operation is without a gas option.” Gasrec runs eight refuelling sites across the UK, with ambitious plans to expand this network as demand from industry gains momentum. These range from back-to-base sites for individual operators up to large, open-access

facilities such as Gasrec’s site at the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal (DIRFT) – Europe’s largest natural gas refuelling station. It has hosted 22 trials of gas trucks itself this year with customers to prove their performance and environmental benefits “with feedback almost entirely positive”, adds Hunt. “Public perception of diesel is at its lowest ebb,” he believes, “with the world’s biggest brands seeking a proven low-emission alternative, which natural gas most certainly is. “From a cost perspective, increases in oil prices over the last six months have increased running costs for a standard operation and with the gas duty differential currently in place the savings for running a gas vehicle are substantial.”

Turning point for gas

Bibby Distribution is another operator which has always been at the forefront of gas technology, having had success on its fleet with dualfuel LPG/diesel conversions. “These have worked well for us, but are coming to the end of their operational lives now,” Bibby head of fleet and procurement Adam Purshall tells MT.He is keenly following the emergence of the latest dedicated gas trucks, having recently trialled an Iveco, with plans afoot to also test out Scania and Volvo offerings. “They are definitely building momentum,” he says. “It very much feels like it is at a turning point. The cost of diesel is going up, so it makes the return on investment quicker.” Purshall believes one of the key drivers is the availability of public refuelling sites. If volumes permitted, Bibby may look to invest in on-site refuelling capability with a back-to-base opera25.6.18

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native? tion, however to make the operation “really useable”, availability of open-access sites is vital. “Talking to the gas suppliers, their plans are really ambitious and I think 2018 and definitely 2019 means it will really become viable and we’ll see an increase in operators using them,” he tells MT. With the growing range of trucks out there, CNG is ticking most of the boxes for Bibby “if we can get the density and the range out of it”, adds Purshall. “Gas seems to be the natural choice in the short term. I think electric will come in the longer term, but this is still a few years away to be financially and operationally viable with sufficient range.”

The multi-fuel approach

Adopting a multi-fuel zero-emission ambition approach is playing a significant role for sameday courier CitySprint’s sustainability strategy, as it moves towards a zero-emission fleet by 2020. CitySprint Group CEO Patrick Gallagher tells MT: “Push bikes are essential for delivering small items in urban areas, while cargo bikes are proving a viable alternative to small vans in cities. Electric vans can help replace larger vans but are reliant on the location of charging points, which reduces their coverage. “The introduction of hydrogen vans is a potential game-changer as they can travel distances of up to 200 miles.“ The company is trialling a “first-of-its kind” hydrogen van in partnership with customer Mitie and has already saved around two tonnes of CO2 in the six-month period since it began. It has also tripled its cargo bike fleet from 10 to 30. These electrically-assisted bikes have a load capacity of up to 100kg and can carry most items that a small van can. CitySprint says based on its inner London trials, the bikes allow it to complete courier jobs 50% faster than a van during peak weekdays. These new bikes completed 14,000 jobs between August 2017 and March 2018. Since their launch, and the replacement of small vans in August 2017, CO2 emissions have been slashed by as much as 100 tonnes. “As a result of this, our intention is to roll

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cargo bikes out to other UK cities in the future,” adds Gallagher. But he tells MT one of the biggest barriers towards a greater adoption of low-emission technology by industry is the lack of refuelling infrastructure to support non-diesel vehicles. For example there are only five stations in London that can refuel its hydrogen van. Another challenge is vehicle maintenance for non-diesel CVs, “as there are currently no high street garages with the resources or technical expertise needed to repair them”.He believes vehicle affordability, government incentives and volumes of operators using lowemission CVs are three key ways to tackle the barriers. “Green technology is at a turning point and as technology and infrastructure improves its adoption in logistics will grow in parallel so reducing emissions and benefitting everyone,” Gallagher adds.

Drop-in fuels

Foodservice operator Brakes, meanwhile, has had success with trials of Shell gas to liquid (GTL) fuel, which alongside hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) and other similar biofuels, can be used as a straightforward replacement for diesel. No engine modifications are required and the fuel can be distributed, stored and pumped using existing infrastructure and equipment. Brakes began its trial of 18-tonne DAF LFs on GTL from its Park Royal, London depot in September 2017, and runs 80 trucks on the fuel. Findings to date have shown quieter running, improved mpg and emissions reduction. Truck manufacturer DAF is an advocate of this latest generation of ‘drop-in fuels’, recently holding its own ride and drive event with all 18 demonstrator trucks, including LF, CF and XF models, running on HVO. The HVO fuel – an aromatic-free paraffinic diesel marketed as Green D by renewable fuels specialist Green Biofuels – claims to deliver up to a 90% or more reduction in greenhouse gas emissions ‘from well-to-wheel’ compared to conventional diesel. “Heavy-duty Euro-6-compliant diesel engines already emit very low levels of NOx and particulates,” says DAF Trucks marketing manager Phil Moon, “and by operating on clean-burning HVO, combustion is more efficient, even cleaner, and emissions are further reduced.” He believes the drop-in nature of the fuel will be appealing for operators. “The price is marginally higher than regular diesel, but with such significant environmental advantages, there is a clear case for govern-

ment to reduce duty on HVO to encourage more use by operators,” Moon adds. Another new addition on the drop-in fuel front comes in the form of bioLPG. Available in the UK through Calor Gas, it is chemically identical to conventional LPG but created from renewable waste. Suitable for both HGVs and fork-lift trucks where LPG is already in use, for example in a dual-fuel lorry, Calor says it can deliver CO2 savings of between 50% and 80% when compared with conventional LPG, based on a 100% substitution rate. At the Freight in the City Expo last year, Calor also launched an electric truck concept, with a bioLPG range-extender for urban distribution. Built in partnership with Dutch truck manufacturer EMoss, the “world-first” dual-fuel electric rigid gas tanker is due to be piloted on Calor’s own fleet from September this year. “As the UK government continues to pursue transport fuel strategies that can improve operational efficiencies and cut emissions, the LPG range extender represents an exciting opportunity for the transport and logistics sector in the future,” says Calor transport specialist Mark Gilks. “The technology looks set to provide the capability to increase a vehicle’s battery-only range from 40 to 250 miles, as well as offering the potential for GPS ring-fencing to cut emissions to zero when operating in city centres.” As a key buyer and supplier of new vehicles to the logistics sector, rental firm Fraikin says it has noticed a “significant shift” in interest in low emissions vehicles. “We are continually researching new technologies for vehicles, trailers and ancillary equipment such as cranes, fridges and tail-lifts,” says James Walker, commercial director of Fraikin. “Fraikin does not have an opinion about what the specific front runner is on alternative fuels. Our approach is a solution-based approach to each customer. The key is to understand our customers’ requirements, operating environment, vehicle demands and simple things such as fuel availability, which can be one of the biggest challenges at the moment. “Last-mile logistics has different requirements and challenges to medium and long-haul operations for example. Radial distribution has different challenges and opportunities and so does the chilled logistics sector.” The company runs its own dedicated research team, FraikinLab, to develop options to integrate vehicle and equipment technology, as well as telematics systems to support the transition. “Alongside this is the need to understand and keep our customers up to date with regulatory changes such as CAZ,” Walker says. “We have noticed a significant shift both in demand for vehicles, demand for vehicle information and demand for insights into legislation and when changes may come into force for lowemission, low-carbon options. Fraikin recently produced an executive summary for the commercial vehicle industry on the Government’s Clear Air Strategy 2018.” Fraikin is adapting its business model to not only help specify alternative fuel vehicles, but to commercially present these vehicles as a full contract hire package and, “most importantly, to ensure that all our services, such as breakdown support, compliance and maintenance, are in place when supplying new technology vehicles to our customers”. ■ MotorTransport 17

21/06/2018 08:38:17

MT Awards 2018 shortlists Low Carbon Award