Motor Transport 7 June 2021

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

7.6.21

YOUR TOTAL transport SOLUTION Lack of technicians, vehicles and parts means operators cannot comply

NEWS INSIDE Skills squeeze

Call for action on driver tests p3

Skills solution

Tech’s role in driver shortage p6

On the road to zero

Webinar looks at fuel options p8

OPERATORS INSIDE Amey ............................................................ p4 Bullet Express............................................... p3 Deben Transport ............................................ p4 DHL Supply Chain .......................................... p8 Gregory Distribution ...................................... p3 Hexagon Leasing ..........................................p16 KBC Logistics ...............................................p18 Mostro Pizza.................................................. p3 Roger Warnes Transport ...............................p16 Swain Group.................................................p20 The Pallet Network...................................p4, p6

Fuel chill looms Firms have been advised to fit an engine drive power take-off (PTO) and electric generator to all new trucks and tractors for refrigerated transport to mitigate an overnight increase in fuel costs when the red diesel rebate is withdrawn.

Currently, red diesel attracts duty at 11.4p per litre, but this will increase to the white diesel level of 57.95p per litre in April 2022, potentially costing fridge operators thousands, warned refrigerated systems manufacturer Hultsteins.

Shortages put hauliers at odds with London DVS

By Chris Tindall

A nationwide shortage of parts, vehicles and technicians has meant many operators are failing to comply with London’s Direct Vision Standard (DVS), three months after enforcement began.

Business group Logistics UK is now urging TfL to extend the DVS grace period.

The call came as TfL said its data showed the scheme was already helping to save lives and prevent injuries. It said 136,000 permits had been issued and 70,000 0-star rated HGVs had had safe systems fitted. It also said that since enforcement began in March, around 7,000 PCNs had been issued and that in some cases, permits had been revoked.

Natalie Chapman, Logistics UK head of policy, said hauliers were keen to comply with the DVS standard, but were being held back by forces outside their control.

Photo: Press Association

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“A nationwide shortfall of available technicians, vehicles and parts has left many unable to upgrade or replace their vehicles in time for the ending of the grace period,” she said. “Logistics UK has written to TfL to request an extension to the grace period for those who have already registered on the scheme prior to 1 March 2021.

“Logistics UK is not calling for any further delay to enforcement of the scheme in general,” Chapman added. “Having suffered financial and operational disruption due to Covid-19, this extension

IN THE CHAIR: Cullimore Group MD Moreton Cullimore (pictured) has followed in his father’s footsteps after being appointed the new chair of the RHA. Cullimore is the association’s youngest ever chairperson and will work with vice-chairperson Tim Slater and the RHA management team to help move the industry along the road to recovery.

“Cullimores have been in haulage for over 90 years and we have been members of the RHA since it was established over 75 years ago,” said Cullimore. “My grandfather, father and myself have always believed that the support provided by such a strong organisation is invaluable.”

would be a lifeline to the operators who continue to work tirelessly to support London’s businesses, residents and visitors, until the shortfalls of vehicles, parts and technicians required to either upgrade or replace vehicles are overcome.”

TfL had not responded to these concerns as MT went to press, but in an earlier statement, its head of strategy and planning Christina Calderato said: “'We want to thank all of the freight operators who have led the way in ensuring they only operate the safest lorries in London and across the UK and we would like to encourage any freight operators who haven’t yet applied for a safety permit to do so.

“The safety permits are just the first step in our aim to ensure that families don’t experience the tragedy of preventable road collisions involving HGVs and we will be strengthening our life-saving Direct Vision Standards in 2024.”

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News Extra: Volvo FE Electric p10 Focus: legal p12 Viewpoint p14 Finance p16 Profile: Swain Group p20 MT Awards shortlists p24-58

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Hauliers insist urgent action needed to fast-track HGV driving tests and ease recruitment squeeze

Sector at breaking point Haulage operators are demanding government action after a record spike in volumes, combined with a dearth of drivers made worse by a backlog in HGV driver tests, threatened to push many to the brink.

Logistics UK has also urged the DVSA to ramp up its fast-track programme to clear at least 30,000 driving tests, after postponements due to the pandemic left thousands of potential truckers waiting in the wings when the country needs them most.

Bullet Express said it was “incredible busy”, with volumes as high as 300% above normal levels: “Everyone is working at capacity,” said MD Dave McCutcheon.

“It’s six days a week and the staff are stressed out. They haven’t had a decent holiday in the last year.

“There’s a supply issue too; it’s

McCutcheon: ‘Serious situation’

difficult to get trucks and parts if they break down.”

McCutcheon said the government needed to step in and allow non-UK nationals to take up UK-based driving jobs: “This problem is here now and the government doesn’t realise the seriousness of the situation.”

Gregory Distribution said it viewed its apprenticeship

programme as one solution to the skills shortage and it intended to scale it up this year, doubling the number of candidates it trained.

But it acknowledged that a limiting factor was the availability of HGV driver test slots.

Paul Jefferson, Gregory’s legal, risk and sustainability director, said: “We will still aim to bring in 50 apprentices in the next quarter.

“We will do everything we can to get tests booked. It won’t affect our appetite and ambition, but there will be a knock-on effect. It will delay the end product, the driver coming out the other end.”

Jefferson said volumes had also increased “quite significantly”, but Gregory Distribution was able to flex its assets. As some of the increase was predictable, it had retained trucks rather than retiring them.

“We have been quite careful

about selling equipment. If we were to approach a manufacturer for a new vehicle, then lead times would be very significant,” he said.

A recent report from Logistics UK found almost one in 10 logistics businesses (9.8%) said driver recruitment was now “an extreme barrier” to their recovery.

Alex Veitch, general manager for public policy at Logistics UK, said: “The nationwide shortage of HGV drivers is stalling businesses’ recovery from the pandemic.

“With a large pool of potential candidates available, we urge the government to make driver training affordable, accessible and attractive for all.”

McCutcheon added: “It’s going to get to the point where a customer will ask for a delivery and we’ll say, ‘We don’t have a truck, sorry’.

“That day is not too far off.”

New Midlands warehousing will bring fresh life to Amazon region HOME COOKED: Mostro Pizza is going one better than home delivery by making pizza fresh on the doorstep. It has ordered three 3.5 tonne Isuzu Jiffy Banquet pizza trucks for the south-east of England. Mostro Pizza’s MD Lee Putner said: “The concept of preparing and cooking customers’ pizza orders on their driveways came about as a result of the first lockdown as we looked for ways to expand our business activities under the restrictions placed by the government. The prototype vehicle worked really well and we are now looking to expand through a nationwide franchise operation.”

A 24/7 lorry park with 173 spaces and a 106,000 sq ft warehouse on Coventry’s Lyons Park industrial estate have both been given planning approval by the local council.

Developer Goodman Logistics Developments said the Lyons 106 facility will offer customers high-quality shed space in a strategic Midlands location, with 75% of England’s population within a two-hour drive.

Goodman has already delivered 800,000 sq ft of industrial and logistics space on the park, including a 464,000 sq ft distribution centre for Amazon and a 135,000 sq ft space for Jaguar Land Rover.

It said construction will commence this summer, with the facility available for occupation from January 2022.

Birmingham CAZ begins with charging confusion The launch of the controversial Birmingham Clean Air Zone last week (1 June) created confusion among drivers trying to pay the fees for the first time, after it emerged that they won’t be charged for the first two weeks of the scheme.

The decision was not communicated to businesses or the general public, which resulted in fierce criticism from the Conservative opposition at Birmingham City Council.

The local authority confirmed that drivers in non-compliant vehicles are exempt from the charge until 14 June as part of a ‘soft launch’, but it not been publicised.

From 14 June to 12 July, drivers who transgress 7.6.21

will also be offered the chance to pay the daily charge rather than a £120 fine, which kicks in if drivers fail to pay within six days.

The CAZ scheme was due to launch last year, but was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the scheme, non-Euro-6 trucks coaches and buses face a £50 charge, whilst cars, taxis and vans that do not meet the requirements will be charged £8 per day. The zone, which is in operation 24 hours a day, every day of the year, covers the area inside the A4540 ring road.

Duncan Buchanan, RHA policy director, said: “This is an idiotic tax on enterprise and work which includes a major through-route in

its scope. These problems go back to the Joint Air Quality Unit, which created rules dragging in vehicles that should not be included such as Euro-5 diesel vans, which were being sold new in 2016. The focus should have been to get older vehicles off the road.”

Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for transport and environment, Waseem Zaffar, said: “Whilst we have agreed on a two-week soft launch period, I would encourage everyone to use this time to check their vehicles, familiarise themselves with the charging process and check out the support that is still available through the Brum Breathes website.”

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Pay-as-you-go route optimisation gives smaller operators a solution to tackling driver shortage

Easy road to productivity New technology can help transport and logistics operators to overcome the shortage of HGV drivers, according to a leading software provider.

Logistics UK reported that there was a shortage of 76,000 truck drivers in 2020. However, this has worsened due to Brexit and the pandemic, with the RHA calling it a ‘perfect storm’. Some pallet carriers have confirmed that what should be next-day deliveries are taking up to five days, while wholesalers are having to restrict the amount of goods delivered to some convenience stores.

Logistics software specialist The Algorithm People believes that pay-as-you-go route optimisa-

tion platforms can provide a quick fix. Colin Ferguson, chief executive of The Algorithm People, said: “Route optimisation is a tried-andtested method of doing more with less. It is proven to reduce the number of vehicles required to complete all deliveries, while still complying with driver working hours regulations.”

Route optimisation goes beyond basic route planning by calculating the most efficient way to complete all deliveries and collections, with the fewest vehicles and lowest mileage. In the past, the cost and complexity of installing route optimisation meant that it was not always viable for small and medium-sized operators.

However, new web-based, pay-asyou-go (PAYG) platforms are changing this.

“PAYG platforms are ideal to bridge a driver shortage gap, as there is no contract or long-term commitment,” said Ferguson.

“Web-based solutions are also vital, as this means there is no installation period, or integration costs.

You can create an account and start using them the same day.”

My Transport Planner is the UK’s first fully pay-as-you-go route optimisation platform. Users simply upload the required jobs to the system and it calculates the most efficient way to complete all tasks with the resources available.

Designed for logistics, couriers and home-delivery operations, typical benefits include up to 20% lower total mileage and up to 30% reduction in operational costs.

This ensures that users gain a rapid return on investment.

TPN leads the way with tail-lift risk assesment on ePOD system

ALTERNATE REALITY: Services company Amey is trialling 10 Vauxhall eVivaros across its highways, waste and facilities management businesses to understand the scale of the transition required to go fully electric. Working with Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, the firm intends to reduce its carbon emissions through the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles across its fleet.

Tom Lawless, Amey group fleet and plant director, said the six-month trial would help it to work out what the challenges are in each part of the business if it decided to commit to EVs.

A driver risk assessment for tail-lift deliveries has been launched by The Pallet Network (TPN) as part of its ePOD application.

It said the checklist should be used by drivers to do dynamic risk assessments of each tail-lift delivery in order to ensure their own and the public’s safety.

TPN said it was the first pallet network to go live with the ePOD risk assessment capability, having developed it into the app before best-practice information was released.

Long-awaited guidance on pallet

deliveries involving tail-lifts was published earlier this month by the RHA, which recommended that drivers carry out a risk assessment of each delivery.

Mark Kendall, TPN MD, said: “Integrating the risk assessment with familiar software the drivers are using daily will boost their confidence and also give us sound information about tail-lift deliveries in the field.”

The driver risk assessment requires all operators to refresh driver training on tail-lift and manual handling safety.

Deben administrators eye £8m payout for cartel damages Deben Transport’s claim for damages in relation to the truck cartel could be as much as £8m and, if successful, would potentially result in a payout to trade creditors, according to the administrator.

The Felixstowe haulage firm collapsed in 2015, with an estimated £2.4m owed to unsecured creditors and more than £1.4m owed to HMRC. Administrator Ensors said the company would now enter liquidation and that, as things stand, preferential and unsecured creditors would not receive a return. However, this would change if its cartel claim succeeded.

In its latest report, Ensors said: “We will 4 MotorTransport

continue to explore a potential claim for damages in relation to the European Commission ‘truck cartel’ ruling.

“This action may lead to a significant realisation which, depending on the extent of such an award, could result in full repayment to the secured creditors, as well as a potential return to preferential and unsecured creditors.”

The report said Deben Transport was operating 147 tractor units at the date of its administration and that it regularly changed vehicles during the 14-year period when the European Commission found truck manufacturers colluded on pricing and gross price increases.

“We understand the industry standard is to renew vehicles on a rolling four-year plan,” the report said. “If the company operated c450 vehicles during the period, this could result in a potential claim of c£4m to £8m.”

Ensors said that its lawyers had advised that compensation could take “a substantial period of time” to be agreed and paid, but it added: “Such a claim could potentially result in a significant realisation into the estate and, in order for this to be pursued, the company has been moved in compulsory liquidation.”

In total, 224 staff were made redundant following Deben Transport’s collapse.

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Driver shortages remain the top operator concern for the next 12 months, reveals research

Charting the road ahead Difficulty recruiting skilled HGV drivers tops the list when it comes to key challenges facing operators in the next 12 months, according to new industry research published today.

In the latest edition of the ‘Asset Alliance Group Industry Monitor’ produced in partnership with Motor Transport and Commercial Motor, 29% of respondents revealed the driver shortage was the most troubling concern for their business.

Next in line was the fear of a poor economic outlook for the UK with 17% of the vote, while legislation featured in third and fourth place: 16% were concerned about the effect of localised urban regulations, such as clean air zones, while a further 11% feared the uncertain legislative environment outside of the EU. And like the voting public, when it came to Brexit, there was an even

spread of responses as to how it will affect the prospects of the UK’s road transport sector going forward: 37% of respondents thought prospects would be slightly or significantly better with the UK now flying solo, while 38% thought the opposite was true. The

rest sat firmly on the fence.

Despite the challenges ahead, operators demonstrated a robust optimism when it came to business confidence for the year ahead.

Nearly half of all respondents were expecting their trading performance to be better during 2021

than 2020, as the UK aims to bounce back from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ‘Asset Alliance Group Industry Monitor 2021’ is based on a robust 625-strong sample from the readership of Motor Transport and Commercial Motor.

It provides analysis of key challenges – such as urban regulations, a national driver shortage and truck crime – and gauges the impact this is having on operators, both large and small.

There is also an in-depth look into expected buying patterns for the year ahead, from the numbers of new trucks anticipated to be bought, to choosing the latest alternatively-fuelled models.

You’ll find your free copy of this must-read report inside today’s Motor Transport, and it is also available to download free of charge at: commercialmotor.com/ cmspecials

TPN cooks up solution to industry’s recruitment problem The Pallet Network (TPN) is seeking to tackle the crisis in driver recruitment and a poor industry image by offering free evening meals to its trunking drivers.

The network said it wanted to inspire the UK logistics industry to improve conditions for HGV drivers at a time when firms were reporting a serious shortage of staff, coupled with a record-breaking spike in volumes.

HVO webinar offers a recipe for change With carbon-reduction now a core focus for HGV operators and their customers, the latest generation of sustainable drop-in fuels, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), could provide a solution.

Freight in the City has partnered

6 MotorTransport

TPN said it was providing hot meals in an on-site pop-up restaurant, with dedicated serving areas under a marquee and outdoor seating to allow for social distancing. It said the menus had been chosen to be popular, but also nutritious, and the meal on offer will vary each night.

The free meal scheme started three months ago and is available every week night from late evening until 4am. In order to encourage

with DAF Trucks to bring to life the potential of using HVO in a webinar taking place at 10.30am on Wednesday 16 June.

You will learn how HVO is compatible with existing Euro-6 models without engine modifications and how the fuel plays a key part in the manufacturer’s environmental strategy.

Green Biofuels will talk through the practical aspects of HVO, from its CO2 and particulate matterreduction capabilities, through to options for refuelling your fleet, availability and costs.

Hovis is already using HVO, and its head of logistics operations support Tony Stuart will be on hand to explain how the firm switched its fleet.

To book your free webinar place go to motortransport.co.uk

healthy habits, drivers must pay for additional fizzy drinks and confectionery.

Mark Kendall, TPN MD, said: “Many of our drivers face long journeys, and we do not want them having to rely on snack food or over-priced service station fare.

“The least we can do for people driving for hours at night is make sure they have a free, hot meal awaiting them when they arrive.”

Start your journey towards net zero Freight in the City is hosting a free online roadshow next month to help HGV and van operators explore the route they need to take on their journey to decarbonise fleet movements.

It will help you understand the UK government’s strategy in reaching its ambition of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and why it is essential to start making plans today for your business.

The event is supported by Birmingham City Council, which will share its own decarbonisation strategy, while Volvo Trucks will bring vehicle technology to life for operators, from drop-in biofuels and renewable natural gas, through to electric and hydrogen fuel cells.

There will also be knowledge-sharing sessions from a strong line-up of industry speakers, from parcels giant DPD through to the BVRLA, Energy Saving Trust, Tyseley Energy Park and Zemo Partnership.

The online roadshow takes place at 10am on Thursday 17 June, so register for free at motortransport.co.uk 7.6.21

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Motor Transport hosted a webinar on the future of sustainable fuels with Volvo Trucks

Heroes search for zero With governments around the world looking to hit tough carboncutting targets, there’s no way that future-looking vehicle manufacturers can afford to be anything but ambitious.

Unsurprisingly, John Comer, Volvo Trucks UK head of product management, outlined Volvo’s plans to deliver a 50% cut in its trucks’ CO2 emissions by 2030, and make its entire product range fossil-free by 2040.

He said innovations such as I-Save, Volvo’s kinetic energy recovery system, along with low rolling resistance tyres, FuelSave and predictive cruise control have already helped Volvo cut CO2 emissions on its baseline trucks by 18.9%.

The OEM also offers a range of alternatively fuelled vehicles, from the recently launched 26 tonne FE City Truck for urban deliveries, to HVO and LNG-powered Volvo trucks for long-haul routes and the recently launched Volvo FM, FH and FMX electric vehicles.

The OEM’s LNG-fuelled trucks are invaluable as an interim technology and increasingly popular, with 770 gas-powered Volvo trucks on the road, partly thanks to the benefit of the tax incentive on natural gas which runs until 2032, Comer said.

Volvo is also working with

DHL is backing electric vehicles, but is transitioning through gas-powered vehicles first

8 MotorTransport

Volvo is pushing electric options for urban deliveries

Daimler to produce a hydrogen fuel cell for the market by 2025, he added.

Taking charge

But with electric trucks at a premium, Comer called on operators to lobby government for tax incentives. “Whilst there is an incentive for rigid electric vehicles based on the gross vehicle weight, there are no incentives based on the GVW for these trucks.

“It’s important that both the manufacturing industry and operators really push for this – as this could become a bigger issue than the technology,” he added.

Adrian Felton, Swarco Evolt national strategic account manager for eTruck and eBus, told attendees the company, which provides charging solutions and aftermarket support for the heavy-duty market, is seeing growing demand for faster DC charging.

Infrastructure projects can be challenging and involve many p a r t n e r s , Fe l t o n s a i d .

“Collaboration truly is the key. I’ve worked on five big electrification projects and can tell you that no one partner alone can deliver the project.”

Operators play a pivotal role, he added: “They’re the driving factor, we have to have operators that are willing, and on board with this, to

really show how innovation can work.”

Felton said one of Swarco Evolt’s future goals is to develop a highly connected charging infrastructure.

“If we could get the bus or the truck to talk to the charger, we would know whether it had enough energy to fulfill its next route. Then if the charger could talk to the traffic system, and we knew that a truck or bus had a very low state of charge, then we could even prioritise that vehicle’s movement through the city. So it really does become an ecosystem that fully supports the introduction of electric vehicles.”

Alternative approach

Jonathan Chadburn, vice-president of asset management at DHL Supply Chain, said DHL is striving to cut its logistics-related emissions to net zero by 2050 and increase the carbon efficiency of its own and its subcontractors’ fleets by over 50%, by 2025, compared with 2007 levels. “We’re continually looking at ways to decarbonise through operational efficiencies, as well as via vehicle and trailer design,” he said.

Other strategies include using solar panels on trailers, regularly refreshing the fleet, boosting its electric van fleet and launching DHL’s first 16 tonne all-electric

HGV last year. Chadburn said DHL has chosen gas-powered trucks as its interim technology.

“We plan to accelerate uptake across the fleet until 2025, which is effectively DHL’s next investment cycle. The new generation of gas vehicles can deliver 10% to 20% reduction on fossil gas, and up to 80% in CO2 reduction on biomethane,” he explained.

However, he warned that the gas refuelling infrastructure, which recently saw BOC and Calor Gas close down stations, still poses a major challenge.

Chadburn also called for government to harmonise the “disaggregated, fragmented nature of the legislation”.

He also urged government to secure long-term support. Pointing to government plans to review the tax cut on natural gas in 2024, he said: “These are long-term investment decisions, and we need some certainty.”

The three speakers also fielded a range of questions from attendees, from driver training, charging infrastructure capacity, installation costs and green hydrogen, which can all be heard here https://expo. freightinthecity.com/freightinthecityexpo2021/en/page/ webinar-series. n See page 10 for a first drive in the new Volvo FM Electric 7.6.21

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18/05/2021 16:07

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Volvo’s new FE Electric 6x2 Tag Rigid promises zero local emissions and much quieter streets

Leading the electric charge

By George Barrow

You’ll soon be able to order a Volvo truck of any size with an electric drivetrain. That’s a pretty remarkable thing, considering that just 10 years ago it was widely predicted that batteryelectric was unlikely to be feasible as a power source for top-gross-weight road transport. But a lot can change in 10 years, which is why it really isn’t all that long a time in this industry, especially when Volvo is predicting that 35% of all trucks sold by 2030 will be electric.

Of course, it’s unlikely in the early days that there will be a significant uptake for electric 6x2 high-roof tractor units; and maybe even the demand for day cabs that can charge back at base won’t be massive either. But what about at the smaller end of the spectrum? Could you see a tipper, working out of a quarry delivering aggregate to customers within a set radius, being electric? What about regional palletised deliveries with a small rigid? At this precise moment in time, we’re already talking about a range of up to 300km. What will that figure be in 10 years’ time as the technology progresses?

Electric range

Back to the present day, the soon-to-be available fully electrified range of Volvos in the UK currently consists of the FE Electric and FL Electric (electric FH, FM and FMX variants are available to order, but for 2022 delivery) promising zero local emissions and quieter streets.

Powered by two electric motors, the FE Electric produces a peak power of 400kW (equivalent to 536hp) with 850Nm of torque, which are impressive numbers for a small truck. More impressive still is the 2-speed gearbox, which seamlessly delivers the power.

EVs don’t tend to have gears, so the 2-speed gearbox in the FE is unusual. However, you barely notice the shift; as the truck gets above walking pace there is a slight click and the

10 MotorTransport

briefest of pauses as the FE builds speed.

The cabin is exceptionally quiet, with just the whir of the motor and the sound of tyres on the road. And without the rattle of a diesel engine, it makes the noise of the air compressor sound positively booming as it kicks in.

The 6x2 tag-axle with Lastvagns Montage dropside body and Palfinger crane feels every bit as connected to the road as a diesel truck; in fact, with fewer vibrations through the steering wheel you get even more feedback, while the ride quality is impeccable thanks to front and rear air suspension and no doubt aided by an even lower centre of gravity thanks to the two sets of 170Ah batteries between the chassis.

When it comes to brass tacks, the FE Electric isn’t cheap. Volvo says it costs in the region of £275,000 to £300,000, which is a hefty outlay

for a small rigid of any description. For your money, though, you do get a five-year Gold service contract as standard, that includes preventative maintenance, driveline and nondriveline repairs and Volvo’s Uptime Promise to keep you on the road. Technically, the FE has an unlimited mileage warranty too as Volvo believes you’ll be unable to seriously rack up the miles due to the need for charging.

Electric experience

Either way, Volvo isn’t worried as it says its experience of Volvo electric buses in London has made it optimistic about the life expectancy of the new electric truck range.

One problem is the limited infrastructure currently capable of charging the FE Electric, making this a vehicle that will require further investment back at base in order to charge it – rather than relying on any public chargers.

There will be customers for the FE Electric, and there’s no doubt the FL, FM, FMX and FH will find homes too, but unlike so much fastchanging technology, early adopters won’t feel hard-done-by either. The FE Electric is as convincing an electric vehicle as any new electric passenger car – and more importantly a capable truck too.

7.6.21

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The 2016 Bastille Day attack in Nice left 86 people dead when a rented lorry was driven into crowds along the seafront

New guidance aims to tackle the growing threat of terrorists using goods vehicles in attacks

Steering the safest path Worryingly, the role of vehicles in instances of terrorism, organised crime and other tragic occurrences appears to be taking more of a central role in recent years.

In 2016 in Nice a 19-tonne truck was deliberately driven into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day on the promenade, killing 86 people. In 2017, the world witnessed another incident in London, when a rented car was driven deliberately again along the pavement and along the south side of Westminster Bridge and Bridge Street, injuring more than 50 people. In that same year, we saw another terrorist attack in Stockholm, when a hijacked truck was driven into crowds along Drottninggatan, killing five people, including an 11-year-old, and injuring 14 others.

In 2019, you will likely remember that 39 Vietnamese nationals sadly died in the back of a container in Essex as a result of what was suspected to be organised crime and people trafficking.

Increased use of vehicles in the commission of such atrocities has drawn the attention of the authorities in the UK. So much so that a new standard was published on 10 May 2021 by the BSI. The standard, PAS 29000: 2021, is sponsored by the DfT, and is 12 MotorTransport

attached to the online guidance published by the DfT, called ‘Countering vehicle as a weapon: best practice guidance for goods vehicle operators and drivers’. It took effect on 31 May 2021 (see box, below).

Goods vehicle operators would be expected to read the BSI standard along with the guidance published by the DfT. That guidance, which contains a foreword from senior traffic commissioner

Richard Turfitt, lists some steps that operators may wish to implement to mitigate against the threat of vehicles being used in violent attacks.

In addition to assisting operators and senior management, the DfT guidance provides security tips relevant to drivers. Some appear obvious, such as locking and securing their vehicle whenever they leave the cab, while some are less obvious, such as avoiding

WINNING THE FIGHT The new BSI guidance is available on the organisation’s website (bsigroup.com). Key features include:

n An organisation will be expected to undertake a risk assessment at a senior management level, part of which will assess the need for any counter-terrorism measures. The outcome of such a risk assessment should be recorded and the position regularly reviewed, at least once every 12 months, as well as there being an events-driven approach. n An individual should be identified at a senior management level who is responsible and accountable for the business’s approach to security. n An organisation will be expected to develop a security management plan including a record of the outcome of the risk assessment, the identified points of governance, accountability and responsibility, and an assessment of security mitigation measures. n An organisation will be expected to improve knowledge and awareness within the business regarding potential risks and communicate which of those risks apply to their business.

talking about loads or routes with unauthorised personnel and avoiding posting anything on social media or other sites regarding location. If a driver believes that one of the routes given to them is high risk, then they should discuss this with the transport office and planners.

Drivers who find themselves in a situation where they consider someone to be ‘acting suspiciously’ or if something ‘doesn’t feel right’ are encouraged to contact Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) on 0800 789321 and told to contact their own organisation.

Another action that operators may wish to take in respect of their drivers is to include in their employment process a thorough check of drivers’ references before allowing them unaccompanied in a vehicle, and a thorough check of drivers’ employment history.

It is hoped that the UK government will work with the industry in devising some form of accreditation scheme to ensure that this new standard introduced by the BSI is implemented and kept to, although how this will take shape is not yet clear. n Patrick Boyers, solicitor, Backhouse Jones

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Viewpoint

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Sector shows its resilience S Steve Hobson Editor Motor Transport

tarting on page 24 of this issue, you will find write-ups on all the companies who have made it through to be finalists at the 2021 MT Awards. After such an extraordinary year in 2020 – which saw the MT Awards go virtual for the first time in 35 years – we did have some trepidation about whether or not transport operators would want to enter the Awards this year.

We need not have feared. Despite – or maybe because of – the pandemic, our judges were once again blown away by the quality of the submissions this year. This industry just keeps bouncing back no matter what is thrown at it and the resilience, flexibility and sheer tenacity of road transport shone through in the entries.

Our 60-strong judging panel of industry experts always have an incredibly tough job whittling the entries down to just 20 winners, so everyone who has made the shortlist deserves huge credit. To those who entered and didn’t quite make it, I can only say it was a particularly high-quality field this year, so don’t be discouraged and try again next year.

A common theme among many entries was of course how operators have coped with the pandemic and there are some

great stories about people going that extra mile in the crisis. When you read about the dedication and teamwork prevalent in road transport, it does make you wonder why there is a shortage of skilled people, especially drivers. Estimates of the scale of the shortfall vary from 20,000 to 60,000 – but a shortage there is.

The UK furlough scheme is due to end in September and it is expected that there will be a significant increase in jobless numbers in sectors that have still not recovered from the pandemic. Hospitality venues are already reporting staff shortages as people leave that industry looking for more secure long-term careers.

What an opportunity for the transport and logistics sector. Our industry is sometimes criticised for treating staff – especially drivers – as commodities rather than human beings and that has to change if it is to grasp this huge chance to welcome in new recruits.

We are confident that the Awards presentation will take place this year at its usual sumptuous setting at the Grosvenor House in Park Lane and I look forward to seeing another full house on 2 September.

Get your vaccine and be there to celebrate with our finalists, winners and sponsors.

Mind the gap – and get calculating O Katie Ash Head of employment law Banner Jones

ver time, the gap between women’s and men’s median hourly earnings has been narrowing. In fact, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), it has fallen by over a quarter among full-time employees in the last decade.

While this trend is moving in the right direction, there’s still widespread recognition that there is more work to be done and still some way to go before everyone – regardless of gender – receives the same pay for the same work.

To monitor progress and hold organisations to account, the government introduced an annual gender pay gap reporting mechanism, which came into force on 6 April 2017 and affects businesses employing in excess of 250 people.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government waived employers’ obligations to report in 2020. This year, however, the process is back.

If you’re a medium to large employer, you will need to make sure you’ve submitted your data by 4 October 2021.

Failure to do so could put you in The

14 MotorTransport

Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) line of fire.

The gender pay gap is defined as “the difference between the average (mean or median) earnings of men and women across a workforce”. The report data is calculated upon hourly wages and includes ordinary pay and bonus pay.

Your report should give a snapshot of 5 April 2020. To calculate your data, you’ll first need to work out who your ‘full pay relevant employees’ are and record their gender. This includes both employees and those who are self-employed.

Your gender pay gap report will be accessible to all on the government website.

That means potential employees can check your record in paying people of all genders equally. If the gap between men and women is large, they may be dissuaded from applying for a position with your company.

The newspaper for transport operators

To contact us: Tel: 020 8912 +4 digits or email: name.surname@roadtransport.com Editor Steve Hobson 2161 Head of content Tim Wallace 2158 Events and projects editor Hayley Pink 2165 Group production manager Isabel Burton Layout & copy editor Nick Shepherd Senior display sales executive Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Sales director Emma Rowland 07900 691137 Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 MT Awards Katy Matthews 2152 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, First 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 Email:customercare@dvvsubs.com Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £146/year. Europe £176/year.

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Apply online at mtssubs.com Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper Published by DVV Media International Ltd © 2021 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 7.6.21

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Vehicle renewal

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Fleeting words

Covid-19 saw a range of measures to help operators survive the lockdowns and shore up the economy, including loans and payment holidays. So how has this affected fleet renewal? Chris Tindall reports

A

IN DEMAND: Steve Cairns, MV Commercial: “Demand is outperforming supply”

SUPPORT: John Fawcett, Close Brothers Asset Finance: “We will put long-term solutions in place”

ccording to HM Treasury, by 21 March this year, £23.28bn of lending under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) had been approved from 98,344 applications.

CBILS has now been replaced with the Recovery Loan Scheme, but with unprecedented billions of pounds in borrowing, as well as payment holidays provided by leasing firms, has asset financing in the haulage sector been changed for ever by the effects of the pandemic?

Hexagon Leasing MD Mark Fletcher thinks not. “We entered into extensive dialogue with our customers, firstly at the outbreak of the pandemic and then on an ongoing basis, and developed tailored solutions to assist them based on their individual circumstances,” he says.

“To date, on taking this approach both our customers and Hexagon Leasing appear not to have suffered any long-term or lasting effects as we come out of the pandemic.

“On fleet renewals, we have our existing customers’ scheduled or rescheduled renewals working well and efficiently, along with an increasing number of new customers turning to us, given our bulk purchasing of new equipment versus current lead times from point of order with all major and premium manufacturers.”

Capital costs

However, Hexagon adds that capital costs across all vehicle makes have increased during the pandemic, along with the cost of parts and maintenance. This, coupled with the development of low-carbon fuel technologies having a potential impact on forward residual values and the pressure on interest rates as the country recovers, means base pricing to finance and run a truck now looks different: “The industry will be aware that several banks and finance houses have exited the commercial vehicle asset finance market, limiting choice,” Fletcher explains.

“We have seen an increasing number of businesses turning to companies such as Hexagon Leasing for 16 MotorTransport

vehicle acquisition, helping to protect them from the associated purchase challenges.”

Hexagon has not seen companies soldiering on with vehicles that ordinarily would have been replaced by now.

“Quite the contrary,” Fletcher says. “Our existing and new customers are looking to update their fleets to enable optimisation and to pursue a more environmentally conscious agenda with new, more fuel-efficient fleets.

“Such upgrades and replacements are also becoming more relevant as companies strive to attract quality personnel and drivers who are in short supply.”

Steve Cairns, MD of MV Commercial, which has its own finance division, also sees no evidence of operators holding on to fleet vehicles after arguably the toughest year of business on record. He says: “We are seeing quite the opposite, as demand is outperforming supply both from a hire and sales point of view, as companies seek to expand and replace existing fleets to meet pent-up demand.”

MV Commercial has a hire fleet of 1,850 assets with an average age of less than 30 months and Cairns says its ethos is one of continual replacement, from both a hire and sales perspective. “While lead times from some OEMS can approach 12 months from order to supply of new assets, we have a unique commercial advantage in that, because of our advance build schedule of more than 500 assets, we have a rolling stock of specialist trucks arriving weekly, helping to significantly reduce on-theroad lead times,” he says.

This picture of demand exceeding supply is reflected at Roger Warnes Transport in King’s Lynn, which retained a tight grip on costs during 2020, according to operations director Ian Barclay. It didn’t need to apply for CBILS or any other loan; and although it did furlough staff, it was not all at the same time but on a rolling programme instead.

Replacements slow down

“We don’t have finance,” Barclay says. “We buy outright and maintain ourselves. That said, our replacement plan did slow down. Normally it would be two new vehicles every month, but that slowed down because of a lack of availability.

“That has not gone away. Our last new vehicle arrived two weeks ago. And the next new vehicle won’t arrive now until November.”

Barclay adds: “Consequently, we are hanging on to them, but at a cost: things such as clutches are going, and discs or pads need replacing as they come to the end of their life. But then, we are not incurring any purchase costs.”

Extended lead times are also an issue for customers of Close Brothers Asset Finance, according to the CEO of its transport division, John Fawcett.

“Challenges posed by current delays in new vehicle supply are causing our customers concerns, so we will work with them if they choose to buy used instead, or put long-term solutions in place to confirm longer lead times for new vehicles when available,” he says.

“We will also tailor a solution to match their cash flow as it recovers post-pandemic to support their fleet replacements and growth.

“A key part of Close Brothers’ offering is the strength of the relationships we form, investing time in understanding our customers’ businesses and the challenges they face, so we can design finance solutions that suit their specific needs. ➜ 18 7.6.21

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Vehicle renewal

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in February, 20 in January and 21 in October to dispose of all our Euro-5s by March 2021. It was an expensive few months. To be fair, most were due to be changed, but London forced our hand. We had quite a few decent older trucks that would have been worth keeping on the fleet, but we could not take the risk of them being planned within the zone by mistake, or a driver using the North Circular instead of the M25 in an unsuitable vehicle.

“It seems like everything is being stacked up against operators at this difficult time. There must be a lot of operators who threw in the towel.”

Limited impact

BOUNCING BACK: Asset Alliance Group believes operators are gaining confidence as the economy returns

“This is no different as we look to support customers in their recovery from the pandemic and return to normal trading patterns, including replacement cycles for their fleets. We look at the underlying business and the people behind it as well as the latest results, so we will find a way to enable customers to continue to renew or expand their fleet when they need to.”

Busy times

In Essex, just outside the Greater London boundary, KBC Logistics says it was assisted by its lenders with CBILS, but transport director Dave Ashford says it is a strong business; it remained busy throughout the pandemic and so, financially, it has been lucky.

However, the Purfleet company was still forced to spend money in 2020 replacing its Euro-5 fleet. “It would be nice to be able to keep the trucks as long as possible, but the London mayor has put paid to that idea,” says Ashford.

“Being based on the edge of the Direct Vision Standard [DVS] and the Ultra Low Emission Zone has resulted in the need to replace about 70 trucks that would otherwise have done the job. We purchased using HP; 33 trucks

Paul Wright, sales director of Asset Alliance Group, says the government-backed funding schemes and payment holidays were vital “in a significant number of cases to assist hauliers through the difficult times brought about

by Covid”.

Wright acknowledges that they were intended to provide the support hauliers needed to navigate reduced trading and demand, but he also points out that as the recovery progresses and a level of normality returns, CBILS and bounce-back loans will need to be repaid and payment holidays will come to an end.

“So financially, there will be a limited impact,” he says.

“That said, fleets continue to age and replacement and renewal of assets will always be required, so there should not be much of a material link between the funding support packages and any significant downturn in fleet replacement programmes.”

He adds: “Our customers have needed to rethink renewal and investment strategies during the Covidimpacted period and have had to adjust accordingly.

Many had previously run on their fleets due to the uncertainty of Brexit, but with the negative economics of retaining ageing assets, we saw many customers extending their fleets initially.

“This is largely changing as confidence increases and the economy returns, with many customers planning to renew or already renewing their fleet with us.”

And he goes on: “With the introduction of new legislation, particularly DVS, coming into force this year, we have engaged and consulted with customers well in advance to ensure they retain a compliant fleet.

“For some, a preference was opting for the flexibility of a short extension, but as operators are gaining confidence as the domestic economy returns and with manufacturer lead times at a level we have not experienced for many years, our customers are now looking to secure renewals of their fleets with us.” ■

SUPER-DUPER OR LESS THAN IMPRESSIVE? Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget announcement of a “superdeduction” initiative to boost investment in plant and machinery was part of a raft of ideas to haul the country out of the Covid-19 doldrums.

But his aim with the capital allowance deduction is also to address long-standing productivity growth issues, which Tim Wright, MD of warehouse management firm Invar Systems, describes as “less than stellar” even before the financial crash 13 years ago.

The scheme allows firms to claim 130% of their expenditure on approved plant and machinery against their tax liability – investments that would normally qualify for only an 18% allowance.

According to Wright, just about any equipment installed in a warehouse or DC is covered. Building alterations and electrical system upgrades are included.

Wright says: “Rishi Sunak’s super-deduction capital allowance offers the logistics sector a golden opportunity to invest in performance-enhancing automation, giving fulfilment operations the boost to productivity needed to cope with the surge in e-commerce orders.”

18 MotorTransport

But not everyone is convinced by the scheme’s effectiveness.

The Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) and the BVRLA are urging the government to address what it called a “serious missed opportunity to boost investment”.

In letters to ministers, the trade associations explain that some businesses can ill afford to make large capital expenditures.

FLA director general Stephen Haddrill says: “The idea that businesses expand and become more productive by buying plant and machinery outright is outdated. Leasing and hire make far more sense. It preserves cash in the business and can avoid having expensive equipment that stands idle.”

Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the BVRLA, says that, given that the government understands the role of vehicle leasing in delivering decarbonisation goals, omitting leased vehicles from the super deduction is “all the more disappointing”.

Keaney adds: “This is a huge oversight, and an example of where the government has failed to align its fiscal and environmental policies. With clean air zones popping up around the UK, this is the perfect time to incentivise the uptake of low- and zero-emission vehicles, and leasing enables businesses to keep their cash to help get them through the recovery period.”

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Swain Group

All things to all men

The Swain Group offers a much wider range of services than most think, from flatbeds to tippers and from pallet moves to air freight, as Steve Hobson finds out

T

he Swain Group is a national distribution business that aims to offer its customers the full range of logistics services from general haulage to crane operations, special projects and dedicated operations. It employs 600 people and operates a fleet of more than 600 vehicles, with group member R Swain & Sons boasting the largest flatbed trailer fleet in the UK. Other group members include Gatwick Group, MHL, Hallett Silbermann, Express Freight Services and Eurobulk.

Founded in 1918 and formally incorporated as R Swain & Sons in 1926, the company is still based in Rochester and remains 100% family-owned. It is chaired by the founder’s great-great-grandson Bob Swain and the sixth generation is also in the business, with Matt Swain on the board responsible for the special projects division.

The group has expanded rapidly in the past decade, fuelled by a series of acquisitions, although two-thirds of the group fleet still wears the dark green R Swain livery. It ranked number 46 in last year’s MT Top 100, making a pre-tax profit of £177,000 on a turnover of almost £66m. A decade ago, it sat at number 76 with a profit of £42,000 on sales of less than £23m.

The rapid expansion of the business has seen several new faces from outside the family join the board, including group MD Matthew Deer, who arrived in January 2018 after five years with Uniserve.

“We are a bigger business and the family has acknowledged it needed to take it to the next level,” Deer says.

“They have opened it up to bring in people like myself and David [David Emslie, sales director, who joined in 2019 from Canute] to take it forward. There is no desire to sell the business but there may be a different dynamic with new people coming in. But the shareholders will remain Swains and all the profit goes back into the business.

“We’ve had some very successful years and we’ve invested in the business. One thing I can say about Swain is that everyone has just thought of us as a Medway haulier, but it’s been much more than that, certainly in the past 10 years.”

Wide scope

Swain operates out of eight sites and offers a wide and varied range of services, as Emslie explains: “We provide full and part load operations, network distribution through

COPING WITH COVID-19 MD Matthew Deer’s goal of reducing Swain’s reliance on construction paid off as the UK plunged into lockdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

“When lockdown came, for a brief period construction came to a grinding halt, and our relationship with the retailers was extremely valuable because they all saw a massive lift in volume,” he says. “So we were able to move a high proportion of our fleet over to retail support. But that was fairly short-lived for two reasons: first, the panic buying came to an end after a few weeks; and second, the government encouraged the construction industry to go back to work. So we were quite nimble on our feet and were able to move the fleet back to construction activity.”

Another benefit of the retail business is that it allows the company to double-shift some of its vehicles.

“Very little of our fleet works on retail during the day, because it’s involved in construction,” says Deer. “But at night time, we are able to double-shift to support the Sainsbury’s and Tescos of this world, which makes economic sense. We also find in the run-up to Christmas, when traditionally construction falls away, the work for customers such as Royal Mail and Sainsbury’s tends to lift because they obviously have much more volume. It’s a good fit, but if we looked at the figures, I doubt retail would be much more than 5% of our total turnover.”

20 MotorTransport

The shutdown in construction last year meant Swain was forced to furlough some of its drivers.

“At one point for approximately two months we had about 45% of our business on furlough, which was not good,” says Deer. “From June onwards we recovered quite quickly and got people back to work. It was a worrying and stressful time for everyone and we had to reinvent ourselves – in two weeks we probably did five years’ worth of re-engineering. We had all the systems in place, but they weren’t being used as they should have been.

“We have had paperless job sheets for the drivers for years but we really pushed it then. Drivers were not able to get signed PoDs so we had to take pictures, but a lot of customers were saying ‘Unless you get a signed PoD we are not going to pay you’. So we had to find a new way and check with the RHA to see if a picture would be sufficient.

“Some of our very experienced drivers adapted really quickly because they knew that as a business this was the only way to survive. We had to modernise, which has been a good thing, and if anything else comes down the road in future we are ready to adapt quite quickly.”

Deer would, however, like to see logistics drivers recognised as key workers and made a higher priority for the Covid vaccine.

“All through last year they were not able to get the vaccine and in the early days they were not able to use toilets and food facilities,” he says. “That was a massive issue for our drivers, especially if they had been out all week. We had to get some drivers back into base and send them home as they hadn’t eaten for 24 hours. That was unacceptable and we addressed that through the right bodies. As an industry I think we deserve to get the vaccine because our people are on the front line.

“Most customers have got better, but some are still being difficult about allowing drivers access to their facilities. With some that are really difficult we refuse to go there because it’s not viable.”

7.6.21

motortransport.co.uk

our membership of the Partnerlink Network, MOL [mechanical off-load] lifting and unloading solutions, Moffetts and HIABs, heavy haulage, warehousing, dedicated logistics solutions, bulk and tipper operations. We also operate the largest UK flatbed fleet, so we are the major player in construction logistics.

“I’m in a very fortunate position as the sales director of the business in that I can genuinely sit in front of the customer and regardless of the nature of the load or delivery point, or the type of vehicle or equipment they need, there will be a Swain division that is capable of handling that type of consignment. So, as a result, the answer to the question is often yes – now what do you want to know, Mr Customer?”

Diverse fleet

As the group has expanded, so has the diversity of the fleet. “The nature of equipment we operate is so varied; I cannot think of another carrier in the UK that is able to offer the diversity of trailers and powered units to move the type of freight we do,” says Emslie. “Again, this is a great selling point for the group. Regardless of what customers are looking for, there will be a piece of equipment in our divisions that’s capable of handling that particular type of delivery.”

While there are six subsidiaries, the group is split into seven operating divisions. Swain Logistics is the curtainsider operation with about 160 trailers, predominantly operating out of the three main depots at Rochester, Woodville and Manchester. Hallett Silbermann, Swain’s heavy haulage business, works out of Hatfield to the north of London and is a specialist mover of anything up to 150 tonnes as a single indivisible load.

The Gatwick Group is a contract lift and project management business predominantly involved in the rail and airport sectors. Out of all of the divisions, most of which Emslie says did “remarkably well throughout Covid”, this suffered the most in the pandemic because much of its activity is within airports, which have been extremely quiet for the past year or more (see box left).

Based in Rochester and Romania, MHL has no haulage fleet of its own, instead operates as a truck brokerage offering shippers full truckload (FTL), less-than-truckload (LTL) and specialised haulage services across the UK and Europe via a network of pre-vetted subcontractors.

Express Freight is Swain’s container business that is based out of three main locations – London Gateway, Tilbury and Felixstowe. It runs 150 units moving containers across the UK. “It is an extremely well run, very competent business that we purchased three years ago,” says Emslie.

The most recent acquisition, Eurobulk, joined the Swain Group in March last year and rounded out the Swain offer. “It really squared the circle for our product portfolio, as we required a larger, more capable footprint in the bulk movements of agricultural and industrial products,” says Emslie. “It was local to us here in Rochester, being based in Gravesend. We purchased it four weeks before lockdown, which was brilliant timing 7.6.21

KEEPING CONTROL: Swain Group MD Matthew Deer (top) and sales director David Emslie

– I’m blaming Matthew for that. But it has filled a gap in the solutions that we look to offer in the Swain Group.”

While Swain is now a national logistics business with regional specialisms, it still regards itself as the pre-eminent construction delivery business within the south-east, with five depots circling London.

“You have probably noticed in our marketing ‘Think London! Think Swains!’ says Emslie. “That is an important point for us. We have a number of significant contracts with the major players in this market and also on government projects. We are seen as the logistics service provider in London that is able to offer 24-hour solutions and has the right type of equipment in the right places.”

The acquisition strategy has been guided by the desire to keep as much business under the group’s control as possible, Deer explains: “In the past, where we priced up a job we always found something missing somewhere and we’d have to get a subcontractor in. Now we try to do it ourselves if we can as that’s always been our motto as a business.”

Swain does, however, like to collaborate with likeminded hauliers, and is a shareholder member of the Partnerlink network, an association of family hauliers around the UK that exchanges freight point-to-point between 200 locations every night.

“We are one of the shareholders and we’re responsible for the south-east,” says Emslie. “There are some pretty prestigious hauliers in there – Russell’s in Scotland, David Hathaway, Knights of Old and AKW – all very good hauliers that see the benefits of inter-site trunking rather than going through a central hub.

“There are only 15 members, so we all have much larger delivery areas. Our customers can send a single pallet or get multiple pallet deliveries. It’s not a big area for us, but it is a solution we can offer.”

Know your strengths

One area Swain has shied away from is home delivery.

“We feel it’s a market where there are some very competitive, well-run businesses that tend to be much larger and have invested heavily in those particular markets,” says Emslie. “And it’s one of those markets that are susceptible to a race to the bottom – we’ve seen it time and time again, particularly in the parcels market.

“We know our strengths, we know that we can justify certain levels of income within certain services, purely because there are very few other people that can offer those particular services. And it also has to reflect the degree of investment that we make in our equipment.

Some of the trailers we purchase are £300,000 a time and that needs to be recovered.”

Container haulage could equally be regarded as fiercely competitive and dominated by large well-resourced players, but Deer remains convinced it is a good market for Swain to be in. “Construction is obviously a key area for us, and one of my main goals is to try to de-risk Swain in that area,” he says. “The great thing about the container business is that in January and February, in the ➜ 22 MotorTransport 21

Swain Group

motortransport.co.uk

PORT-CENTRIC LOGISTICS PAYS DIVIDENDS Another key focus for Swain has been port-centric logistics, and it was recently awarded a major contract to provide storage and distribution for premium natural stone supplier Global Stone at London Gateway.

The contract will see Swain dedicating 2 acres of its existing storage site there to the management of Global Stone’s inbound containers through London Gateway and other UK ports. It will also hold stocks of more than 10,000 crates and packs and handle national distribution to independent builders’ merchants and garden centres using the general haulage fleet and other divisions.

Until recently, Global Stone’s stock entered the UK through Felixstowe and was held at one site for nationwide distribution. It made the change as a result of its volume growth and the need to de-risk its reliance on a single port.

“I’ve been involved in port-centric distribution for about 20 years and there are benefits in having a port-centric operation,” says Deer.

“When the construction sites stopped in London in the pandemic, contractors were looking for a place to store cargo, and the ports helped us at that time with land. So it became a really good holding station for London, and we knew we had 800 loads going into London at some stage because it was all being stored.

“In terms of the larger picture, if you look at building materials and products like that, a port-centric operation makes sense and I think we’re proving the concept,” says Deer. “Global Stone is a good example and we’ve had a lot of enquiries since the announcement.

The industry has not quite caught up yet, because it is used to planning on a price for land that is not relevant to being port-centric.

It’s a lot more expensive than farmland in the middle of nowhere.

“But when you look at the overall supply chain, it actually is a benefit; by looking at the overall supply chain we are able to find savings and enhanced logistical benefits. So port-centric outdoor storage is definitely something where we’re getting traction and the ports have helped us develop that concept. David is working hard on that, with consolidation centres in all of these ports where we’re looking to bring in construction products, store them and then move them the final mile.”

Emslie continues: “It was extremely relevant when the first lockdown came and construction came to a grinding halt. We found that many of the manufacturers in Europe didn’t want to stop producing the product and they wanted to keep sending it to the UK. At one point, we were storing the better part of 500 loads in London Gateway ready for final-mile delivery into London.

“That really was the proof of concept and that led to this new landscaping project and others that we are working on. It’s not the cheapest land in the world, but because of the nature of the solutions we’re designing around it, we can show an overall efficiency.”

Swain is soon to sign on its second yard, which will give it just under 5 acres in London Gateway. It has also got 4 acres in Tilbury, which will be within the new southern Freeport, and 2 acres in Ipswich.

“We will have to see what the future holds as there are options within those sites,” says Deer. “What we bring to the table is that we’re able to do the inbound with the container side of the business and we’re able to do the outbound with all of our types of equipment because a lot of it is not suitable for a standard curtainsider. It could be flats, it could be specialised contract lift-on, lift-off. So that is quite attractive for customers.”

run-up to Chinese New Year, we can use the R Swain green fleet on container work.”

High-speed rail link

Swain is heavily involved in the HS2 high-speed rail link between London and the Midlands and is looking to reproduce its port-centric model on some of the bigger projects. “We have significant levels of commitment on HS2,” says Emslie. “To date, a lot of the work has been involved in getting the heavy machinery and equipment into place.

“All the contractors on HS2 are asking for FORS Gold

22 MotorTransport

at the moment. Almost daily I am asked for a copy of our FORS Gold certification.”

It was rumoured that the government would put pressure on HS2 contractors to specify that only hauliers in the DVSA’s Earned Recognition scheme would be allowed on-site but that hasn’t happened – at least not yet.

“We haven’t been asked for Earned Recognition, but if that came around we are prepared for it,” says Deer.

“We have been preparing for the past two years to turn on Earned Recognition. Most operators our size are probably doing the same.” ■

7.6.21

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Apprenticeship of the Year MT profiles the shortlists for this year’s awards DAF

DAF Trucks has been the marketleading commercial vehicle manufacturer in the UK for 26 years and trained more than 2,000 apprentices. It has introduced 63 apprentices to this year’s intake and retained more than 95% of those on the programme. All necessary measures have been taken for their continued support, development and progression.

Throughout the lockdown, DAF hosted weekly meetings with Skillnet and the DAF Apprentice College to keep the programme on track and ensure it was providing support to apprentices and dealerships. Every apprentice was regularly contacted remotely by a Skills Coach for wellbeing support. Teaching methods were adapted and DAF provided additional resources.

E-learning materials and online delivery platforms have been enhanced, allowing apprentices to progress regardless of furlough status. Regional training was also introduced to ensure third-year learners were able to complete their apprenticeship.

The judges said: “The way DAF celebrates its apprenticeships is great; the maturity of the programme is empowering.”

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areas of the business offering vacancies, including customer services, engineering, finance, IT, marketing and sales. The process of handselecting apprentices for a department regularly pays dividends, too, with former apprentice telesales executive Brett Watson (now area sales executive) bringing in more than £1.2m-worth of new business in 2020.

DPD has invested £250,000 in the SEND programme since 2018, resulting in amazing feedback, it said, from apprentices and their families who feel DPD has provided them with a career that many felt was not possible before their apprenticeship.

The judges said: “DPD edged it with the Inspire programme, which put more than 100 people into posts across the business; they showed some great examples of how it’s worked for them.”

Clipper

DPD UK

DPD looks to hire and retain the best people in the delivery industry and offers a comprehensive and diverse range of apprenticeships throughout its UK-wide network. This year’s entry had a particular focus on the difference the company is making to young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through Inspire – its inclusivity programme for people with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Individuals follow a clear progression through work experience, supported internships and inclusive apprenticeships before achieving a substantive post. The apprenticeship process remains the same but with reasonable adjustments made to suit an individual’s needs and abilities. There is involvement at every level of the apprenticeship recruitment process from the senior management team, with chief operating officer Justin Pegg conducting final interviews and three-month reviews.

They also advise on which department they feel would provide the best platform for a successful career, with all

24 MotorTransport

Clipper believes that training and development not only benefits its people, but also Clipper as a business. Clipper’s drivers are put through an innovative driver CPC programme, which uses state-of-the-art driver simulation cabs, but it said there was a clear opportunity for further learning and development.

The launch of Clipper’s Driving Futures training programme has had a life-changing impact on the apprentices; all six who joined the first cohort remained on board for the duration and are now fully embedded in the business.

Clipper partnered with SP Training to develop the programme, which includes the foundation of knowledge required to achieve the Cat C LGV licence in the first three months of the scheme. This allows the apprentices to embed and develop their skills over the course of the remaining 12 months, in preparation for the End Point Assessment.

The training is flexible and comprehensive and includes customer service, safe and fuel-efficient driving, care of vulnerable road users, team working, self-development, maths and English skills, as well as legislation and compliance. In addition to this, all team members on the apprenticeship programme receive training on content relevant to the specific contracts they will be working on for the duration.

The judges said: “A big plus point was the on-the-job shadowing it does with experienced drivers; and it puts them on a 10-year driver CPC certificate, which is really good to see.”

7.6.21

It’s time to trust your engine oil

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Total Lubricants, as an integral part of the UK Motor Transport industry are proud to be associated with this presitigious award.

PROUD PARTNER APPRENTICESHIP OF THE YEAR

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Apprenticeships play a vital part in recruiting and retaining the best talent, so this award is to recognise the most successful schemes in the last 12 months.

For more information about Total, please visit our website: www.total.co.uk

13/05/2021 09:56

MT Awards 2021 shortlists Best Use of Technology Award Sponsored by RAC

Charge Pod is a lightweight, compact mobile electrical boost system that enables the RAC to provide an ‘out of fuel’ service to the growing EV market.

The dimensions of the Charge Pod box are 390mm x 252mm x 185mm and the combined weight of all components is just 35kg. The system can be incorporated into all standard fleet vehicles.

Prior to Charge Pod, the only solution for an EV which has run out of charge was to be lifted onto a flatbed truck and driven to a static charging station. But the CO2 emissions involved are up to 30 times higher than when a standard patrol vehicle is sent to assist.

This means Charge Pod has also significantly reduced the emissions of the RAC’s fleet.

Problems with charging infrastructure are still a great cause of range anxiety among drivers. The RAC believes Charge Pod is the best solution.

The judges said: “It was comfortably the most groundbreaking of all the submissions.”

DPD UK

Faced with the challenges of the pandemic, DPD showed flexible thinking by introducing new technology-driven solutions to handle last year’s surge in home delivery volumes.

A new contact-free doorstep delivery process saved the company a reported £1.8m, but it reaped even bigger rewards by re-engineering its route allocation system. This led to a 14% increase in driver productivity, a 25% increase in depot capacity, and an overall annual service performance of 99.99%.

Other achievements included having 930,000 parcels out for delivery by 9am – up 576,000 on 2019 – and delivering 1.8 million parcels on its busiest day, up by 600,000 parcels on the busiest day in 2019. All this was only possible because of the new optimisation system.

The judges said: “The thing that stands out the most is the scale of all this. The implementation also impressed me.”

26 MotorTransport

Speedy Asset Services

Safety is one of Speedy Asset Services’ core values and an integral part of the business, especially within the transport department.

Drivers make up 50% of the workforce and the company strives to protect them in every way possible. It installed VisionTrack’s camera systems on its vehicles back in 2017. Since then, they have reduced Speedy’s insurance premium, provided the business and its drivers with peace of mind, reduced incidents, and should one occur allowed the company to be proactive. The real-time response enables Speedy to access footage immediately and provide valuable evidence to insurers, allowing claims to be settled quickly.

The company is now looking at connecting its two other systems, Masternaut tracking and Tachomaster Tachograph data, with the VisionTrack platform to give it a full picture of driving history prior to an incident taking place. This will provide driver trainers with a complete time-frame history, allowing them to adapt training to suit information gathered.

The judges said: “Anything that improves road safety by monitoring driver fatigue must be a benefit for everyone.”

Travis Perkins

‘Project Phoenix – Driver and Vehicle Data Integration’ used the bespoke-designed Google Colleague Services platform to deliver central automation of admin tasks for driver and vehicle creation and de-registering across multiple supplierbased fleet systems.

Taking this task away from local branch managers ensured consistency and accuracy of data, enabling integrated downstream O-licence compliance reporting. The implementation of the Phoenix project allowed branch colleagues to focus more on customer-facing activities, not only saving time and money but also creating better visibility of fleet and driver compliance.

The project realised a £680,000-a-year business benefit via 41,100 hours per annum management time-saving. Improved compliance and safety visibility was endorsed by the regional and local management teams.

The judges said: “This is a comprehensive package of automation and efficiency. And it wasn’t constrained to one area of the business.”

7.6.21

— GROUNDBREAKING BOOSTED WEAR BOOSTED WEARPERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE BEST-IN-CLASS WET GRIP

BOOSTED WEAR PERFORMANCE MINIMISED COST PER KILOMETER 1)

BEST-IN-CLASS FOR WET GRIP 2)

OPTIMISED FUEL EFFICIENCY 3)

Tests carried out by TÜV SÜD on the request of Bridgestone in November 2019 at the facilities EUPG, Aprilia (Italy) for wet tests, on MAN TGX 26.500, on tyre size 315/80 R 22.5. Bridgestone DURAVIS R-STEER 002 / R-DRIVE 002 compared to the performances of main competitors in the same segment: Michelin X Multiway 3D XZE / X Multiway 3D XDE, Continental Hybrid HS3 / Hybrid HD3, Goodyear Kmax S Gen.2 / Kmax D Gen.2.

Annex Report No. [713168488] Wet braking distance (60 km/h to 0 km/h) in meters: Bridgestone DURAVIS R002 (24.9), Continental Hybrid (25.3), Goodyear K-max Gen-2 (25.5), Michelin X Multiway 3D (26.1) Lateral wet grip stability (cornering) in meter/second 2: Bridgestone DURAVIS R002 (3.18), Continental Hybrid (3.14), Goodyear K-max Gen-2 (3.14), Michelin X Multiway 3D (3.15).

1) 45% more mileage compared to its predecessor. 15% reduction in cost per kilometre compared to its predecessor.

2) The first tyre for regional application to receive an EU Label grade “A” in steer (size: 315/80R22.5).

3) Features B-C-B combination in steer, drive and trailer.

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Business Excellence Award Sponsored by Wren Kitchens

Wren Kitchens quickly embraced last year’s challenges to efficiently implement Covid-safe procedures and employ and train 123 new delivery drivers to cope with the spike in orders.

The retail giant safely delivered 96,296 kitchens and increased turnover by 18% when non-food retail sales fell 5%.

The company has achieved consecutive year-on-year growth (turnover: £77,700 2009 to £703m 2020) and in 2020 delivered 99.95% of kitchens on time and in full. Efficiency savings amounted to £2.8m while it achieved a 33% reduction in road miles through its innovative TripleTrunking strategy. Last year also saw Wren open the UK’s largest IT centre and 12 new showrooms (total 102), providing hundreds of new jobs nationally. It also opened its first showroom in the USA. More than 80% of Wren Logistics’ management have been promoted from within while the company also offers training, personal development and apprenticeship opportunities.

The judges said: “They reacted very fast to Covid and their financial performance is amazing.”

DPD UK

DPD says continuous improvement is an intrinsic part of its DNA, helping the parcel giant double its revenues since 2014. Its exceptional financial performance also includes 11 consecutive years of profit growth, driven by high levels of customer loyalty.

To handle the 2020 surge in home delivery volumes, DPD re-engineered crucial processes in its AM depot operations and managed operational KPIs more rigorously than ever to produce record high service levels of 99.99%. Despite the challenges of Covid, DPD also accelerated its commitment to being the UK’s most sustainable carrier.

Nearly 70% of DPD’s top 100 customers have now been with it for five years or more and the company handled 3.5 years of projected growth in just nine months during 2020.

The judges said: “They reacted so quickly to the pandemic it was astonishing. This is a really outstanding business. The company is so impressive and a lot of work has gone into it.”

Expect Distribution

Expect Distribution has an outstanding financial performance record with a 68% improvement in net profit in 2020.

It is a solutions-based logistics provider and ranks customer care as its priority.

As a family-owned and run business, it says people are key to its success and

28 MotorTransport

it invests in bringing in outstanding industry talent, developing existing employees to their full potential. In 2020 it reviewed its employee benefits, investing £200,000 in a new improved package.

Its business strategy includes achieving organic growth in turnover of 10 to 15% year on year and increasing profit margin to over 10% by leveraging cost against revenue. It is constantly targeting growth and new business in its contracts and warehousing divisions while looking to restrict growth but increase margin in general distribution.

The judges said: “This is a very buoyant business that's going places.”

Hermes

At the start of the pandemic, Hermes had to radically adapt to ensure the safety of its staff and customers. Meanwhile, parcel volumes soared to unprecedented levels.

Major investment in people, technology and infrastructure gave it the capacity for the Christmas peak, and the flexibility to continually adapt to the unique and changing needs of customers and retail clients.

Hermes delivered its five-year growth plan in just five months and delivered 630 million parcels in 2020/21.

Hermes UK’s strongest year on record was 2020/21. Income was £1.4bn and profit was over £100m, much of which will be reinvested into the business to help hit targets. Last August, Hermes UK benefited from significant investment by global private equity firm Advent International, which acquired a 75% stake.

The judges said: “The Hermes entry ticked all the boxes. They’ve put their money where their mouth is with the gas artics.”

C&D South West

C&D Transport was founded in 1987 and has been providing quality distribution to clients for over 30 years. Based in Chard, Somerset, it offers a guaranteed 24-hour delivery service to every UK postcode every day, with 96% of the business being palletised distribution for customers within a 40-mile radius of its HQ. MD Lorna Hammond is the third-generation leader of C&D and has followed in her father’s and late grandfather’s footsteps, providing quality transport and logistics services across the UK, Europe and beyond while being a major supporter of the local Somerset economy.

The company maintained a strong financial performance throughout the pandemic and used its agility and adaptability to help keep the country moving. It can also boast excellent testimonials on Google and Trustpilot and is committed to minimising its environmental impact.

The judges said: “The company has made a good financial recovery.

Turnover was down but that’s understandable because of Covid.”

7.6.21

At Hireco we pride ourselves on business excellence whilst providing total transport solutions - from supply of vans, trucks or trailers through to finance and maintenance support.

That’s why, as ever, we’re proud sponsors of this award.

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TOTAL transport SOLUTIONS

MT Awards 2021 shortlists Clean Fleet Van of the Year Sponsored by Fiat Professional E-Ducato

Ducato is taking its expertise to the field of electric mobility with the largest 100% electric body styles available in its segment.

To keep pace with an ever-changing transportation and mobility sector, Fiat Professional has carefully studied 4,000 connected vehicles and more than 50 million kilometres travelled to find which models can benefit from an electric powertrain.

From the highly efficient Panel van to the versatile Cab and spacious People Mover, there are over 80 different configurations to choose from, equipped with a powerful electric motor and automatic transmission.

These vehicles carry the 40-year Ducato tradition of durability and flexibility, while setting a new standard for electric capability. With 47kWh or 79kWh battery options, the E-Ducato offers a substantial driving range of up to 146 and up to 230 miles (WLTP City) respectively and a full charging time of just over two hours. Additionally, with the 50kW DC rapid charger, both battery options can be charged to 80% capacity in only 30 minutes, enabling customers to get back on the road as quickly as possible, enhancing business efficiency and fleet utility.

E-Ducato offers a host of additional comforts with smart features such as the ability to precondition the vehicle to decrease the air conditioning’s impact on the battery, and schedule daily charging to take advantage of lower energy costs. Additionally, the driver can choose the appropriate drive mode to meet their journey requirements, saving travelling range by optimising performances.

The judges said: “It stood out as a really viable alternative to diesel, with great range and impressive payload.”

MAXUS e DELIVER 9

Despite the challenges faced in 2020, it was a historic year for MAXUS, which not only rebranded from its original LDV moniker in April, but also launched two brand-new electric commercial vehicles: the e DELIVER 3 and the e DELIVER 9.

The awards submission focuses on the e DELIVER 9, a large all-new platform electric vehicle. This zeroemission vehicle comes in two size options and offers a range up to 219 miles on a single charge and operating with a high power 150KW low energy

30 MotorTransport

motor. The vehicle offers three battery options – 51.5Kwh, 72Kwh and 88.55Kwh (LH) with various battery cooling methods which reduce charging time (DC can charge from 5% to 80% in 45 minutes), as well as extending battery life and increasing the operating range. The new model will be rated at 3,500kg and optional 4,050kg with payloads of up to 1,700kg/51.5kWh. With a 203ps/350Nm electric motor, the latest model from the MAXUS stable packs a lot of punch.

MAXUS offers a number of variants in the e DELIVER 9 range including crew cab, chassis and minibus models, while a network of specialist converters can also create a bespoke van to cater for all driver and business needs including mobility, refrigeration and specialist cargo. A touch-screen-enabled infotainment system (optional in conventional models and standard in luxury models) means that drivers can stay safely connected while on the road, while Apple Car Play and Android Auto ensure drivers have everything they need at their fingertips.

The judges said: “A very capable product with good range and impressive payload. Entry showed strong dealer network support for operators.”

Stellantis: Citroën e-Dispatch, Peugeot e-Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro-e

Stellantis entered a joint submission for its three all-electric vans based on the same EMP2 multi-energy platform: Citroën e-Dispatch, Peugeot e-Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro-e.

Payloads are up to 1,226kg, and are capable of towing up to one tonne.

And with a 6.6cu m maximum load volume, the vans suit the needs of most business and private users and are crucially exempt from current congestion and Ultra-Low Emission Zone charges.

Each van is available with 50kWh or 75kWh battery options. Capable of up to 205 miles from a single charge, all three vans support up to 100kW rapid charging with an 80% charge taking 30 minutes for 50kWh models and 45 minutes for 75kWh variants. Stellantis says the vans have been well received since going on sale last year with 7,500 sold across Europe.

A significant amount have been sold to UK customers including 2,000 to Centrica and 270 to BT Openreach.

In addition to the current all-electric line-up, Stellantis plans to launch hydrogen fuel cell versions of Dispatch, Expert and Vivaro in the UK from 2022. All three brands are actively speaking to business customers with the promise of no compromise on payload, ultra-quick three-minute charges and circa 249 mile range.

The judges said: “A very reliable, robust product. They liked that the soon-to-be-launched fuel cell variant offered operators a choice in zero-emission models.”

7.6.21

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Clean Fleet Van Operator of the Year Sponsored by DPD UK

DPD continues to blaze a trail on the all-electric fleet front, overcoming legislative barriers and issues around the supply of right-hand-drive vehicles, whilst also changing its urban operation to become emission-free.

DPD has launched its 25-25-25 Vision to decarbonise all deliveries in 25 UK cities by 2025. Through its pioneering approach the company now operates 700 electric vehicles – 10% of its total fleet vehicles – across 84 UK-wide depots, up from 139 in 2020. These are on track to deliver 20 million parcels by the end of 2021.

Last year also saw DPD launch Project Breathe, which involves the installation of the latest laser sensors on its vehicles to measure and record air quality in London. This will be rolled out this year to five more cities to help identify air pollution hotspots, including Birmingham, Cardiff and Manchester.

The judges said: “A fantastic holistic view of sustainable last-mile deliveries and a very strong entry.”

UPS

In today’s logistics industry, delivering goods is no longer enough – and UPS has set itself a mission to deliver a cleaner future, too. It used its Smart E-commerce Report to gain direct insight into the expectations of consumers in 2021, with more than half wanting sustainable deliveries.

UPS is achieving its green ambition to date and in 2020 reached its goal to ensure 25% of all global vehicles purchased were alternative fuel or advanced technology. By 2025, it plans for this figure to reach 40% of total ground fuels. The company has invested in tech firm Arrival to advance its progress in electric vehicles, and also worked with UK manufacturer Tevva on its range-extended hybrid technology, with vehicles operating in Birmingham and Southampton. UPS has continued to advance the testing of smart charging technology during 2020 at its Camden depot, with use of an AI-powered GridShare platform.

The judges said: “UPS is using its huge muscle to help bring new technology to the wider market, Very impressive entry.”

32 MotorTransport

Nottingham City Council

Nottingham City Council (NCC) has committed to a zero-tailpipe emission fleet by 2028. The local authority takes a pioneering approach to van electrification through its wider fleet strategy and has grown its EV fleet from two vehicles in 2016 to 196 today. Of this EV fleet, 130 are vans which collectively have saved more than 190 tonnes of CO2 per year.

NCC’s CleanMobilEnergy Project will connect 40 of the council’s electric vans to a network of solar PV panels and the national grid using an energy optimisation platform. By predicting periods of good weather and low electricity pricing it will charge vehicles at the most cost-effective times, whilst also enabling the vans to act as short-term energy storage units by discharging energy back to the grid during periods of high demand. In 2020, NCC also launched the UK’s first ULEV exclusive workshop to be run by a local authority. NCC has created an ultra-lowemission vehicle procurement framework which is available for other local authorities to use.

The judges said: “NCC demonstrated a very strong leadership approach to adopting new technology and supporting wider change for local businesses and other councils.”

Menzies

Menzies has a mantra of “tomorrow delivered today”, with its sustainable business model shaping the logistics supply chain, now and for generations to come.

Sustainability is a core pillar of the business. Menzies introduced a dedicated electric fleet ahead of regulatory deadlines in towns, cities and even rural areas, including the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The business travels 260,000 emission-free miles per year through its EVs, delivering more than 10 million items. Vehicle liveries are biodegradable and PVC-free, while use of aerodynamic bodywork and air deflectors has reduced vehicle drag by 30% and boosted fuel efficiency by 10 to 15%.

Menzies has also established a wide commercial charging infrastructure across the UK and, following extensive trials, has developed an energy efficient vehicle-to-grid process, allowing it to charge at off-peak times and return spare charge to the grid when energy demand is highest.

The judges said: “Robust, broad approach to sustainability across the business and interesting work taking place around vehicle-to-grid technology.”

7.6.21

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Customer Care Award Sponsored by Cazoo

Cazoo’s mission is to transform the car buying experience for consumers across Europe by providing better selection, quality, transparency, convenience and peace of mind. Consumers can simply and seamlessly purchase, finance or subscribe to a car entirely online for either delivery or collection in as little as 72 hours. Since launching in December 2019, Cazoo has pioneered the shift to online car buying and has already delivered over 20,000 cars to consumers. Cazoo expects to achieve revenues approaching $1bn in 2021, a growth rate of more than 300% in its second full year of operations.

A key part of the Cazoo service is the delivery using a bespoke fleet, with customers being called at least 30 minutes prior to receiving delivery and a 30-minute handover in which the delivery specialist explains all aspects of the vehicle. Cazoo offers two-hour delivery slots, seven days a week and makes a post-delivery call within seven days.

The judges said: “Customer opinion and perception is the focus and strategy. Communications is key to great customer service and Cazoo really understands what a vital role this plays in the used car buying process.”

DPD UK

Due to lockdown, 2020 was a year when DPD had to flex its operations to handle 3.5 years of projected growth in just nine months. That meant co-ordinating business-critical decisions through its ‘Intelligent Operations Centre’ and re-engineering the route allocation process in its 84 depots.

The company also further enhanced its award-winning app, which now has a ‘driver rating’ feature enabling DPD to measure what’s most important to its customers’ customers. DPD also recorded a best ever NPS score of 70%, achieved record high service levels of 99.9% and topped the prestigious MoneySavingExpert carrier poll for the eighth year running.

The judges said: “A truly exceptional entry from a truly exceptional company, which answered the brief and addressed all points clearly with good supporting evidence. Demonstrable client retention shows proof of delivery of exceptional client care. This entry demonstrates breathtaking attention to detail, and a winning combination of dedication and innovation.”

34 MotorTransport

EV Cargo

EV Cargo manages and operates the national distribution service for Accolade Wines, handling 200,000 pallets of wine annually. The main KPI target for the account – On Time In Full – is set at 98.5%, but despite a year of unprecedented retail and Covid-19 challenges, EV Cargo is operating at 99.9%. This has enabled Accolade to provide an industry-leading service to its customers, as ranked by an independent supermarket survey.

EV Cargo has also improved the customer care KPI from 65% to 96% and is saving 258,000 transport miles by making changes to the delivery schedules for Accolade customers.

Every delivery is timed and the main KPI for the account is 98.5% on time in full. Despite the Covid-19 challenges, EV Cargo is tracking at 99.9% and has over-delivered on a number of other KPIs. The judges said: “A very good fact-based entry. EV Cargo has perfected the art of continuous improvement by introducing a myriad of marginal gains to drive a relentless increase in its customer service standards.”

Panther Logistics

Since Panther Logistics first introduced next day two-man delivery to the marketplace 10 years ago, exemplary customer service has been at the heart of its offering – it is part of Panther’s DNA. Today it is the UK’s largest independent two-man, white-glove home delivery firm, specialising in the home delivery e-commerce sector, and with a customer base that includes Wayfair, Silentnight, Dunelm, Asda, Decathlon, Samsung and LG. Panther’s continuous commitment to ever-evolving excellence, including its 99.5% delivery success rate, has proved to be a formula for exponential growth. Volumes were up by 76% last year and the number of depots has grown from a single site in Crick to ten facilities nationwide over the past 10 years.

Panther has a Trustpilot rating of 4.6 out of five from more than 24,000 reviews in 12 months. Comments are monitored 12 hours a day and responded to as necessary with any issues arising addressed immediately.

The judges said: “Ambitious to beat every competitor on customer service – a great target! This is a very solid entry which demonstrates that a service culture is driven from the top.”

7.6.21

MT Awards 2021 shortlists Fleet Truck of the Year Sponsored by DAF XF

While the familiar XF – a multiple winner of this award over previous years – will be replaced shortly, DAF has made a series of improvements to the current model to keep it at the top of the sales tree.

A range of enhancements introduced in 2017 – including new engines, after-treatment systems, transmissions and rear axles – contributed to a 7% fuel-efficiency improvement.

The XF Super Space cab remains one of the largest on the market, providing a high-capacity, no-nonsense working and living environment.

The bunk remains the benchmark for driver comfort, while the storage capacity has been emulated but never bettered by other manufacturers.

The range of standard features to improve driver safety and mpg include adaptive and predictive cruise control, forward collision warning, advanced emergency braking system, lane departure warning and an electronic braking system with improved vehicle stability control to help prevent jack-knifing and overturning.

After-sales service has been key to DAF’s sales success over the years, with DAFaid roadside assistance often cited as the best on the market. Dealers attended 65,000 breakdowns in 2020, of which 80% were fixed at the roadside within 90 minutes. DAF’s dealer network is the largest of all the OEMs, with 135 sales and service locations in the UK and Ireland.

The judges said: “The XF has been around and is a tried-and-tested model – but there is a new model due next year.”

MAN TGX

The new MAN TGX was 10 years in the making, with the latest incarnation developed on four pillars: excellent driver fit, great efficiency and economy, optimised uptime and being a strong partner.

In developing the new cab, the voice of the driver was extremely important. Over five years MAN engaged with 700 drivers from 12 different countries to produce the “perfect drivers’ truck”.

The new design brought improved visibility, better aerodynamics and safer access to cab driver assist features, including turn assist, lane change support, lane return assist and adaptive cruise control.

A feature unique to MAN is EasyControl, introduced in response to drivers who said they would like to be able to control certain functions from outside the cab. The result is a programmable panel in the door that can operate functions such as the PTO and exterior lighting.

With three engines and three cab variants, the TGX covers the vast majority of fleet applications. This vehicle is about 8% more fuel-efficient than previous versions, helped by the fact that peak torque starts at 930rpm, so MAN could install a taller final diff ratio.

36 MotorTransport

For some years MAN in the UK has operated its Up Time Principle (UTP), with a dedicated team that does nothing but work on unscheduled stops and get the vehicles back in service as quickly as possible.

The dealer network has gone from 67 to 72 dealer service locations in the past two years to keep pace with MAN’s growing market share; since the launch of the TGX in Bilbao last year, MAN has doubled its share of the UK 3-axle tractor market.

The judges said: “Previously I would never have one on my fleet, but now I have a TGX and am well impressed with it.”

Volvo FM

The Volvo FM has been around for 22 years, with the latest key revision to the model last year. Representing 22% of Volvo’s UK sales, it is the OEM’s most flexible range, with variants from 18-tonne rigids to 44-tonne 6x2 tractors, including low cab for car transporters, 8-wheeler tippers, a crewcab for the fire market and a 10x6.

The latest model retains the two-step entry but the cab has been modernised with more space, better storage and improved vision.

Alongside the new dash is a digital display with up to four screens, including one for load indication if required, while the higher bunk has an improved mattress.

The FM comes with 11-litre or 13-litre engines rated at between 330hp and 500hp, with LNG options rated at 420hp or 460hp that reduce CO2 emissions by up to 20%. A diesel 420hp FM achieved more than 10mpg at 40 tonnes in a recent Commercial Motor roadtest, a new record.

While the I-Shift gearbox is now 20 years old it is still rated as the best in the business and is available with Dual Clutch for even faster gear changes.

Two full electric FM models will be available next year, with motors rated at 330kW or 490kW. Volvo now has 79 dealer points, of which 27 are wholly owned, covering the UK, with an average 97.5% first-time annual test pass rate.

The judges said: “We know what it does – it’s not the cheapest to buy, but it is the most reliable and the safest truck on the market.”

7.6.21

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Haulier of the Year Sponsored by Abbey Logistics

This entry highlights the steps Abbey Logistics – a two-time previous winner of this title – took to get the business back to record profitability and industryleading levels of customer service in 2020.

It portrays a group-wide cultural shift to get back to basics, return its customers to the forefront, control costs and focus on its core skills of problem-solving, flexibility and service.

The entry also outlines Abbey’s response to the pandemic which was proactive and decisive, including engagement with existing employees through training and development and its steps to attract the next generation of logistics professionals.

The judges said: “Abbey’s back to basics approach helped it achieve significant changes in customer service levels and deliver positive financial results in a demanding year. This is a business in recovery and it’s done well but let’s see further evidence of a sustained period of recovery.”

Elddis Transport (Consett)

This year Elddis Transport celebrates its 50th anniversary, and in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic it undertook the largest investment programme in its history. This included major fleet replacement, the purchase of three new depots and significant IT upgrades. Elddis’ staff and customer retention are exceptional, with its top 12 customers averaging over 30 years and 37% of the workforce having over 10 years’ service.

Rewarding staff, training and development are all part of Elddis’ core values, as are innovation, reducing environmental impact and corporate social responsibility.

The judges said: “Elddis made significant investment in a difficult operating environment and displayed agility and adaptability, delivering continued high levels of customer satisfaction. A great professional business that demonstrates a steady delivery over the years and would be regarded as a safe pair of hands. A traditional family-run transport and warehousing company that has done well to keep up with the times.

Having P&G for 50 years is impressive!”

Expect Distribution

The winner of Haulier of the Year last year, Expect Distribution has delivered another outstanding financial performance and, although 2020 turnover growth was affected by Covid, it achieved an amazing 68% improvement in net profit.

At the start of the pandemic Expect decided that its commercial strategy

38 MotorTransport

would not change but it needed to adapt how it achieved its objectives.

With a strong focus on employee well-being, it introduced an improved employee benefit package, increased communication with both employees and customers and placed a clear focus on health and safety.

The judges said: “Expect’s submission demonstrates that it has grown significantly as a business and has recognised that its people are at the heart of everything it does. Its delivery through Covid has been exceptional and the impact of more home delivery throughout this period has been impressive.”

Knowles Transport

Founded in 1932, Knowles is a well-established name within the UK transport industry, primarily serving the food, drink and food packaging sectors. Embracing strong family values coupled with a sound commercial strategy has enabled Knowles to enjoy substantial growth and compete at the highest level.

Operating over 2 million sq ft of warehousing, Knowles offers contract logistics, full and part-loads, retailer consolidation, groupage and pallet network distribution, dedicated fleet management and comprehensive contract packing capabilities. It aims to consistently “push the boundaries” to ensure customers receive an optimum level of service.

The judges said: “Knowles has well-established high standards of customer service and staff welfare with a sound commercial strategy that has served it well for nearly 90 years. MD Alex Knowles has shown that he can follow in his father’s footsteps and the generations before him, bringing in the younger generation while also driving a quality operation which delivers a stable financial performance.”

Miniclipper Logistics

The name Miniclipper was devised

by Mick Masters 50 years ago based on a vision of creating an express version of a clipper ship for road transport. His first customer was a print company and master model ship builder. The name Miniclipper was born and grew over the decades with control passing to his son and current MD Peter.

The company still abides by Mick’s ethos – to serve the customer right, with full integrity and to the best of its ability, with employees committed to ‘never letting the customer down’.

The judges said: “Miniclipper has achieved excellent results in a very challenging year. A great business, and gross margin improved due to a greater focus on efficiency and productivity in transport. A great all round business and a great culture.”

7.6.21

A leap in evolution Volvo Trucks believe that every great haulier is built on having a great truck.

Volvo Trucks set new standards in safety, productivity and driver focus. Our trucks are robust, great to drive and tailor-made to your specific tasks and requirements.

Whatever you choose, you can count on us to support you in all situations. Our passionate people go the extra mile to keep your vehicle on the road, and it’s for that reason that we are again proud to sponsor the Motor Transport Haulier of the Year 2021 award.

Just like the winner of this coveted award, we have a real passion to see our customers succeed and evolve the logistics industry.

Good luck to all shortlisted entries.

www.volvotrucks.co.uk

Search: VolvoTrucksUK

MT Awards 2021 shortlists Home Delivery Operator of the Year

DPD UK

In 2020 DPD rose to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, successfully handling a 50% surge in home delivery volumes triggered by the lockdown e-commerce boom.

The company recruited 532 new managers and 4,654 drivers. It invested £2m on morale-boosting gift items for employees and their families, as well as supplying 1,000 Chromebooks to support home education efforts – all leading to excellent people engagement scores and best-ever service levels of 99.99%.

Through the new ‘driver rating’ feature on its app, DPD provided customers with new levels of insight and enabled drivers to be rewarded for customer-centric performance. DPD topped the MoneySavingExpert carrier poll for the eighth year and recorded its 11th consecutive year of profit growth.

The judges said: “DPD Demonstrated high levels of innovation and customer satisfaction during a period of significant growth.”

Wren Kitchens

2020 delivered unprecedented challenges for the industry, yet Wren’s robust, agile delivery model enabled it to expeditiously realign its focus on safety, wellbeing and customer satisfaction.

The swift introduction of Covid-safe procedures enabled Wren to keep business moving, staff employed, customers ordering and manufacturing on track. The safe delivery of 96,296 kitchens was accomplished, ensuring customers weren’t without cooking facilities.

Key achievements include 99.95% deliveries on-time-in-full; £1m efficiency savings and delivery lead times reduced by 60% by Dynamic Planning & Order Pinning; £2.8m efficiency savings and a 33% reduction in road miles since TripleTrunking was introduced; and Wren’s best-ever CSI scores of 93% giving a rating of 8-10/10 and top Trustpilot score (4.5/5).

The judges said: “An excellent entry. A progressive business with robust investment in the operation.”

Panther Logistics

Panther continually strives to deliver an outstanding service and become a natural extension to its customers’ home delivery requirements. A trailblazer in two-man home delivery, the Panther brand is synonymous with a fast, flexible and high-quality service delivering a competitive edge and adding value to its customers. It has the ability to offer both next day and nominated day delivery underpinned by robust technology ensuring total transparency and a first-time delivery rate of 99.5%.

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Turnover levels have soared with Panther beating its projected turnover of £58m in 2020 by 20% to finish the year just shy of £70m. And with a projected turnover of £78m for 2021, Panther is on course to achieve 30% growth in just two years.

During this period, customer service has remained at Panther’s core, with a Trustpilot rating of 4.6 out of five from more than 20,000 reviews in the past 12 months, despite the challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The judges said: “Panther demonstrated a highly agile approach to customer deliveries during the pandemic.”

Tesco

At the start of 2020 Tesco Grocery Home Shopping (Tesco GHS) was already well established as a leading online grocery retailer. Due to lockdown restrictions initiated by the Covid-19 pandemic there was a swift and dramatic change in customer demand to order groceries online.

Tesco responded to that challenge by increasing the delivery slots available from 650,000 to 1.4 million each week, whilst still maintaining the quality of service, continuing to drive improvement and ensuring its employees and customers stayed safe. More than 4,000 new drivers were employed in a six-week period through the creation of 40 recruitment hubs across the UK, and 50 new driver-assessors joined the health and compliance team to oversee the new recruits.

To ensure Covid-secure deliveries, Tesco rolled out cleaning and sanitising kits to vans; face coverings for drivers; and an e-learning video was created to demonstrate socially distanced deliveries.

The judges said: “A great emphasis on health and safety for employees during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Hermes

As the coronavirus pandemic took hold, Hermes had to radically adapt its business to ensure the safety of its people and customers as it continued to deliver nationwide every day, including to the most vulnerable, while supporting its retail clients.

Volumes skyrocketed by over 200 million in 2020 – up from 400 million the year before to more than 630 million – and the company delivered its five-year growth plan within five months. Investment in technology, infrastructure and people gave Hermes the capacity and flexibility to adapt.

Four new operational hubs, five depots and 90 delivery units were opened across the UK, as well as a national returns centre, which can process around 120,000 parcels per day. The fleet was increased by 2,500 and 10,500 new roles were created across the business; 13,000 couriers were also added to Hermes’ UK network.

The judges said: “A fantastic response to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

7.6.21

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED TO S E E W H O O U R F I N A L I S T S A R E A N D TO B O O K YO U R TA B L E V I S I T M TAWA R D S .CO . U K

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#MTAWARDS2021

MT Awards 2021 shortlists Innovation Award Sponsored by Balfour Beatty Plant and Fleet Services

Balfour Beatty Plant and Fleet Services, in partnership with Connect Plus Services, has designed, built and delivered an innovative design that enables maintenance crews to collect litter of all shapes, sizes and weights from the roadside with the use of a handheld vacuum device. The device is serviced by a bespoke machine, mounted on a truck bed. The litter is deposited into a compartment , with any dust contained through a specialised filter.

The litter picker was developed to ensure the vehicle improved health and safety when working on the UK’s busiest motorway, while also improving the rate of litter picking. Through the implementation of the vacuum pump, which pulls litter in with suction as opposed to teams collecting the waste, the machine has proven to increase the speed at which litter can be collected while reducing the amount of time workers spend on a live highway environment.

The judges said: “This entry really stood out as solving a unique challenge in removing danger from roadside working.”

Brigade Electronics

Brigade Electronics has developed its latest safety system, SideScanPredict, using artificial intelligence technology that constantly gathers object detection data, such as the speed and distance of a cyclist or other vulnerable road user from a lorry.

Additional technology in the system gathers information such as the speed, direction, acceleration, and the turning rate of a vehicle. This data feeds an algorithm created by Brigade to calculate the risk of a collision with cyclists and/or pedestrians alongside the vehicle. The system is always switched on when the vehicle’s speed is below 22mph/30kph, regardless of the indicator selection, and cannot be activated by the driver.

By creating a predictive system, false alarms are significantly reduced allowing the driver to be confident in the accuracy of the warning.

SideScanPredict also differentiates static objects such as road furniture from moving objects such as pedestrians and cyclists and only sends audible alerts to the driver when there is a potential risk of collision.

The judges said: “A great innovation that tackles the increasing challenge of vulnerable road user safety.”

eDriving

The Mentor by eDriving smartphone app identifies risky driving behaviours for intervention and safe driving habits for recognition. Features include microtraining and coaching, collision reporting, vehicle inspections, and an individual FICO Safe Driving Score validated to predict the

42 MotorTransport

likelihood of being involved in a collision. Through a five-stage, crashfree culture risk-reduction methodology, eDriving helps organisations embrace safety as a strategic imperative and build a company-wide culture of safety. The company’s Virtual Risk Manager platform integrates and analyses on-road driver performance data within a privacy-first, data-secure environment that supports drivers and managers every step of the way.

The judges said: “The technology clearly addresses the challenge of driver behaviour and offers a wide range of modules for operators.”

Lytx

When it comes to monitoring vehicle incidents, Lytx realised that fleet managers faced three main issues. Firstly, managers were only seeing part of the picture – that an incident had occurred. Secondly, they had to watch hours of footage to find the incident. Finally, many drivers saw cameras in the cab not as an aid to safety but as a Big Brother. To overcome these challenges, Lytx examined the role that AI-powered technology could play, particularly how it could be used to identify behaviours not triggered by a G-force, and act as a second pair of eyes for drivers. The result was Lytx’s enhanced machine vision and AI-powered video telematics solution, which features four new risk-detection capabilities and gives fleet managers an insight into risky driving behaviours, such as mobile phone use or failure to wear a seatbelt.

The judges said: “There was a very clear focus on road safety and strong supporting evidence provided in the entry.”

TyreWatch

TyreWatch noted that technicians in tyre and vehicle servicing have become scarce, therefore better use of this limited resource and more support from digital and automated technology is key. It developed a robust, fully automated platform to enable digital tyre management to be conducted from anywhere remotely.

Suitable for use on all brands of tyres and vehicle make, key features include pressure checks, temperature monitoring, predictive time to becoming critical, remote automated monitoring, automated alerts and reports, and environmental impact measuring of CO2. TyreWatch said tyres can naturally deflate by 2% to 3% every month without effective monitoring. However, by using TyreWatch’s automated system, operators can achieve fuel savings of between 1% and 2%, improved tyre life up to 30%, a reduction in CO2 and particulate emissions, and improved road safety.

The judges said: “An excellent entry that clearly identified the challenge to be solved.”

7.6.21

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Livery of the Year

Construct IT

Construct IT looks to add the digital know-how essential for today’s construction manufacturers. Its dual USP of safety and technology gave it a focused brief to develop its name, brand and livery. Being a start-up, its trucks needed to work extra hard to introduce what it is, what it does and why it does it. Its name helped it clearly communicate to not only the haulage sector it works in but also its technological focus in IT systems.

Construct IT’s livery is based on what it describes as a head-turning safety-inspired fluorescent yellow, ensuring it would get noticed on the dullest of days. The neon colour pallet does more than just look good; it also makes the vehicles highly visible for all the right health and safety reasons.

The judges were impressed with the bright and inventive use of branding: “The slogans and colours are striking; wow, if that came down the motorway you wouldn’t miss it.”

Westland Horticulture

The Westland fleet run by KNP Logistics Group delivers to more than 2,000 garden centres a week. Part of the contract distribution solution allowed the firm to introduce 20 branded trailers into the fleet.

Creating the livery was a relatively quick process. It was important that the vehicles delivered the Westland logo – their core brand message, a key product and the website. It was also important that the seven trailer designs across the 20 trailers worked together as a recognisable branded suite of vehicles. With seven variants, the design is clear and impactful and works cohesively across the fleet. The company described the initiative as a branding opportunity that couldn’t be missed.

The judges said: “I like that it has seven variants but all recognisable with a horticultural theme; you could tell what it was; it had some clear objectives on what it wanted to achieve; it was a no-nonsense approach done quickly with a great result.”

44 MotorTransport

Menzies Distribution

Menzies Distribution believes vehicles, warehouses and people form the first touchpoints to a logistics brand. It wanted to paint a strong, positive image of the transport industry and began a project to refresh the company’s image. “How we look, sound and behave should be a clear reflection of who we are, what we believe and what we aim to achieve. So we set out to introduce a brand that is punchy, bold and different, built on three core pillars – smart, agile and sustainable,” it said.

The livery needed to reflect Menzies’ brand promise of 24/7 national capability and work on multiple vehicles. It also needed to fit with the newly acquired Bibby Distribution (now Menzies Distribution Solutions) business and fleet. The core focus was about driving the future, seamless integration and honouring a sense of the past.

The judges said: “This was a clean design that worked well across all vehicle types and sizes; it was great to see how it could transfer across to zero emission vehicles; that’s a positive image for the industry as well.”

BJS Haulage

The aim of the project was to develop a beautifully simple graphic homage to the intricate design of motorway junctions. Each one, in a series of 20, was specially selected not only for its beauty but to celebrate the locations of some of the company’s most trusted and long-standing customers.

On the cabs, it set its golden-yellow colour against a satin black wrap, applying minimal graphics and a subtle logo position to enhance the ‘stealth-like qualities of the Renault’.

The result is a livery that aims to quietly demand attention among the noise of the busy UK transport network.

The judges said: “This was a modern, fresh livery with a fun twist; a lot of thought had gone into it with a good supporting narrative; it was a novel idea and I loved the link to its slogan – With You at Every Turn, that was very clever; the cabs were also named after key worker heroes, which was a nice touch.”

7.6.21

MT Awards 2021 shortlists Partnership Award

Abbey Logistics and Tarmac

In 2018 building materials and construction services group Tarmac streamlined its bulk cement and ash distribution contracts to improve flexibility, service performance and value, and Abbey Logistics was given responsibility for Scotland and the North of England.

In 2020 this was put to the test when the firms faced a combination of the pandemic shutting down operations in Scotland for Tarmac, the subsequent reopening and demand spike and a rail incident that cut off Tarmac’s supply of cement to a major site. Despite the massive jump in demand, Abbey absorbed the extra volumes while making 97% of deliveries on time.

The entry points out that although both companies are “experts in their field, expertise is not enough to succeed in isolation”. It goes on: “A successful partnership needs a key ingredient – communication. More specifically, full, frank, candid, honest, transparent, occasionally brutal communication. Once the communication lines are in place, relationships can build, and a partnership will get stronger.”

The judges said: “This submission clearly shows two successful organisations can be better together. The reference to ‘brutal communication’ is heartfelt and shows a depth of mutual trust that is important within any successful commercial relationship. Abbey Logistics is just becoming more and more impressive as time goes on.”

Expect Distribution and Boost Drinks

Expect Distribution and Boost Drinks have a partnership which now spans 11 years and is currently in a third period of contracted relationship that has seen both SMEs evolve at a remarkably similar pace.

Boost Drinks is an energy drink supplier founded in 2001 and employing 32 staff at its head office in Leeds. It supplies over 65 different varieties of product to independent local community shops across the UK. Expect Distribution runs a fleet of 11 artics in Boost livery and holds an average of 8,000 pallets in a full pick and dispatch operation delivering over 150,000 pallets per annum.

The judges said: “A real win-win solution that would not be possible without a strong relationship. It jumps off the page that as the companies are private and family-orientated they have the freedom to develop their own management systems and practices. It’s clear that they have worked well in terms of their partnership.”

7.6.21

Maple Fleet Services and partners

The entry made by Maple centred on the ‘Cargo and road transport security guide’, a collaborative project between a wide range of experienced professionals from the police, road transport and insurance industries who share a passion to combat and disrupt cargo crime.

The members of the project were the RHA, DHL, Royal Sun Alliance, Motorway Buddy, National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service and Secure Supply Chain Scotland.

The objective of the guide is to raise awareness of the expensive and often overlooked subject of cargo crime, while promoting best practice guidance to combat this ever evolving threat in a single reference guide.

The judges said: “The submission sets out the real cost of cargo crime and a framework of practical suggestions. The guide is a deeply original document and the organisations supporting it deserve credit for the collaboration for the wider good of the industry.”

XPO Logistics and Kingspan Insulation

Working in partnership with Kingspan Insulation for the past six years, XPO has helped to radically transform its client’s transport solutions to be more agile and efficient. Meanwhile XPO’s strategic plans have led the provider of rigid insulation panels on a road map towards remarkable sustainable growth.

Combining their strengths, the partners have recommended new technology, improved customer service, introduced fleet innovation and delivered over £5m of cost-saving initiatives.

The judges said: “No matter how good the strategy sometimes you have to stop and look at the results; in this partnership the result is a £5m saving, which shows how successful it has been. The agility identified within the submission is clearly reflected in the substantial savings. This is a great submission from XPO, which is clear, slick and professional. It demonstrates where the partnership started and how it has delivered improvements across the board year on year.”

MotorTransport 45

MT Awards 2021 shortlists Low Carbon Award Sponsored by Hermes

Sustainability is at the forefront of Hermes’ operating model as it recognises the impact of its transport supply chain on the environment. To improve environmental performance within its trunking operations, in 2020 Hermes added seven new CNG vehicles, taking the total to 90 CNG tractor units. The business is also trialling an industry-first 12-tonne CNG vehicle. In London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, Hermes runs a fleet of fully electric vans to deliver parcels through its ParcelShop network and is looking to expand on this during 2021 with a trial of the new purpose-designed Volta electric vehicle.

Longer term, the business is planning to achieve year-on-year reductions in CO2 at parcel level by 5% and be carbon neutral within its warehouses and infrastructure by 2030. It has also committed to measuring and managing its sustainability along with social and governance practices, as part of an updated ESG strategy.

Hermes has a dedicated senior team including stakeholders from finance, procurement, ops, fleet, client development and comms/PR reporting regularly regarding emissions network-wide. It is also developing robust KPIs, with a supporting monitoring and management process regarding environmental performance. All employees attend an induction programme where a broad sustainability overview is discussed, which is further enhanced when staff embark on professional qualifications or apprenticeships.

The judges said: “Leading the way on CNG tractor units and showing a great commitment to investment in alternative fuels and clean technology. Buy-in from management was strong. A clear, concise entry.”

Hovis

Hovis is committed to continually reducing the road carbon emissions of its fleet, which comprises around 400 vehicles and 250 trailers. Through the use of viable technology and new fuels, it pushes the envelope on customer collaborations to reduce delivery miles, whilst also encouraging and rewarding its fleet drivers to improve their on-road performance.

In 2015, Hovis set out its carbon-reduction strategy and road map for achieving its goals, with four key pillars underpinning the plans: reduce operating miles; improve MPG; reduce or remove the need to burn diesel

46 MotorTransport

fuel; and driver performance and data. Projects taking place in 2020 and 2021 aim to remove 1.3 million road miles from the operation. Initiatives include the introduction of a new 7.2-tonne ‘Convenience’ vehicle for urban deliveries, which have replaced 12-tonners and so far saved 35,000 gallons of fuel. Also the use of sustainable drop-in fuel HVO across the entire fleet has also put Hovis on track to slash 40,311 metric tons of CO2 by 2022, or 91% per litre used compared with diesel.

Other projects have seen the rollout of Microlise technology across the fleet and creation of a driver behaviour strategy; introduction of two fully electric 7.5-tonne eCanters; and working with customers to improve routing efficiency and reduce mileage.

The judges said: “Very impressed that Hovis is using all the tools available to reduce road mileage as a key focus. Well-measured carbon reduction, good analysis and strong commitment to sustainability.”

The Pallet Network

Pallet networks last year delivered 28 million pallets in total, with TPN delivering 4.6 million. Every pallet network partner accumulates broken and worn-out pallets which are no longer usable, not only from their network operations but from warehousing and general haulage operations. Their choices are sending pallets to landfill or burning them, neither of which offer a sustainable option.

TPN created an environmentally sound, carbon-neutral system for end-of-life pallets, which is free to all partner companies to use.

Partners are encouraged to use any empty trailer space to bring their broken and expired pallets to the Hub as part of their normal trunking operations. The scheme therefore creates no more carbon through additional mileage.

The pallets are sorted at the Hub and those which can be upcycled (fixed for re-use) are salvaged and repaired. The remaining pallets are added to a standing trailer for collection by Stobart Energy. Full trailers of pallets are taken away and suitable wood is recycled to make MDF products, and the remainder fuels carbon-neutral energy production.

TPN’s recycling scheme began in July 2020 and partner buy-in has grown rapidly. The first month TPN recycled 16 tonnes, but by March 2021, it recycled 65 tonnes. In total, the scheme has saved 364 tonnes of wood waste from local landfills or burning. This is expected to reach in excess of 500 tonnes for the first year of operation. In addition circa 10% of pallets are salvaged for re-use.

The judges said: “Great sectorial leadership – a sustainable strategy that could be shared with wider industry. An influential scheme and an innovative approach.”

7.6.21

Alternative Fuels ● Infrastructure Planning ● Regulatory Advice ● Connected Technologies ● Big Data ● Predictive Maintenance ● and more…

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Operational Excellence Award Sponsored by Air Products

Safety is something Air Products takes very seriously, along with ensuring customers do not experience interruptions to their gas supply.

When the coronavirus pandemic escalated, Air Products took immediate steps to secure its supply chain and keep employees and customers safe. This focus has continued throughout, and as such it has managed and met the demands from essential businesses, such as hospitals and food customers, whilst achieving an excellent safety and efficiency performance.

The judges said: “This engaging entry ticks most boxes and demonstrates operational excellence in challenging times. There were clearly high levels of compliance in this operation as supporting evidence shows. Putting everything together clearly results in an effective, efficient operation.”

Hovis

Hovis runs 400 vehicles and 250 trailers and employs 800 drivers delivering over 10 million loaves of bread per week. Its logistics operation rests on four ‘pillars of excellence’: compliance, innovation, people and service.

All Hovis operations undergo a comprehensive compliance and driver health check, with the logistics excellence trainers conducting 84 audits across the network each year.

As a result of intensive driver training Hovis has seen a 62% reduction in recorded incidents and a 64% reduction in the cost of insurance claims since 2015.

The judges said: “Another excellent entry, with evidence showing this is clearly a focused and compliant operator. Staff engagement shows that the company has listened to its staff and made marked improvements over the past four years.”

pladis Global

British snack foods and confectionery company pladis is behind key brands such as McVities and Godiva. In the UK, there are seven pladis production sites supported by an in-house logistics operation based in Ashby de la Zouch. The Ashby automated warehouse has a capacity of 90,000 pallets and a satellite store can hold a further 20,000 pallets. The fleet includes between 60 and 90 tractor units and 238 trailers of which 100 are longer semi-trailers.

48 MotorTransport

Despite Covid, pladis maintained its 24/7 operation and managed to deal with additional volumes while increasing customer service level performance. The fleet covered a larger distance and despite more driver shifts, increased driver performance and MPG. The judges said: “Clearly compliance is taken seriously within the organisation and it is always looking to improve. This can be seen in the supporting evidence with excellent tacho compliance, achieved with a large increase in shifts. The graphs clearly show what can be achieved when telematics are used correctly.”

Wren Kitchens

Wren’s submission says its “mission to produce kitchens of dreams is matched by our passion for efficiency and standards of the highest level in everything we do”. Keeping every aspect of the business in-house gives maximum control, optimises consistency and identifies opportunities for continuous improvement.

Even in a “Covid-ravaged year” the company introduced a number of game-changing initiatives that delivered tangible customer benefits as well as significant commercial and operational gains.

The judges said: “One of the most detailed entries I have ever read, which covered everything and more the judges wish to see. You can clearly see from the evidence supplied that efficiencies are key and the company has high standards in all of its operational tasks from the start of any order to completed delivery.”

XPO Logistics

The fuel sector in the UK suffered a significant impact from Covid-19, with volumes dropping by 70% in the first lockdown period overnight.

XPO successfully managed this challenge for one of its customers, the UK’s biggest seller of forecourt fuels. During the pandemic demand remained volatile, with volume increases as restrictions eased offset by further lockdowns suppressing volume. During this time the XPO Fuels Team, in partnership with its customer and trades union colleagues, developed robust tools to support the business and enable it to enhance the service levels and cost effectiveness of the operation.

The judges said: “A great submission addressing all points that the award requires. This entry in the main refers to the pandemic and how it had to adapt. This gives some idea of the scope of its flexibility, adaptability and speed of reaction to provide a solution for a major customer.”

7.6.21

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Safety in Operation Award Sponsored by Wren Kitchens

Wren Kitchen’s agile business model enabled it to embrace the challenges of the pandemic and realign its focus. Its holistic approach to safety starts with prevention. From facilities, induction and workplace training to best practice, manual handling, transportation and customer service, its operations are subject to safety scrutiny of the highest level.

Staff and drivers complete a daily health questionnaire and a temperature check before entering Wren premises. All deliveries are contactless and drivers wear protective equipment. All vehicles are disinfected daily or when there is a change of driver. Workplaces and showrooms have been issued with social distancing signage, floor markers and guidance sheets and work stations are positioned a minimum of 2m apart and fitted with Perspex screens to the front and sides.

The judges said: “Wren’s submission was well thought through and comprehensive; from driver training to manual handling, it was a case of no stone left unturned with safety.”

XPO Logistics

XPO Logistics, in partnership with Tata Steel and British Steel, has implemented a set of Load Restraint Guidelines (LRG) across its operation.

All drivers must complete a rigorous training course and are allocated a load restraint card, to be produced on arrival at each steel site.

XPO’s safety focused systems – SmartPass, Safeguard and Gatekeeper – underpin robust health and safety checks across operations. SmartPass is a driver training and safety passport system that enables sites to validate driver competence and access training. It captures a record for every driver working on the contract. Safeguard provides touch-screen driver site inductions, driver notifications and alerts, multilingual documentation capability to support drivers’ on-site conduct, and camera integration.

Online portal Gatekeeper is also used to ensure loads are tracked.

The judges said: “A solid, wellrounded and extensive submission.”

Expect Distribution

Reducing fleet accidents was a major target for Expect Distribution last year. In 2019, fleet claims had reached what the company believed was an unacceptable level and it needed to reverse the upward trend. The company created a 14-point plan to reduce its accident frequency and associated costs.

Last year was a team effort resulting in improved safety and culture throughout the business in what should have been a testing year.

Highlights included a 25% reduction in accidents while incidents and

50 MotorTransport

injuries per 100 employees were down 29.5% year on year. Expect also continued its 100% RTA injury-free trend for the third consecutive year.

The judges said: “This was a very comprehensive entry with impressive safety stats and some good cost reductions; it had clearly thought about employees during the pandemic.”

O’Donovan Waste Disposal

O’Donovan is an independent waste-management company with an excellent reputation for service, compliance and sustainable working practices. Specialising in construction and demolition waste, O’Donovan provides a range of total waste and recycling solutions excelling in safety, compliance, environmental practices and expertise.

With six depots in London, a turnover of more than £20m and 185 employees, the O’Donovan mantra of Safety Above and Beyond is at the heart of the business. Its aims are to develop every member of the workforce and adapt working processes in line with legislation and guidelines, covering social distancing, mask-wearing and sanitising. It also looks to improve health and safety performance by reducing accidents and reduce environmental impact through education and training.

The judges said: “This is a well-respected company and good at saving the planet; the entry focused on colleague welfare and felt hands on; the safety stats were good, considering the vehicles are for urban use.”

Nuvech Solutions

Nuvech’s AIRBAR is a unique safety device for LGVs and HGVs, which was invented, designed and manufactured in the UK. It has two significant safety benefits. Firstly, it creates a wider and safer live lane working area for operators when alongside parked vehicles by deploying highly visual flashing indicator extensions. Secondly, it helps prevent cyclists from entering the nearside blind spot at junctions by creating the illusion of a physical, highly visible flashing barrier.

AIRBAR visually warns cyclists of the danger, encouraging them to wait behind the vehicle, which assists the driver's awareness of their presence. The device is deployed by an in-cab touch-pad for roadside applications, or deployed automatically by the indicator stalk when the vehicle is travelling at less than 15mph.

The judges said: “This initiative is worthy of recognition; it addresses a problem with blind spots and turning left; it’s a clever idea that stood out.”

7.6.21

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Team of the Year Sponsored by Abbey Logistics and ADM

In the summer of 2019, Abbey Logistics and ADM devised a vision for the combined team. The approach had closer co-operation and collaboration at its core and led to moving Abbey’s team on-site at ADM and creating roles to streamline operations and improve the service ADM gave to its customers.

Through teamwork in its truest sense, Abbey Logistics became an extension of the ADM Logistics team, sharing successes and operational challenges as one team through an open and honest relationship that encourages collaboration and embraces a one team approach that benefits both organisations. A key achievement for the team includes on-time delivery improving by 6% to regularly achieve 95% to 100% in 2020, despite the challenges of Covid-19.

The judges said: “A strong team submission, presented extremely well.”

Collett & Sons

Collett & Sons was appointed to transport four storage tanks, three measuring 40m long and the fourth measuring 29m long, from the Port of Ellesmere to Coleshill. The 115-mile journey navigated motorways, industrial estates, city centres and residential areas, each of which required meticulous surveying months before the transport phase of the project began. This included liaising with six councils, four police constabularies, Highways Agency, Historical Railways, Network Rail, BT Open Reach and the Canal and River Trust.

In preparation for the project, Collett Consulting undertook more than 80 swept path analysis reports that highlighted road widening requirements and junction modifications throughout the proposed route.

With more than a year of planning, it took Collett 36 days to transport all four tanks using a fleet of modular trailers and 8x4 tractor units.

The judges said: “There was a huge degree of planning involved in the operation and it showed exemplary teamwork.”

Hermes

Although the UK left the EU in January 2020, there was no trade agreement or clarity until December 2020, giving businesses little time to plan. Hermes customers and clients sought guidance, but the company had no in-house customs expertise or partnerships with customs agents/brokers.

In 2020, a cross-departmental Brexit Team was created. Through intensive, multi-disciplinary training and staff development, as well as outstanding negotiation and communication, the team successfully helped Hermes navigate the Brexit project. A host of delivery solutions

52 MotorTransport

was devised and implemented for clients in the UK and Europe, resulting in Hermes winning new business. The team has also developed an excellent relationship with HMRC, enabling it to discuss issues that might potentially affect the service and continually feedback any blockers not only to Hermes, but to its customers as well.

The judges said: “This was a very strong submission and evidence of teamwork that showed the role everyone played.”

Stagefreight

2020 started out as events haulier Stagefreight’s strongest to date, with a string of new high-profile contracts and 22% year-on-year growth. But Covid-19 hit and the entire entertainment sector ground to a halt, leaving Stagefreight with no work.

Not to be beaten, the business immediately turned its hand to general haulage – a sector it had little experience in and no past reputation to rely on. The entire company, from office staff to drivers, rallied together and secured work for the business, initially focusing on supermarket work.

Every employee received training to adapt to their new responsibilities and new reefers and electronic PoD systems were brought in.

By May 2020, Stagefreight broke even financially, with 95% of staff back at work, and by the end of June everybody was back at work.

Now 80% of work comes from returning haulage customers.

The judges said: “An excellent example of turning a negative into a positive. This was a really strong entry.”

Wincanton

In 2019, Wincanton secured a three-year contract with Roper Rhodes to introduce a dedicated UK-wide home delivery service designed to boost customer satisfaction. Using a synergy of cultures, plus the latest logistics technologies, the Wincanton/Roper Rhodes team achieved 99% on-time, in-full deliveries; a 47% reduction in damage to goods during transport; and a 9.1% cost of resource reduction.

The challenge was to support growth, ensure a high-quality service and manage the effect of Covid-19 on operations. This was achieved through an outstanding team performance built around a family feel, exemplary leadership and seamless integration.

The judges said: “This was a strong submission, which showed clearly defined KPIs and good results. Traditional work, done very well.”

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Technical Excellence Award Sponsored by Renault Trucks

The submission looked to highlight all the benefits that Renault’s ZE range offers to customers but it is also an insight into the future of sustainable transport and a direct response to those customers leading the shift to zero carbon.

The range covers 3.1-tonne to 26-tonne vehicles, including a low-entry cab version, and offers operators the opportunity to address the distribution needs of customers operating in an urban environment.

Renault’s customers, and their customers, are looking for proven, mainstream ways to address the sustainable transport challenge. The company believes the ZE range is the first comprehensive, viable and future-proofed solution available.

Main customer benefits include a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions in the UK, zero tailpipe emissions and a quieter and smoother drive.

Vehicles can be fully charged overnight in standard charge mode or in less than two hours in fast charge mode.

The vehicle also requires less maintenance and the energy guarantee allows operators to extend operation up to 10 years within the service contract period.

The judges said: “What I like is that they have already built some and got them in operation in the UK.”

Veolia

The City of London Corporation, Veolia, Riverside Truck Rental and Electra commercial vehicles have set up a partnership to combat air pollution in the Square Mile.

This partnership will result in the City of London Corporation becoming the first UK governing body to run an entire fleet of electric refuse collection vehicles. The decision to acquire Electras on Dennis Eagle glider chassis body combinations will immensely benefit air quality in the City of London while protecting its inhabitants and visitors from the harmful effects of pollution.

The new trucks have been equipped with a Dennis OL10 narrow body and Beta 2 bin lift.

The order consists of four 4x2 axle configurations (18 tonnes) and one 6x2 version (27 tonnes). Veolia will deploy the large truck

54 MotorTransport

in the Smithfield area, where the City of London Corporation first tested the Electra.

The judges said: “This is a good working partnership with vehicle suppliers and vehicle manufacturers to combat the effects of air pollution in the city.”

Volta

In September 2020, Volta Trucks, the electric vehicle manufacturer, launched the new Volta Zero – the world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle specifically for inner-city logistics and freight distribution.

The Volta Zero is designed to improve safety for vulnerable road users, and to be a significant contributor to the vision of zero-emission cities all over the world, understanding how large commercial vehicles operate in, and integrate with, city infrastructures of the future.

By 2025, Volta Trucks aims to have saved about 180,000 tonnes of tailpipe CO2 from the atmosphere. Volta Zero will also be the first road vehicle to use a sustainably sourced natural flax material and biodegradable resin composite in the construction of exterior body panels.

The judges said: “It was like they took a piece of paper and successfully redesigned the vehicle from scratch. This isn’t just about operation of the vehicles, but how you operate them and who’s driving them. It’s an interesting approach. I look forward to them broadening the range.”

Chereau

Chereau says it has developed the refrigerated trailer of the future through its innovative Road project. The new Chereau Hydrogen Power H2 product range consists of a hydrogen-electric unit which replaces the diesel cooling unit.

The body insulation outperforms the traditional foam reefer boxes by using vacuum-insulated panels. This means the energy needed for cooling is reduced by 25%. In addition, the lightweight chassis and aero kit offers up to 7% fuel savings for the tractor. Multiplexed architecture offers new safety features and a user-friendly feel.

The judges said: “An interesting project that might deliver good results. It mixed all the good things about trailer design into one project.”

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Training Award Sponsored by Wren Kitchens

Wren Kitchens insists that training and personal development underpin its success. The retailer’s transport and logistics team now exceeds 770 and its recruitment policy has always been about identifying enthusiastic, adaptable individuals with good moral values rather than aptitude.

In a year when safety, compliance and continuity took centre stage, Wren assessed, employed and trained an unprecedented 123 new drivers in four months to manage a spike in orders. It also continued to deliver training and coaching that resulted in efficiencies, increased performance, improved safety and supported individuals in their personal development.

The company has 15 RHA trained assessor/training managers working out of dedicated training academy facilities at six sites. In the past 18 months it has introduced initiatives that delivered significant safety, commercial and personal benefits. These have included projects focused on fuel-efficient driving, new driver infringements and even in-house firefighting.

With orders at an all-time high in 2020, never before has Wren had to rely on so many new drivers. The company kept to its policy of employing its own to ensure that standards were maintained.

The judges said: “Wren was the only one to mention recognition. They were very people-orientated and the entry also showed how they had measured the benefits of the programme with supporting statistics.

Training defines them and it has enabled them to respond positively through the pandemic.”

Greenergy Flexigrid

Greenergy Flexigrid operates in partnership with drivers, who own 25% of the business through an employee benefit trust. With an ongoing commitment to continual improvement, in 2020 it restructured its training programme and introduced a formal ‘Show me don’t tell me’ approach.

This is supported by a dedicated full-time professional training team and an online training platform that provides tailored and relevant training content featuring its own people, equipment and locations.

Since the programme’s introduction, it has seen an improvement in operating performance as well as an overall improvement in the confidence, quality and professionalism of its driver workforce.

The judges said: “The drivers are now reaching for help and are more confident with how they

56 MotorTransport

communicate and report incidents; that’s really significant. They also acknowledged that there’s too much choice in training and identified the three courses they believe are most relevant. That’s a clever way of getting engagement.”

Tesco

Tesco needed to be agile, resilient and pragmatic in converting its processes into ones that met Covid-19 guidelines and still gave quality training to its drivers.

During the pandemic to date, it has recruited an additional 330 C+E drivers and 800 agency drivers. After a full review, it developed induction videos which included all the main safety aspects that would ordinarily be done face to face and in the cab. These included training on vehicle checks, trailer uncoupling, mirror check areas and store delivery and unloading.

Each year, Tesco also delivers periodic Driver CPC to its 3,000 drivers.

However, last year it had to develop a CPC module that could be delivered remotely to ensure it didn’t fall behind with driver training.

The judges said: “Tesco has developed new areas of performance monitoring which is also really innovative.

It responded to the pandemic very quickly with all the virtual training.”

Aggregate Industries

Aggregate Industries has introduced a more robust, standardised, test-based training approach that will not just inform drivers of health and safety considerations, but will also encourage them to think about each individual situation and develop an overarching culture of safety-consciousness within its hauliers.

This has never been more important than throughout the pandemic, it says, where a lack of face time with its hauliers has meant it needs to be more thorough in its monitoring of training.

First, the company developed its online e-learning platform – Time Out to Talk Safety (eToTS) – which complements any existing training without the need for special software or equipment. It also developed a searchable database, which allows hauliers to check the status of each driver’s e-learning.

Second, it introduced a new driver approval process – Driver Foundation Approval Programme (DFAP) – to ensure that all new delivery drivers are aware of a set of key safety requirements.

The judges said: “The e-learning platform was really good and the work they have done on the virtual side was really impressive.”

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MT Awards 2021 shortlists Urban Delivery Operator of the Year Sponsored by Hovis

To mitigate the environmental impact of deliveries in urban areas, Hovis developed a Convenience route to market for its urban and inner city customers, which was separate to its daily delivery network. A key part of this strategy was the creation of a smaller 7.2-tonne delivery vehicle, with a competitive 3-tonne payload and improved access for drivers to make kerbside deliveries easier and safer.

Based on an Iveco Daily chassis, the vehicle is fitted with a specialist body that includes a side loading door to remove the need for a no-sit tail-lift at the rear. The smaller vehicle makes access to narrow streets and shop rears easier, while it is not perceived as a large truck by the public. It also has enhanced nearside visibility to boost the safety of vulnerable road users. Like all vehicles on the Hovis fleet, the urban delivery truck runs on HVO, which has slashed CO2 emissions by approximately 92% compared with diesel.

There are 50 Convenience vehicles in operation, with Hovis planning to expand this by another 15 this year. In addition to the new urban vehicle, Hovis has also implemented changes to delivery schedules in collaboration with its customers to remove approximately 253,000 road miles a year.

The judges said: “Impressive innovation shown. Very strong submission with full emphasis on improving fleet impact on key urban issues such as emissions, noise, congestion and safety.”

Zedify

Zedify is on a mission to transform urban logistics and create healthier, more liveable cities of the future. It operates a light electric fleet of more than 90 cargo trikes, bikes and quads, which it says saves 98% CO2 per km compared with diesel vans.

It also has an expanding network of 10 hyperlocal micro hubs in cities across the UK, providing an alternative for businesses that want to contribute to cleaner air and tackle the climate crisis. The hubs act as a gateway and consolidation centre for small items coming in to and out of the central urban area. Zedify’s collections and deliveries are focused

58 MotorTransport

within a compact city-centre radius, usually three miles, enabling the operation to use specialist vehicles optimised for the urban environment.

This approach means the business can offer chosen delivery windows to customers. By consolidating deliveries into a central hub, efficiency of the last mile is greatly enhanced, with both collection and delivery rounds combined to reduce wasted stem mileage.

The company has developed a real-time technology platform to optimise its routes and enable key sustainability reporting for customers, such as emissions saved per journey. Zedify pays the National Living Wage to all its drivers.

The judges said: “The MPS score was one of highest judges had ever seen; punching well above its weight for a smaller operator and a great customer experience demonstrated.”

DPD UK

DPD continues to transform its urban operation with more micro depots and the wider deployment of its all-electric fleet – 10% of the fleet now operates emission-free. DPD’s 25-25-25 strategy to decarbonise all deliveries in 25 UK cities by 2025 is under way with diesel vehicles taken off the UK’s streets and unproductive mileage slashed to create a more efficient operation. This will lead to 42,000 tonnes of CO2 savings or the equivalent of planting 170,000 trees by the end of 2025.

DPD will also invest £111m in boosting its all-electric fleet to 3,500 vehicles in just four years’ time. Through a pioneering approach, DPD has sourced all-electric vehicles from China and Norway, developed an innovative eCargo bike and has started taking delivery of 750 Maxus eDeliver vans, ensuring it continues to deliver clean and green in the urban environment. To support its electric vehicles, the business has also invested in depot charging infrastructure and helping its drivers install at-home chargers (supported by the government’s OLEV grant scheme).

In 2020, DPD launched Project Breathe, the first mobile air quality monitoring project of its type. It fitted more than 100 laser sensors to its all-electric fleet in London and 20 of its Pickup shops to measure air pollution at street level every 12 seconds.

The judges said: “DPD is already a long way ahead on its sustainability journey; very impressive commitment to decarbonisation.”

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