Sustainable fleet management at REICHHART Logistics

Gilching near Munich – As a modern logistics service provider, REICHHART Logistik focuses on sustainable fleet management. The ecological refurbishment of inventory on site as well as the testing of sustainable drive solutions are central components of this approach. For example, the logistics specialist is planning the sustainable refresh of its swap body fleet at the Sulzbach-Rosenberg site and has also been testing the use of LNG trucks since autumn 2021.  REICHHART shares its insights and experiences with other companies by regularly exchanging knowledge in the ECOPROFIT network.

Extending the product life cycle in the sense of green logistics

The refurbishment of inventory is usually a much more ecological measure than a new procurement. For this reason, REICHHART has decided to refresh the swap body fleet of its largest contract and transport logistics customer. This involves cleaning exposed surfaces, removing corrosion and, if necessary, fitting repair panels. To ensure that the swap bodies withstand corrosion more effectively in the future, corrosion protection is also applied before the bodies are primed and painted. The result: flawlessly repaired swap bodies in a new REICHHART design.

For Transport Logistics Division Manager Maike Wolf, the decision in favour of a refresh is a logical one: "By refurbishing the swap bodies, we are not only improving our ecological footprint, but also our economic efficiency. A win-win situation for the customer and for us." Refreshing can save up to 3.75 tonnes of CO2 per swap body compared to buying a new one. With 40 planned swap bodies, the total saving is approximately 150 tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to two complete tanker trucks full of petrol.

Turning old into new: The swap bodies can be repaired in an environmentally friendly way thanks to the professional refresh.

 

Alternative drive options for more sustainability in fleet operations

In addition, REICHHART Logistik is continuously testing new or more sustainable technologies in the field of transport logistics. "We want to offer our customers a broad selection of transport solutions and create joint development approaches. This includes, among other things, exploiting the variety of new drive options and integrating them in a meaningful way into the supply chain," explains Georg Berberich, who, as Head of Fleet Technology, also promotes innovative approaches in transport logistics at REICHHART.

Natural gas plays an important role in this, even if it is not currently an economic option due to the increased demand. Nevertheless, it is an important component of the German state and federal fuel strategy and is being promoted as a fuel within the EU. For this reason, REICHHART has been testing two trucks with LNG-powered tractors at its logistics site in Sulzbach-Rosenberg together with the client since October 2021. "Although this initially means a higher investment for us, it will pay off in retrospect. When bio-LNG is available to the market in sufficient quantities and natural gas prices fall again, we want to be all set and ready to make a contribution against global warming," explains Georg Berberich.

LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is a non-toxic and odourless liquid. Compared to diesel engines, LNG trucks can currently save up to 15 percent CO2. However, if we switch to bio natural gas, the savings potential is enormously higher, reaching up to 90 percent.

Already in use in Sulzbach-Rosenberg: New LNG trucks complement the vehicle fleet and contribute to sustainable fleet management at REICHHART.

 

ECOPROFIT – Cross-company network for environmental and climate protection

In addition to concrete measures implemented together with customers, REICHHART has been participating in the ECOPROFIT network for several years. By forming a local network, all participating players benefit from overarching knowledge and exchange. Companies, authorities and experts join forces and discuss the meaningful reduction of energy and resource consumption as well as the reduction of operating costs and involvement of the workforce. Participation aims to efficiently and cost-effectively drive forward the improvement of corporate environmental and climate protection.

This year again, REICHHART successfully completed the 2021 certification of the ECOPROFIT Club of the districts of Starnberg, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen and Weilheim-Schongau.

 

 

The entire article is available for download here: Nachhaltiges Fuhrparkmanagement_bei REICHHART.pdf

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