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Month: September 2023

1st Robotics Trailer Loading Technology

Posted on by David Priestman

Dexterity AI has announced a collaboration with FedEx Corp. to leverage AI-powered robotic technology to load boxes into trucks and trailers.

Truck loading has long been considered one of the most challenging tasks in parcel hubs. Manual loading is taxing and previous technology approaches have not been able to handle the complex decision making required to stack the wide range of shipments encountered in FedEx network, which vary in size, shape, weight, and packaging material.

Dexterity AI focuses on the complexity of truck loading by giving mobile robots a suite of intelligence ranging from the ability to see, touch, think, and move quickly to pack trailers with stable, dense walls of randomized boxes.

“Our culture of innovation is driven by a desire to help our team members and customers succeed,” said Rebecca Yeung, corporate vice president of Operations Science and Advanced Technologies for FedEx. “Based on feedback from our operations team, we have been looking for a solution that helps alleviate the challenges of truck loading. Collaborating with Dexterity AI to combine the latest in AI and robotics supports our operations team while meeting growing customer demand.”

Introducing Next-Generation AI for Intelligent Truck Loading Robots

Dexterity AI’s proprietary mobile robot design, DexR, navigates autonomously to the back of trailers and connects to a powered conveyor system that feeds the robot boxes directly from the sortation system. The DexR’s unique two arm design enables the robot to pick and pack boxes simultaneously, improving throughput.

Dexterity’s AI platform uses a broad set of intelligence, so it can be used to handle the complexities of truck loading required by operations.

Some unique characteristics of the platform include:
● Generative Wall Planning: With every new box presented to the DexR, Dexterity’s AI software takes 500 milliseconds or less to assess billions of wall build possibilities to pack trailers with tight, stable walls.
● A Sense of Touch: Dexterity AI-powered force control gives robots a unique sense of touch so they know how to gently nudge boxes together in creating tightly packed walls.
● Machine Learning-Based Pack Improvement: Machine learning helps ensure that with every box picked, the Dexterity AI truck loading software becomes even more efficient in handling a broader range of packing challenges.
● Integrated Motion Planning: By integrating its own trajectory and motion planning, the Dexterity AI platform helps the DexR’s two arms move quickly inside trailers without colliding with each other or the truck walls.

Testing of the truck load technology is ongoing by FedEx with a goal to refine the technology and deploy commercially in the future.

“FedEx shares our belief that innovation should solve the most difficult tasks in operations,” said Samir Menon, founder and CEO of Dexterity AI. “Our collaboration is driven by a vision of AI-powered robotics that is adaptable to our customer’s most pressing needs.”

The official unveiling of this innovative AI-powered robotics truck loading technology took place at the companies’ joint event “Unlock the Dock” in San Francisco on September 26, 2023.

London DCs offer Flexibility, Quality, Location

Posted on by David Priestman

Prologis UK, a leading logistics property owner, developer and investor, is further expanding its portfolio with the completion of two new high-quality units, DC5 and DC6, at Prologis Park West London, which are ready to let. Situated at a prime logistics location, both properties benefit from excellent transport links into West and Central London.

Demand for high-quality, sustainable logistics space is growing and to meet customers’ needs, Prologis UK is investing in speculative development to provide the right space in the right locations. The new units at Prologis Park West London also benefit from best-in-class sustainability features as standard and short-term, flexible lease options.

Comprising 194,433 sq. ft., and 143,053 sq. ft. respectively, DC5 and DC6 have been designed with optimal energy efficiency in mind. Both exceed net zero carbon targets in construction, with an EPC A+ rating and BREEAM Excellent. In addition, both units have a ready-to-use rooftop array of solar panels, with a generating capacity of 227kWp (DC5) and 198kWp (DC6). They also benefit from energy efficient VRF heating and cooling systems.

To ensure the move-in process is as smooth as possible, Prologis Essentials offers a range of specialist services to help customers to fit out the new space and tailor the unit according to their needs.

As well as having strong access links, both units overlook the Grand Union Canal, opposite Stockley Park, providing external recreational opportunities and local amenities for employees and the local community.

Prologis Park West London benefits from direct access to the major consumer markets of West and Central London, Heathrow Airport and Thames Valley. Close to the M4, M25 and M40, DC5 offers 30 HGV spaces, and DC6 offers 18 HGV spaces. Both units have electric cycle charging infrastructure in situ offering emission-free transportation for employees and visitors, as well as ready-to-use ducting for EV fleets.

Jason Pickering, Director, Capital Deployment & Leasing at Prologis UK, said: “These high-quality, sustainable units and their unique package of features and services, demonstrate our commitment to exceeding our customers’ expectations. What we are offering here is excellence in three key areas – flexibility, quality and location.

“Prologis Park West London boasts best-in-class sustainability features, delivering a high-quality, sustainable specification as standard. In addition to this it is a great accomplishment to have built both units Beyond Net Zero Carbon Construction, positively contributing to our customers’ net zero journeys.”

Digitalization Efforts you can count on

Posted on by David Priestman

According to a recent report by MHI and Deloitte (1), 74% of leaders asked were looking to invest in supply chain technology and innovation. But how certain can you be about payback times, and how much disturbance will implementing these projects cause? Are there technologies that are easy to implement yet give instant ROI?

The report found that many companies were investing money in several areas of their supply chain operations, specifically warehouse and network optimization, sensors and automatic identification, robotics, and artificial intelligence. The desired outcomes are obvious; reduce costs, increase operational efficiency, improve customer experience, and as a result, reduce climate impact on receiving and delivering goods.
Digital transformation – what’s the problem?

One presumes that logistics managers see digital transformation as moving from analogue to the digital world to become more dynamic and adaptable to a fast-changing environment. But projects put logistics managers under pressure. The worst-case scenario is spending millions while not reducing expenses, gaining the expected efficiencies or reaching required revenue goals. For example, problems may be related to barriers against sharing data, the complexity of underlying processes and systems, conflicting interests or resistance to change.

Donald Houben, Head of Sales Europe at SiB Solutions, puts it like this, “Innovation projects add extra strain on workload for logistics managers especially when operations suffer from processes that are inadequate, or where change management is not properly in place. But there are digitalization projects that can quickly and easily harvest low-hanging fruit.”

His colleague Paul Bowes (pictured) , Technical Project Manager at SiB Solutions, agrees: “Lack of visual insights and visual proof hinder continuous improvements as the wanted KPIs and statistical measurements are difficult to quantify. Companies see this by using Intelligent Video and AI Services. In one instance these insights showed that up to 40% of assumed picking errors were not actually picking errors(2)”.

So how do you go about digitalization, and what do you want to achieve? One answer is to implement subscription services that can be ready in just a few weeks after commissioning. An example is Intelligent Video and AI Services that make it easy to visually search for goods and immediately see the answer to where they are and their condition in any situation.

The benefits of subscription-based Intelligent Video and AI Services

Subscription-based services help eliminate up-front costs, offer instant updates for upgrades, are often modular, enabling organizations to take what they need and add on later, and give companies complete financial control as fees are set.

When companies implement intelligent Video and AI Services, logistics professionals can quickly go back in time and see every event, from inbound, throughout the picking and packing process, to dispatch. Visual insights help to quickly resolve disputes by verifying claims and giving proof of exactly what was received, picked, packed and dispatched. The positive financial implications are obvious. So too are the positive effects on personnel.

Intelligent Video and AI Services are key to improved quality, less errors, happier customers, and ultimately higher margins. It protects companies from fraud related to inbound logistics and returns. In other words, a transformation project you can count on. Literally.
(1) The responsible supply chain: Transparency, Sustainability and the case for business. MHI and Deloitte.
(2)SiB Solutions: https://www.sibsolutions.com/save-money-by-getting-rid-of-pointless-claims-investigations/

SSI Schaefer Publishes Sustainability Report

Posted on by David Priestman

SSI Schaefer Group, a leading global solution provider for all areas of intralogistics, today published its second sustainability report. The report documents the company’s progress in 2022 towards a more sustainable future. Activities focused on implementing measures that were defined in the sustainability strategy developed back in 2021. The sustainability strategy takes equal account of ecological, social and economic aspects.

Despite major challenges such as the effects of the Ukraine war, the SSI Schaefer Group was able to achieve important sustainability goals last year. In addition to the development of a group-wide strategy for sustainability management, a strategic environmental, health and safety management (EHS) was introduced, among other things. Furthermore, the calculation of the carbon footprint for the 18 largest entities of the SSI Schaefer Group was carried out for Scopes 1, 2 and partly 3. Based on this analysis, a climate strategy with measurable reduction goals for the coming years was derived.

“In 2022, we continued to focus on how we, as a globally active company, can make a positive contribution in terms of sustainability,” says Steffen Bersch, CEO of the SSI Schaefer Group. “The second sustainability report underlines our ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future. It is another milestone in our efforts to live up to our responsibility towards the environment and society – and we are proud to have made such progress despite the challenges of the past year.” In 2023, the company plans to continue its efforts and take further innovative measures to achieve its sustainability goals along the entire value chain.

Download the full 2022 Sustainability Report here.

The SSI Schaefer Group is a leading global solution provider for all areas of intralogistics. With innovative technologies and software, the company empowers customers to increase the efficiency and sustainability of their storage, picking, and transport processes. SSI Schaefer offers small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as large companies, cost-effective material handling solutions with industry expertise from a single source. From fully automated warehouses with tailored service and maintenance packages, to robotics and automated guided vehicles, to manual and semi-automatic systems such as workstations, racks, and containers, the company offers a complete solution. SSI Schaefer has also become one of the largest vendors of software for internal material flow. Its comprehensive software portfolio handles everything from warehouse management to material flow control. With state-of-the-art real-time analysis, intelligent data processing and optimization algorithms, it offers every possible option for integrated, sustainable resource management.

SSI Schaefer employs around 10,000 people at its international headquarters in Neunkirchen (Germany) and globally in more than 70 operating companies and seven production facilities on six continents.

Movu Robotics Opens HQ and Experience Centre

Posted on by David Priestman

Movu Robotics, supplier for designing, developing, and implementing innovative and easier warehouse automation solutions, announces the opening of its new headquarters located in Lokeren, in the East Flanders province of Belgium.

Under a single roof, the facility houses engineering, R&D and production departments. It also features a state of the art of Experience Centre – one of the biggest in Europe where Movu Robotics’ latest technologies can be demonstrated live in operation to customers and partners. Logistics Business was given a tour on Monday.

As an independent business unit within the stow Group with different requirements to the stow Racking brand, Movu Robotics requires its own premises to produce its growing range of increasingly popular shuttles and robots. Movu’s new headquarters provides the room to support the continued and future significant growth in the robotics and automation business unit.

Lokeren is an ideal location: not too far from stow Group’s headquarters and conveniently situated between Ghent and Antwerp, which gives good access to a pool of skills required by the business, which is important given the number of people Movu will continue to hire going forward. The building itself combines a rare set of characteristics: it has large office area, covering approximately 5000 square metres, combined with a 10,000 square metre surface for logistics and manufacturing operations.

In addition, the building has an area of approximately 2500 square metres where it has a high ceiling, which provides the ideal space for the Experience Centre. which provides the ideal space for the Experience Centre. At 100m long, 25 metres wide and 20m high the Experience Centre is bigger than many actual warehouses, providing the ideal venue for Movu Robotics to present its product portfolio technologies: Movu atlas pallet shuttles, Movu escala bin shuttles, Movu ifollow AMRs and the new picking arm robot Movu eligo are all showcased in action, in a real life warehouse setting.

Visitors to the Experience Centre can see a 20m high Movu atlas pallet shuttle rack with lifts, has shuttles transporting pallets operating inside. There are Movu ifollow AMRs picking up pallets from
the racks and transporting them to different locations. AMRs can also be seen supporting picking from racking. There is a huge Movu escala bin shuttle warehouse containing 1000 bins with shuttles
operating inside. The Movu escala also demonstrates the Movu eligo picking robot application as well as conventional pick stations. A special attention is also devoted to the Movu software. Visitors can get deep insights into the self developed Movu Warehouse Execution System that is formed by three pillars: Movu ops for managing all operations, Movu tower for checking the available resources and selecting the most suitable shuttle or AMR and Movu pilot that ensures the execution of the order at the level of the individual shuttle or AMRs.

The Experience Centre has integrated everything possible into the demonstration rack, including a tunnel under the rack, a stairway around the vertical lift, a mezzanine with a picking area. There are also many software screens around the centre demonstrating the controlling software and how visibility of what is going on in a warehouse can be provided from a distance.

The expansive footprint of the Experience Centre provides room for three versions of every Movu Robotics system in its product portfolio o ne providing a permanent demonstration set up to be
available anytime ; a second set up for R&D purposes, which allows Movu to test new generations of products, or to test customer products for specific set ups; a third installation is for testing all products after assembly, before shipping to the end customer site.

In addition to customer visits there will be industry groups visits and workshops in the Experience Centre, which will act as a live and dynamic demonstration of what is possible now and, through
examining trends and market direction, how the needs of tomorrow can be answered.

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, commented: “The new Movu Robotics headquarters in Lokeren is a centre of excellence, bringing together sales, R&D, manufacturing and one of Europe’s largest materials handling Experience Centres to provide a concentration of knowledge and expertise around robotics and automation. Creating a close connection between research, production and customer visits to the Experience Centre enhances Movu’s interaction with customers and provides the company with rapid market feedback to fuel our continued innovation and growth path.”

Italian Alliance for Intralogistics Automation

Posted on by David Priestman

A division of Ambrosi S.r.l., ONO Lean Logistics has partnered with the METALSISTEM Group. ONO Logistics was established to design and develop Scalable Automated Warehouse Systems. These solutions mesh perfectly with METALSISTEM’s wide range of pallet racking, shelving and shopfitting systems as well as its automation and material handling solutions. The capital investment of the METALSISTEM Group into Ambrosi S.r.l. will form an alliance that will further expand the scope of the METALSISTEM product range into the field of intralogistics.

Advancements in process automation has brought about an unprecedented evolution in the way industry approaches the management of goods: the union of ONO Lean Logistics and METALSISTEM provides a response to this trend by advancing the market penetration on both companies within the field of intralogistics. ONO Lean Logistics, founded in 2016, has been steadily growing by strengthening its hardware and software presence with installations successfully completed for top tier companies in various sectors. The ONO Scalable Automated Warehouse System has effectively pioneered a new market segment by providing an intelligent and efficient solution applicable within both logistical and production settings.

With its main production facilities and Headquarters based in Rovereto (TN) – Italy, the METALSISTEM Group is made up of a diverse network of companies of which ONO Lean Logistics, through Ambrosi Srl, are proud to be a part of. The unmatched production capacity and extensive sales network place METALSISTEM among the global leaders of the Material Handling sector.

METALSISTEM has partnered with Ambrosi S.r.l. to strengthen its influence within the material handling sector by offering an innovative solution with a strong focus on the development of advanced technologies, including automated modular warehouse systems as well as dedicated software.

The collaboration between ONO Lean Logistics and METALSISTEM was officially announced in July 2023 following a long consultation period during which the convergence of visions and objectives was confirmed. “The alliance between these two companies, one a consolidated market leader, the other rapidly ascending, reflects a vision of innovation powered by young talent, ready to explore and recast an entirely new sector,” says Thomas AMBROSI, CEO of Ambrosi S.r.l. “With ONO Lean Logistics, we have created a new market segment for production processes and intralogistics. This collaboration will undoubtably open new doors and METALSISTEM’s technological contribution will further enhance the approach to our product in every aspect by leveraging the synergies that exist between our respective research and development departments”.

Mirco BRIOSI, General Manager of METALSISTEM S.p.A., added: “The union of these companies creates an opportunity to expand automated projects, with a foothold in modular systems for intralogistics and moving, with enthusiasm, towards future developments in integrated automation. Furthermore, we cannot underestimate the contribution of software towards this objective, as this is a key entry point into the global market. When faced with a challenge, in the material handling sector, there are always multiple solutions capable of providing an adequate response, although none of them may be optimal, all may be improved upon. Through our combined strengths, METALSISTEM sees an opportunity to offer the market a highly innovative product which is unparalleled in this
sector. It will integrate by leveraging diverse solutions within the same system thus bringing together the strengths of multiple technologies. In addition, the flexible and modular nature of the ONO Lean Logistics products have proven to be perfectly compatible with the METALSISTEM philosophy that has been applied to its product for over 50 years and which, like a ‘Lego set’, is encapsulated in its slogan ‘Customised Modularity’.”

The alliance between ONO Lean Logistics and METALSISTEM promises to bring simplification, efficiency, and continuous innovation to the intralogistics sector with a particular focus on sustainability. This partnership will significantly contribute to the growth and development of advanced solutions for this evolving market.

Award Winners to Headline Manifest Vegas

Posted on by David Priestman

The Manifest Vegas 2024 team is excited to share a sneak peek of what attendees can expect to see and hear on the Plenary Stage on both February 6th and 7th.

A collection of distinguished C-Level executives, recent winners of Alcott Global’s Leaders of Supply Chain Awards 2023 and Gartner’s #1 Top Global Supply Chain company will take the stage at the February event. This group includes:

Amiee Bayer-Thomas, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Ulta Beauty
Harald Emberger, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Beiersdorf
Kenneth Engel, SVP, Global Supply Chain, North America of Schneider Electric
Sally Miller, Chief Information Officer of DHL Supply Chain
Sami Naffakh, Chief Supply Officer of Reckitt
Elliott Rodgers, COO of Foot Locker

These prominent industry leaders will delve into vital topics, ranging from supply chain orchestration and the incorporation of cutting-edge technology, as well as fostering strategic partnerships and expediting the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within supply chain organizations.

“We are thrilled to return as headline sponsors for the Manifest 2024 conference,” said Sally Miller, Chief Information Officer, DHL Supply Chain. “Building on the 2023 conference, we are excited to continue to share our insights on how innovation can play a critical role in helping businesses to improve their efficiency, agility, and visibility, which can lead to better customer experiences and increased profitability.”

“I’m very excited to join such a prestigious group of leaders on the Plenary stage at Manifest Vegas,” said Amiee Bayer-Thomas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Ulta Beauty. “To be among fellow passionate individuals helping shape the future of supply chain is an honour and I look forward to shining a light on the various ways our dynamic industry is evolving.”

A full list of Manifest Vegas speakers can be viewed on the website where more information for all-access passes can also be found. Tickets are currently available at a discount until the end of October!

Manifest is the largest and only event for Industry Leaders, Innovators and Investors attracting Start-ups, 3PLs, Forwarders, Retailers, CPGs, Distributors, Manufacturers, Ports and Rails to uncover the newest technologies, innovations and partnerships that are transforming the way goods move globally. Our next event is scheduled for February 5 – 7, 2024, at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas.

Manifest is powered by Connectiv, the premiere events studio that produces Blueprint and Medicarians.

Constant Climate Cargo in Cincinnati

Posted on by Keith McKinley

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG), is today announcing Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky International Airport as its latest station in the United States to be approved to transport time and temperature-sensitive healthcare products. Bringing the total number of approved Constant Climate stations in the United States to 21.

This newly established station will facilitate the movement of pharmaceuticals that require precise time and temperature management between Cincinnati and London Heathrow. It will leverage IAG Cargo’s extensive network which links six continents to transport critical cargo such as vaccines, medicinal drugs and clinical trial medication around the world. This service will be of special interest to pharmaceutical customers located in Ireland and India whose life-saving medicines frequently transit through London-Heathrow to the United States.

Jordan Kohlbeck, Head of Pharmaceutical at IAG Cargo, added: “We are very excited about the opening of a new Constant Climate station at Cincinnati airport. The opening of Cincinnati will allow us to support more customers globally and provide another route by which they can utilise our cold chain solution to transport their key pharmaceuticals. We look forward to working with our partners and customers to increase our pharmaceutical offerings with this new addition.”

IAG Cargo’s Constant Climate product is a state-of-the-art cold chain solution that caters specifically to the transportation of pharmaceuticals, such as vaccines, biotech products, diagnostics samples, or any other temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical material. During the first half of 2023, Constant Climate, IAG Cargo’s cold chain product for transporting pharmaceutical products, experienced a 45 per cent increase in the volume of pharmaceuticals transported across its network compared to the previous year.

IAG Cargo’s new 10,000m2 facility New Premia at London Heathrow, launched in May 2023, features a cutting-edge Constant Climate Quality Centre (CCQC) for pharmaceuticals, with 27 dedicated cool cells and temperature facilities available from +2°C to +8°C (COL), +15°C to +25°C (CRT) and -20°C (FRO) ensuring sensitive shipments are held in a temperature-controlled environment at all times.

Report Demonstrates Commitment to Climate Protection

Posted on by David Priestman

With its Sustainability Report 2022 now available, Dematic provides the latest data on its comprehensive commitment to climate protection. According to the report, Dematic has emitted 24 percent less greenhouse gases (GHG) compared to 2020. The company’s water consumption fell by 37 percent globally over the period, and total waste dropped by 7 percent. By the end of the year, 81 percent of all Dematic sites also had an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system (EMS). To this end, numerous European sites were awarded the EcoVadis Platinum seal.

“Sustainability is not just a vision, but a commitment that we actively live by. By publishing our sustainability report, we are sending a strong signal for transparency and responsibility. Our goal is for all sites to have ISO 14001 certifications by 2024,” says Bernard Biolchini, the executive vice president, EMEA, at Dematic.

Strong evidence of Dematic’s progress in terms of sustainability is the award of the EcoVadis seal to numerous European locations. “Many of our operations, such as the DACH market, the UK, Spain, Italy, and Czech Republic all received a platinum rating, which is the highest distinction from EcoVadis, placing them among the top one percent of companies in terms of sustainability,” notes Biolchini.

Additionally, Dematic has set several sustainability targets related to its supply chain, helping to ensure that over 45 percent of its most strategic suppliers also received the EcoVadis seal or equivalent certification last year. By year end 2023, all high-risk suppliers will be required to submit their sustainability data to EcoVadis or comparable sustainability evaluating organizations and by 2025, this will then apply to all of the company’s direct suppliers.

In 2022, Dematic also achieved notable improvements in other areas of environmental protection. Though business activity has been dynamic since the pandemic subsided, the company has managed to reduce the overall volume of its Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, cutting them by 24 percent compared with 2020. Fittingly, the intralogistics specialist is also one of the nominees for the inaugural German Sustainability Award. The prestigious award recognizes exemplary sustainability performance in business, communities and research. “A renewed recognition of our commitment to a sustainable future,” beams Biolchini.

The intensified measures to reduce the volume of waste are also having an effect: the total volume of waste fell by 7 percent to 3,727 metric tons last year. “This success can be attributed to new processes at our production sites, as this is where the greatest potential for improvement lies,” explains Biolchini. To leverage them, Dematic regularly analyses and evaluates methods used and looks for innovative solutions to reduce waste and scrap – from traditional recycling to material recovery.

“Efficiency has always been one of the reasons for Dematic‘s success. Our customers expect us to make their processes more efficient. We place this very same demand equally on our own processes. That’s why we also continuously review our processes and identify where and how we can most effectively mitigate the impact of our operations on the environment,” says Biolchini. With this in mind, in 2019 Dematic began implementing an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system (EMS) across all of its international sites. Certified by an independent body according to strict ISO criteria, the EMS ensures continuous, systematic improvement in environmental performance. As of December 2022, the rate of suitably certified sites stands at 81 percent. The declared goal is to reach the 100- percent mark by 2024.

The subject of the sustainability report is the business activities, performance and key figures for fiscal year 2022 or January 1 to December 31, 2022.

Biomethane used in Irish Truck Network

Posted on by David Priestman

DHL Supply Chain has today announced plans to begin operating biomethane fuelled trucks with an investment worth €80 million into a dedicated biomethane production facility in Cork, run by Stream BioEnergy. Biomethane is a renewable gas with the capacity to be carbon neutral. The new facility will provide fuel for up to 150 trucks, resulting in an annual carbon reduction of 15,000 tonnes, the equivalent of more than 38 million miles driven by an average petrol-powered passenger vehicle.

As part of a shared commitment to decarbonising Ireland’s transport network, DHL has joined forces with leading grocery retailer, Tesco Ireland. To support the initial vehicle roll-out and whilst production ramps up, DHL will subsidise the biomethane from other sources. Once the new facility is fully functioning, DHL will operate 92 locally fuelled biomethane trucks across Tesco’s country-wide network.

DHL is fundamentally decarbonising a significant proportion of the retail transport sector in Ireland, and they intend to continue to roll this out to all the other sectors in which they operate; consumer, technology, aviation, life sciences and healthcare. Given the scale of the rollout, this will be a game changer for the transportation industry in Ireland.

The biomethane production site at Little Island, Cork, owned and operated by Stream BioEnergy, will process 90,000 tonnes of industry and consumer food waste per annum which could otherwise have been sent to landfill. The deployment of biomethane at scale requires no infrastructural upgrades to Ireland’s existing gas grid and given its capacity to be carbon neutral, biomethane is a flexible, cost-effective way to decarbonise commercial road transport.

The project reflects DHL’s commitment to delivering sustainable logistics solutions and the company’s global GoGreen agenda. The deployment of biomethane trucks, as well as investment in domestic biomethane energy production will play an important part in helping the company achieve its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain, Ireland, Ciaran Foley said: “We are extremely proud to be enhancing renewable energy production here in Ireland and our collaboration with Tesco marks a significant step in our shared journey towards achieving net-zero emissions. Our customers’ transport networks are a vital focus area when looking at how they can achieve their overall sustainability goals so by making alternative fuels a reality we can really prove our value as a strategic partner.”

Tesco Ireland’s Retail and Distribution Director Ian Logan said: “We have one of the most sophisticated distribution networks in the country, and improving its efficiency and environmental impact will play an important role in our journey to net zero. Our current HGV transport fleet makes over 2,000 trips weekly, serving our growing network of 166 stores nationwide, so moving to a cleaner fuel in our value chain will play a vital role in achieving this.

“DHL’s credentials in leveraging renewable transport solutions are complimented by our own strong commitment to embracing sustainable practices and driving down our emissions. We are both committed to promoting collective environmental objectives; and to advance our ambition to achieve net zero in our value chain by 2050, and indeed in our own operations by 2035.”

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