BIBBY DISTRIBUTION USES NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGY TO HELP FIRST MILK REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT

29 September 2015

Bibby Distribution is cutting the carbon footprint of your KitKat with a ‘future fleet’ project that will slash CO₂ emissions when carrying out collections for First Milk.

Milk collected by Bibby Distribution is supplied to customers such as Nestlé, from farms in Scotland, Cumbria and Wales. The New Generation Farm Collection Vehicle, developed by engineers at Bibby Distribution, will optimise this process, incorporating a host of technological improvements to reduce fuel usage associated with farm milk collections and to improve operating conditions for drivers.

So far, seven vehicles have been deployed on the fleet, with early evidence suggesting more than 1,700 tonnes of CO₂ will be taken out of the supply chain over the next five years if the entire fleet is converted. The new vehicles use, on average, 53 per cent less fuel during the process of milk collection on the farm than conventional assets.

To develop the New Generation Farm Collection Vehicle, the team at Bibby Distribution worked hand-in-hand with tank builders Sayers Road Tankers and Crossland Tankers to customise Scania 32-tonne 8x2 rigids to create an innovative and flexible milk collection vehicle.

The Euro VI trucks, which are part of a fleet of 50 vehicles that collect 2.5 million litres of milk daily, incorporate an improved hydraulic pump drive and a Gardner Denver Optiload engine management system which ensures the engine only runs while pumping, dramatically reducing fuel usage, and wear and tear.

Changes to the pipework layout make cleaning and maintenance easier as components can be accessed and changed as required. This has seen a reduction in the service requirements, dropping from three system services annually to just one. The cabinet area is also heated to prevent the pump freezing in cold weather, making life easier for drivers.

The new vehicles also incorporate Scania C200 on-board telematics to monitor performance. Data is analysed and used to further enhance driver performance, improve fuel efficiency, reduce vehicle downtime and impact on the environment.

First Milk Distribution Manager Robin Shipton says: “With new technology comes new opportunities to cut costs and carbon; Bibby Distribution’s enthusiasm to deliver that innovation exemplifies our relationship. They are a reliable, trustworthy partner which continues to provide bespoke solutions for us and give us the flexibility we need to successfully process highly variable collections and deliveries, which is absolutely critical to our business.”

First Milk is 100 per cent owned by British farmers, with Bibby Distribution collecting milk from their farms since 1994. The dairy company supplies the retail, foodservice and milk markets with a wide range of dairy products and ingredients both in the UK and internationally.

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Notes to editors:
As one of the top ten logistics providers in the UK, Bibby Distribution exists to enable other companies to drive value from their supply chain activities. The company specialises in providing contract logistics, warehousing, distribution, systems integration and added value services to a wide range of customers.

Bibby Distribution operates from 90 locations across the UK, employs 2,500 people and manages 2 million ft² of warehousing space.

The majority of Bibby Distribution’s business is based on long-term partnerships. Its diverse capability also means it can share best practice across the various industry sectors it operates in, from Automotive to FMCG.

The company is part of the £1.4bn-turnover Liverpool-based Bibby Line Group, a 200 year old family owned business-to-business services specialist. It is involved in ship-owning and operation, shallow water accommodation, offshore oil and gas services, contract logistics, financial services, memorial parks, employment law, health & safety advisory services, specialist plant & equipment hire and retail.

Bibby Distribution, Head office, 105 Duke Street, Liverpool, L1 5JQ.

www.bibbydist.co.uk
www.bibbygroup.co.uk

Further press information:
James Boley and James Keeler at Garnett Keeler PR on 020 8647 4467.

BDL/147/15

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