Palletways has invested in a fleet of Caterpillar LPG-fuelled forklift trucks to help reduce emissions and improve working conditions for staff across its sites. The 55 GP25N trucks have replaced diesel-powered models at the Lichfield hub and distribution centre. It has also decided to use the Caterpillar GP25N at its hub operations in Scotland and London. The trucks are installed with gas engines and Class 1 catalytic converters. This means that, while delivering the same levels of performance as comparable diesel engines, they are virtually emission-free and noise levels are also reduced by at least half.
Palletways’ decision to choose trucks fuelled by LPG follows a campaign by the Health & Safety Executive to encourage logistics companies, and particularly those handling pallets in confined spaces, to find greener, safer alternatives.
Kath McCann, operation director of Palletways UK, said: “It is very important to us that we strive to provide the best possible working environment for employees while minimising the impact of our activities on the natural environment.
Palletline has also brought in gas powered trucks as a cleaner, quieter alternative to the diesel trucks it had been using and which had been causing negative environmental issues within the depot. After looking at all the alternatives with Linde Creighton, Palletline decided that LPG trucks offered an environmentally-friendly solution at the Birmingham facility.
It has taken 33 Linde 39X, two tonne capacity, H 20s in the main fleet with a small reserve fleet to cope with seasonal peaks and particularly busy periods. The trucks move thousands of pallet loads during a typical shift with the Birmingham hub operating almost every day of the year. Palletline is also using the Linde volumetric refillable LPG system. Refuelling is quick and once refuelled lasts an entire shift. Benn Laverick, day operations manager, said: “The new Linde trucks are much cleaner and quieter in operation than the previous model.”
