Hitachi ZeroCarbon has announced it has strengthened its partnership with Ayvens, the global mobility provider specialising in leasing and fleet management services, to pilot the ZeroCarbon BatteryManager solution within its company fleet and a number of clients.

The project, undertaken over three months, will track the performance and health of large batches of electric vehicle batteries, within cars, light commercial vehicles, and heavy goods vehicles. It will equip Ayvens with real-time data and insight to optimise EV battery management, and prevent unnecessary degradation and protect vehicle performance.

Battery maintenance is increasingly seen as a key driver of EV profitability and residual value. By surfacing this data in real time, ZeroCarbon BatteryManager helps fleet operators make informed decisions on procurement, usage, financing, and remarketing. The pilot will support Ayvens in shaping a technology-enabled business model designed to accelerate EV adoption while helping our customers make the right decisions using total cost of ownership.

“Battery data is now a commercial asset” said Hugo Seymour, Head of Presales at Hitachi ZeroCarbon. “Understanding how batteries perform in real-world conditions, and how operational approaches influence remaining useful battery life, is essential for building EV business models that are scalable, sustainable, and profitable. Our new partnership with Ayvens will give us an opportunity to highlight how intelligent battery monitoring can contribute to better fleet outcomes – extending asset life and reducing the cost of electrifying fleets.”

This latest initiative builds on a joint history of working together to accelerate fleet electrification. In a 2023 project with a leading UK telecoms provider, Hitachi ZeroCarbon helped Ayvens assess the operational carbon impact of over 5,000 vehicles. The resulting data empowered the telco provider to electrify its fleet, reduce emissions, and manage costs without compromising service delivery, by demonstrating the potential for a viable EV charging approach using its own facilities, rather than relying on public charging, with modelled energy savings of over 30%. Further potential savings were identified through sharing existing charging infrastructure at partner sites, with this approach reducing overall costs by up to 18%.

“Having accurate, real-time EV battery insights helps us to support our customers in making the right decisions when transitioning to electric.” said Suzanne Phillips, Head of Specialist Sales at Ayvens UK. “EV batteries are the most valuable asset within the vehicle, and if properly maintained, support better financial planning, drive operational efficiencies, and deliver second-life opportunities for businesses.”

This pilot builds on Hitachi ZeroCarbon’s broader mission to support fleet electrification through intelligent data solutions and will be essential to Ayvens as it expands its sustainable mobility offerings across its customer base.

Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services Limited (Hacis) – Hactl’s wholly-owned, value-added services subsidiary – is elevating its collaboration with a global provider of logistics and supply chain technology, Flexport, into a strategic partnership, with the aim of establishing Hong Kong as Flexport’s transit hub.

Hacis initially provided mail handling services to Flexport, and gradually expanded its offerings to include Merge-in-Transit (MiT) solutions as well as ‘Airport Direct’ import and export services. Today, Hacis is providing a fully integrated one-stop-shop suite of services that enables Flexport to route cargo through Hong Kong as a key transit hub with greater efficiency, scalability and control.

Through its MiT solution, Hacis merges shipments from multiple origins in Hong Kong under forwarder control before onward delivery. Under its Airport Direct services, Hacis handles cargo collection, delivery, documentation, on-airport storage, containerisation and fulfilment, with operations located immediately beside the apron at SuperTerminal 1 for maximum speed and efficiency.

Ringo Chan, Executive Director of Hacis says: “With our fully integrated, one-stop-shop service, we enable Flexport to route cargo via Hong Kong with greater reliability and efficiency. This partnership shows how Hacis adapts to the evolving needs of customers and supports their growth, while helping Hong Kong maintain its competitive edge in global air logistics.”

Daniel Sanvicente, Senior Vice President, Head of APAC of Flexport says: ”With its one-stop-shop approach and direct air-side access facility, partnering with Hacis enables Flexport to provide highly efficient, consolidated air services across a broad network. Utilizing Hong Kong’s strategic location as a key gateway for South China origin cargo, this collaboration expands our connectivity and service offerings, fueling Flexport’s continued growth in South China and our expanding presence across Southeast Asia and beyond.”

As the shifting dynamics are reshaping the global supply chain, Flexport continues to build out its APAC network, enhance its air freight capabilities, and leverage Hong Kong’s position as a transit hub for regional and global trade. Deepening its collaboration with Hacis underscores Flexport’s commitment to smoother logistics and greater flexibility.

Read the Logistics Business magazine special report on Hong Kong as a Superconnector hub here.

FORTNA has been selected by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers, one of South Africa’s Courier, Express and Parcel (CEP) industry providers, to automate its new distribution centre in Isando, Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

The new facility will serve both as a central hub for RAM’s network and as a last mile depot for local deliveries, streamlining transportation flows and enhancing overall efficiency. As parcel volumes rise and customer expectations for speed and flexibility continue to grow, the new sorting center will enable RAM to scale effectively while enhancing operational performance and adaptability.

Leveraging FORTNA’s deep expertise in parcel sortation and automation, the solution integrates global best practices with local market knowledge, an approach designed to align closely with RAM’s business goals.

The custom-engineered solution is fully optimized for RAM’s building footprint and operational requirements, featuring end-to-end automation, real-time track-and-trace visibility, and seamless management of inbound and outbound flows. Designed with scalability in mind, the solution allows for future capacity expansion as RAM’s network continues to evolve.

“FORTNA is excited to support RAM as they take this important step forward in their growth journey,” said Thomas van Workum, President at FORTNA International. “Designed for performance and scalability, this new distribution centre will strengthen their position as a trusted name in time-critical delivery. It also reflects FORTNA’s ongoing commitment to providing end-to-end automation solutions that evolve with our customers’ ambitions.”

“At RAM, our promise has always been simple: fast, reliable, hand-to-hand delivery,” said Graeme Lazarus, RAM’s Managing Director. “By partnering with FORTNA to automate our new Isando distribution centre, we are enhancing that promise. This facility allows us to handle growing volumes with greater agility while ensuring accuracy, visibility, and service excellence for every customer from A-to-B, seamlessly.”
This collaboration builds on FORTNA’s mission to redefine warehouse and parcel automation across global markets, combining cutting-edge technology with proven design expertise to drive long-term value for customers.

Vienna in winter is a perfect choice for the Christmas and New Year season: historic markets, classical music concerts, world-class restaurants and hotels, and an elegant atmosphere that combines tradition and modern lifestyle. If you want to experience these holidays in the utmost luxury and without stress-avoiding lines, cancellations, and long transfers-the private jet transforms your flight to Vienna into an integral part of the vacation.

1) Where to land in Vienna? Airports and terminals for private jets

The main gateway for private flights is Vienna International Airport (VIE / Schwechat), which has a dedicated VIP & General Aviation Terminal on the west side of the airport: separate check-in, expedited screening, baggage handling facilities, and private customs-all designed to make arrival and departure quick and discreet.

For FBO and technical handling services you can refer to international operators on site (e.g., Jet Aviation), who offer: private ramp, 24/7 assistance, technical handling, and support for catering and VIP transport. This facilitates complex operations (groups, bulky luggage, additional crews).

• Practical notes: book the CAT slot well in advance for Jan. 24-2; VIP services are always available but it is best to avoid slot shortages or surcharges.

2) How to reach Vienna’s exclusive destinations: luxury cars and helicopter transfers

For “last mile” moves after landing, the most commonly used solutions by high-end customers are:

1. Luxury chauffeurs and limousines: companies such as Blacklane and international fleet limousine services offer chauffeurs with flight monitoring, waiting included, and top cars (Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7, luxury SUVs). Ideal for direct transfers to 5* hotels or private villas in the city
2. Sports car or supercar rental: for those who wish to drive (or be driven in a supercar), there are providers who deliver directly to the private terminal.
3. Helicopter transfers: to quickly reach alpine ski slopes or exclusive resorts (e.g., transfers to the Tirol region or the Salzburg area) you can use operators offering VIP shuttles between airports and private heliports. This option cuts hours of traffic and easily passes winter conditions on the roads. Operators such as Sennair/Heli Austria allow quick and flexible connections to nearby alpine areas

• Operational tip: combine FBO + luxury car + heli shuttle in the travel package: so the whole chain (from landing to chalet) is under control and with assured timing.

3) Ski resorts and winter experiences that can be reached from Vienna

Vienna is great as a hub for combining city culture and level skiing: some ski areas can be reached by car or helicopter in 1-3 hours. For quick trips or weekends in the snow, consider:

1. Semmering & Stuhleck-the closest day-trip options (1-1.5 hours by car).
2. Zell am See / Kaprun-about 3 hours by road transfer, or by combined transfer (flight ⟶ heli).
3. Salzburgerland (Obertauern, Ski Amadé) – excellent slopes and quality resorts.
   For a list of resorts easily accessible from Vienna and suggestions on timing and transportation see dedicated Austria-ski resources. Ski Austria
4. If, on the other hand, you want a top-notch ski-experience (St. Anton, Lech, or Kitzbühel), you normally prefer to land at nearby Alpine airports (Innsbruck, St. Gallen-Altenrhein, or use heli shuttle from Vienna). For maximum flexibility, plan to land on VIE + heli transfer or reposition to a smaller airport closer to the runways.

4) Other ideal winter destinations that can be reached by private jet (rapid European options)

If you want to expand your itinerary beyond Vienna, here are some top European destinations for Christmas/New Year easily reached by private jet:

1. St. Moritz / Samedan ( Switzerland) – luxury ski icon.
2. Courchevel / Chambéry (France) – exclusive slopes and après-ski.
3. Zurich/Geneva – perfect as a hub for the Swiss and French Alps.
4. Munich / Innsbruck – rapid access to the Western Alps.
5. Salzburg – mix of markets, classical music and access to more local trails.

Many European charters offer dedicated routes for winter (Chambéry/ Courchevel/ Samedan) with fast handling-useful for those who want multiple runs on the same trip. GlobeAir

5) Recommended jet: Bombardier Challenger 350 – practical review

For winter time and European itineraries that combine cities + mountains, the Challenger 350 is an excellent choice. Here’s why (specifications and reasons for use):

Key Features

• Category: Super-midsize
• Typical capacity: up to 8-9 passengers in comfort configuration.
• Autonomy: about 3,200 NM (capable of nonstop transcontinental flights for most European routes and destined farther afield such as Dubai with a technical stopover).
• Trunk: voluminous, suitable for skis and winter equipment (variable configurations).
• Cabin comforts: wide seats, tables, full galley service, and excellent soundproofing for resting during transfers.

Why I recommend it for Vienna & winter destinations

1. Versatile: It can operate from common European airports but has enough autonomy to connect European capitals and Alpine hubs without continuous stopovers.
2. Luggage and equipment: enough space for skis, suitcases, and bulky luggage, important for Christmas trips and ski weeks.
3. Comfort: ideal for groups of friends or families who want to work or rest before or after a day of skiing.
4. Operations: easily handled by major European FBOs (including Vienna), with good availability of technical handling and catering on demand.

6) Practical tips and private jet booking checklist for Vienna

1. Book now: slots and assets (jets + crews) sell out quickly during the ski season…
2. Define luggage and equipment before requesting a quote (skis, snowboards, sleds).
3. Evaluate the complete package: FBO + limousine transfer + heli shuttle for firm timing and clear rates.

Contact PrivateJetFinder to charter a private jet to Vienna

If you’re planning a luxury trip to Vienna, privatejetfinder.com will help you choose the ideal plane (such as the Bombardier Challenger 350), manage the slot at Vienna’s VIP & General Aviation Terminal, arrange limousine or heli shuttle transfers to top ski resorts, and set up the turnkey trip.

Request a personalized quote now to ensure availability and the best conditions for the holiday season – fly to Vienna (or to any destination in Europe) with peace of mind

As another year draws to the end, it seems that change is happening faster than ever: technological advance continues to race forward, global dynamics are shifting on a near daily basis, and consumer expectations are evolving faster than at any time in retail history, writes Martin Lockwood (pictured, below), Senior Director of Manhattan Associates.

If there’s one prediction that comes true every year, it’s this: what worked last year won’t cut it in the next edition. And, while predictions are notoriously difficult to make with any certainty, our 2026 forecasts aren’t just guesses, they’re born of powerful, data-driven insights, professional experiences gained over decades and what we’ve seen (and heard) from customers over the last twelve months.

Every new year offers the chance to shape the future, not just watch as a bystander as it happens. At Manhattan, our mission has never been simpler: cut through the noise, focus on what truly matters to our customers, and make sure we’re not just keeping up with change, we’re leading it.

Below is a selection of predictions for 2026 from our team of experts from around the globe. From the ongoing creep of AI into all areas of business, the evolution of commerce as we know it, and what trends like ‘hyper-personalisation’ mean for already stressed (B2B and B2C) supply chains, hopefully, these insights will provide food for thought and provoke some interesting conversations in the New Year!

1. While 2026 will see AI tools deployed more extensively to reduce the cost of labour-intensive tasks and accelerate project deployments significantly, these tools will also evolve to offer incident management capabilities, leading to machine-driven self-healing and ultimately, more resilient supply chains.
2. Professional services organisations will accelerate the adoption of AI-driven automation to streamline delivery, enabling faster onboarding, smarter resource allocation, and support models that improve operational delivery. As clients demand more transparency and value, Professional services teams will shift toward outcome-based engagements, leveraging real-time data and collaborative platforms to co-create solutions and demonstrate measurable impact.
3. While we can expect to see more organisations leveraging new AI capabilities next year, the growth will be a slow climb as supposed to the frenetic pace of the last 24 months. 2026 will be the year organizations quickly realise that they need data cleanup and digital modernisation if they want to leverage new AI capabilities effectively, and deliver the speed, accuracy and true value, everyone is looking for.
4. In the B2B space, intelligent decision making at the moment of the truth, (i.e. the moment that customer wants to place the order), is becoming more and more the norm as organisations look to maximise customer service and profitable operations. Intelligent sourcing, order allocation versus supply, and continuous re-allocation will be a recurring theme, putting ERPs in the spotlight when it comes to meeting customer expectations in 2026.
5. The consumer is now ubiquitous: they want to transact anywhere, have orders fulfilled however they chose and return items how and when they like. As a result, supply chain will have no choice but to commit in real-time to consumer orders, regardless of what channel the order comes from. Expect an acceleration of unified commerce uptake as retailers battle with the increasing demands of hyper-personalisation.
6. By the end of 2026, legacy registers will be replaced by mobile-first POS platforms that function as omnichannel hubs rather than transaction terminals. These platforms will connect to real-time inventory and fulfilment engines, giving associates dynamic options like ship-from-store, pick-up-later, or same-day delivery at the point of decision. They will (crucially) also deliver context-rich associate experiences including customer history, loyalty status, recent browsing and open carts, so staff can serve customers faster, with more accuracy and a greater degree of personalisation.
7. Retailers such as Walmart have already announced huge investments in
   conversational commerce and we can expect it to fundamentally change how we shop online, moving from traditional search to AI interaction shopping.
8. Social commerce will continue to accelerate at a rate of knots. Tik Tok Shop has just had a record year with 6,000 live shopping sessions being held every day on the platform, on average. M&S in the UK is one of the latest retailers to jump into this new sales channel so expect many more to follow suit in 2026.

With supply chains facing some of the most volatile conditions in recent years, a new UK Supply Chain Professional (SCP) Club was officially launched at an event at Hampton Manor last week. The club aims to bring together supply chain professionals from across industries to share expertise, collaborate on common challenges, and drive innovation at a time when global networks are under unprecedented strain.

The SCP Club will serve as a space for honest conversation, peer learning, and collective problem-solving, delivering tangible value in the form of great venues, food and experiences.

“Our vision is simple,” said Jenny Lowrie, Director, UK SCP Club. “There is a massive knowledge gap and pressing need for a forum which unites supply chain professionals in spaces where we can learn from one another, share experiences, and build meaningful, long-lasting connections.

“Supply chains are cool. They’re complex, impactful, and at the centre of how the world works. If my four-year-old doesn’t get a Barbie Dreamhouse this Christmas, it’s either because a supply chain has failed, or my own S&OP process at home has! These systems shape every part of our lives. And by bringing our community together, we can debate, challenge, and grow in a way that moves both our industry and our own professional development forward.”

The UK SCP Club’s launch comes at a critical moment as supply chains grapple with more complexity than ever according to Dave Food, Lecturer and Industry Strategist at the University of Warwick. “When professionals share knowledge openly, whether it’s around planning, forecasting, resilience, technology or talent, we build stronger networks and smarter responses. The SCP club will play a vital role in helping supply chain leaders to stay ahead of the challenges inherent in tomorrow’s supply chains.”

Jan Kraaijeveld, Slimstock’s Strategic S&OP Expert echoed this sentiment: “Too often, businesses tackle supply chain challenges in isolation when the real breakthroughs happen through collaboration. The SCP Club is a place where expertise can be exchanged freely, whether you’re building an S&OP process from scratch or refining mature operations.”

Launched at the first event of its kind, the club brings together a diverse audience, from organisations actively implementing new processes, to partners and consultants specialising in change management and operational transformation. Focused on practical insights, real case studies, and collaborative problem-solving, it aims for members to leave each session having gained knowledge, built relationships and fuelled progression.

Paralympian and World Champion Coxwain Erin Kennedy shared a powerful message in her keynote, reinforcing the importance of leadership, culture and teamwork which underpin the principles of the UK SCP Club: “Even in the toughest conditions, people can achieve amazing things when they support each other. Community is often the difference between struggling and succeeding.”

“As it evolves, the SCP Club will be shaped by the people it is designed to help through ideas, and what’s most important to our community, and we can’t wait to announce details of the next one.” Lowrie concludes.

From the outside, everything is in a consistent style: uniform design, elegant, streamlined, fascinatingly smooth and closed. Whether straight conveyor lines, curves, diverters or transfers, roller conveyors or belt conveyors, horizontal or upward or downward transport, everything looks from outside the same, like a single, unified whole. The frame construction, aesthetics, and height are identical. Everything is closed without any visible holes or screws, nothing sticks out. This makes a convincing impression in a large logistics centre.

A good design sells easier

All in all, Avancon has been granted 12 patents for its systems and for various individual elements, as well as additional design protection for the external design in most industrialized countries. Avancon calls it ZPC for short, which stands for ‘Zone Powered Concept’. In general, it always works with zero pressure wherever it is necessary to accumulate.

Deeper inside

Where are the drives, the control boxes, and the cables and cable ducts? How can all this work without anything being visible from the outside? Yes, that is precisely the special, patented concept from Avancon.
Everything is housed hidden in the frame profile.

The absolute highlight: apart from the motor mounting, there are no screws in the entire frame-profile system. All elements are snapped into the patented preformed ribs of the aluminum profiles. Assembly is therefore simple and quick. The same applies to any maintenance and replacement of an element.

In addition, communication with almost any higher-level IT infrastructure and bus systems is easy via a gateway. The DC power supply and data transmission are ensured by a concealed ‘3-in-1’ power supply unit. What are the benefits of all this? Customers can save costs, especially on the construction site, as all elements such as the motor, light barrier, cables, control system, etc. can already be mounted in the frame at the factory, where labour costs are lower than on the construction site.

However, the biggest savings come from the fact that no cables need to be laid on the construction site, meaning that cable ducts are no longer necessary. And because all control boxes with pre-programmed firmware, BLDC motors, the entire drive system, and cables are already available inside for each conveyor zone, you save on programming costs and the central control cabinet. All this easily saves 30% of the total investment.

N.B. Avancon delivers products only via conveyor manufacturers and integrators.

Grangemouth-based Scottish green chemical producer Celtic Renewables has partnered with LogChain, a digital supply chain and logistics software developer, to make international shipping more sustainable with the first digitalised shipment of green chemicals.

Celtic used LogChain’s private blockchain-based software solution to manage a sample shipment of bio-butanol made using locally sourced by-products and waste from the food, drink and agricultural industries at its biorefinery at Grangemouth in Scotland, as it was transported round the world to the island city state of Singapore in southeast Asia.

The bio-butanol shipment left Grangemouth on Wednesday 24 September, travelled 8340 nautical miles from London Gateway port, and arrived in Singapore 32 days and eight hours later, on Sunday 26 October at just before 9pm local time.

LogChain’s report noted that the digitalised system cut administrative handling and documentation time for the shipment by 50 percent. Platform alerts reduced email traffic, and automated task assignment and real-time dashboards reduced delays in coordination.

Transparency and compliance improved through continual visibility of the shipment from origin to destination, together with instant access to essential paperwork including Dangerous Goods (DG) certificates, Bills of Lading, and other customs documents.

The LogChain solution is designed to make the transport of goods more sustainable by digitalising the entire shipment workflow. It saves paper and consumes less energy by replacing paper documentation and repetitive two-way email exchanges with a single dedicated live digital corridor that connects the sender and the recipient.

All shipping documents and data including production certificates, commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and bills of origin are transferred electronically via this digital corridor. The system is completely secure and provides a fully searchable digital provenance for the product being shipped, which is essential for the highly regulated chemical sector.

Commenting on the news, Bettina Brierley, Chief Commercial Officer of Celtic Renewables, said, “If we want to achieve net zero, companies in every industry and sector need to introduce low-waste, energy-saving practices across their operations and supply chains. For import and export businesses, this means examining how they ship and receive goods and products – whether at a local, national or international level.”

Brierley explained, “Our commitment at Celtic to sustainability goes beyond producing green chemicals that replace fossil fuel-based chemicals. It also extends to the transportation of our bio-based alternatives in the most sustainable way possible. Our partnership with LogChain is a real-world example of how UK companies of every size – from global enterprises to SMEs and micro-businesses – can use a fully digitalised system to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their export operations and help them compete internationally.”

LogChain CEO Andie McKeown added his thoughts. “We’re delighted to support an innovative company like Celtic Renewables in demonstrating how digital trade can directly enable sustainable growth. Our two companies’ work together proves that sustainability and commercial success can go hand in hand. This project shows how technology and partnership can deliver real-world results, driving progress for trade, the environment, and the wider economy.”

McKeown continued, “Digital trade systems reduce paperwork and make the export process faster and cheaper. Cutting back on needless and repetitive documentation and electronic communication makes the entire process less wasteful and more sustainable. LogChain’s project with Celtic Renewables showcases the practical benefits of trade digitalisation in action. It demonstrates our platform’s ability to handle complex, high-value, highly regulated shipments like chemicals in a way that is seamless, secure and fully compliant.”

The collaboration between Celtic Renewables and LogChain was supported by the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) and the UK Government. It is another example of the close commercial relationship between Singapore and the UK, including Scotland.

In February 2022, both countries signed the UK-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (DEA), which established a framework for digital cooperation between the two countries.

Just over a year later, in March 2023, the countries signed the UK-Singapore Green Economy Framework to help each country achieve its national decarbonisation targets across three key areas: green transport, low carbon energy technologies, and sustainable finance and carbon markets.

More recently, at the beginning of September, the UK’s High Commissioner to Singapore Nik Mehta visited Edinburgh as part of a wider UK Government initiative to boost economic ties between the two countries.

Brierley concluded by saying, “Companies and manufacturers worldwide are looking for ways to reduce their dependence on fossil fuel-based chemical ingredients in favour of sustainable alternatives. East and southeast Asia represent huge export potential for Celtic Renewables as we look to scale up our operations and take our green chemicals into new markets.”

For companies, becoming more sustainable is a process that requires perseverance, creativity, foresight and courage. Each year, Linde Material Handling (MH) publishes a sustainability report that details its progress in a wide range of areas, including the environment, health, occupational safety, social engagement, and products and solutions. The updated, comprehensive online publication for 2024 is now available. It shows the progress the intralogistics specialist has made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The increased use of electric commercial vehicles is expected to further improve these results. Beginning in early 2026, two electric trucks will transport forklift counterweights 35 kilometers from the foundry to the assembly plant in Aschaffenburg. Additionally, Central Services will utilize ten more transport vehicles, which will contribute significantly to the decarbonization of journeys within and between the sites in the Aschaffenburg region.

Direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Scope 1 and 2, respectively, are among the key figures listed in the report and were reduced in 2024. “We have achieved this, for example, through a high proportion of ‘green electricity’, but also through the use of waste heat and energy-saving measures in infrastructure and production,” explains Bernhard van der Westhuizen, Head of HSE Sales & Service for Linde MH. From 2026, the use of new electric trucks and vans will have a positive impact on this figure and contribute to achieving the short-term climate target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 4.7 percent annually by 2030 compared with the base year 2021. By 2050 at the latest, the amount of GHG emissions along the entire value chain (Scope 1, 2, and 3) is to be reduced to net zero.

The new 42-ton tractor units, which have a battery capacity of 600 kWh and a range of 500 km, as well as the ten additional light commercial vehicles, which weigh up to 3.5 tons, and the charging infrastructure were funded under the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport’s guideline on the promotion of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drive systems (KsNI). Part of this funding comes from the EU’s German Recovery and Resilience Plan (GRRP). “The procurement of these vehicles is an important step in the electrification of our internal logistics,” emphasizes Franz Huber, Project Manager Energy Solutions at Linde MH. With its new electric vehicle fleet, the company aims to save around 180 tons of CO2 per year. The heavy trucks will be used for shuttle traffic between the foundry and the assembly plant, and the electric transporters will help make logistics between regional locations emission-free. For instance, they deliver canteen supplies.

Small improvements add up

Further improvements were seen in sustainability indicators regarding the coverage of the international environmental management standard ISO 14001. The percentage of plants and sites within the Linde MH sales and service organization that meet the requirements of this recognized environmental management standard increased from 94 percent in 2023 to 99 percent. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) are an integral part of this standard, for instance. LCAs systematically analyze the potential environmental impacts and energy balance of products from raw material extraction and manufacturing through the use phase, and finally, disposal or recycling at the end of the life cycle. More than 20 years ago, Linde MH partnered with the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics to develop a scientific methodology for comprehensively assessing the environmental impact of its forklift trucks and warehouse equipment. The company then conducted life cycle assessments for its key product groups. Since then, the methodology has continuously been refined and professionalized. Today, these LCAs are based on ISO standards 14040 and 14044. They already exist for many of Linde’s industrial truck series. The electric forklifts with a load capacity of 1.0 to 2.0 tons, introduced earlier this year, were the first to include an LCA at market launch.

Sustainability Report

The sustainability report also includes preliminary results from the strategic partnership with the battery recycling company Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. (known as Glencore Battery Recycling since August this year), which has been in place since 2023. Around 15.8 tons of lithium-ion battery modules, or 442 lithium-ion batteries returned to Linde MH in 2024, underwent the recycling process. The recovered materials are subsequently processed into resources that can be used to manufacture new batteries.

“In an economically challenging environment in particular, it is especially important to combine improvements in efficiency and cost-effectiveness with sustainability benefits,” adds van der Westhuizen. In recent years, Linde MH has consistently refined its product development strategy by integrating sustainability aspects into the initial design phase, as well as into the production process. Aspects such as occupational health and safety have also been further enhanced.

CitySprint, the British same day distribution company, has announced a further extension to its partnership with British home improvement retailer Wickes. The extension will see the two partners continue their collaboration until 31st December 2027, building on the long-running and successful relationship that first began in 2016.

CitySprint will continue to provide home delivery services from Wickes’ network of over 230 stores across the UK. This local fulfilment model ensures customers receive fast, convenient deliveries directly from nearby stores, improving service while reducing the environmental impact of long-haul transportation.

The extended contract reflects a key enhancement: reducing the prealerted delivery time window from five hours to four. This improvement will help customers plan their day more efficiently and reflects both businesses’ commitment to putting customer experience first. In addition, customers can now use their tracking link to choose a safe place for delivery, with couriers receiving the instructions instantly on their device. Launched in early November, this new feature makes secure, hassle-free deliveries even easier – especially when customers aren’t home.

CitySprint’s nationwide coverage, fleet capacity, and deep understanding of Wickes’ delivery processes serves the company well as a trusted logistics partner. Each day, around 260 accredited couriers support the Wickes account, ensuring reliable service across the UK. In 2024, this partnership saw CitySprint complete over 1 million deliveries with an impressive on-time performance rate of over 98%.

Faye Calland, Sales and Marketing Director at CitySprint, said: “We’re proud to be extending our long-standing partnership with Wickes. Since 2016, our teams have worked closely together to deliver millions of orders nationwide, always focusing on customer convenience and reliability. Shortening the delivery window is the next step in enhancing the experience for Wickes’ customers, helping them receive the products they need, when they need them.”

Keith Ash: Distribution and Fulfilment Director at Wickes, added:

CitySprint has been an integral partner for Wickes, ensuring our customers receive a fast and reliable delivery service. This extension is a vital part of our strategy to stay competitive in the home improvement market, and we’re proud to continue building on our shared commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.