Ardagh Glass Packaging-South Africa (Ardagh) has introduced five cutting-edge Smart Trucks to enhance its logistics capabilities. These Performance-Based Standards (PBS) vehicles will strengthen the glass manufacturer’s delivery fleet through a partnership with DP World.
Paul Curnow, CEO at Ardagh Glass Packaging-Africa said, “These state-of-the-art vehicles represent a major leap forward in transportation efficiency and safety for our operations. The Smart Trucks feature innovative designs that deliver improved productivity while simultaneously reducing environmental impact and infrastructure wear.”
Enhanced capabilities and environmental benefits
The new Smart Trucks offer impressive specifications – each truck can carry 100 pallets – 28 more than the existing fleet – with a 55-tonne payload capability and an overall laden length of 30m. They are equipped with advanced dual-fuel engines that use both diesel and compressed natural gas. According to DP World’s analysis, these vehicles cause approximately 50% less road wear per tonne of payload and are expected to deliver a 37% reduction in carbon emissions per pallet shipped.
“Over the next six years, we estimate these vehicles will eliminate approximately 1.7 million kilometres of travel and prevent 1,765 tonnes of CO2 emissions, supporting our sustainability strategy and efforts to reduce emissions.” added Curnow.
Improved safety features
Safety remains a top priority at Ardagh, and Smart Trucks are equipped with advanced, comprehensive safety systems. These include EBS brakes on all trailers, auto-inflating tyres and self-weighing functionality. The vehicles also feature adaptive cruise control, dynamic and corrective steering systems, driver-alert support, lane-departure warnings, and lane-change support.
Distinctive branding
While the Smart Trucks represent the business’s forward-looking ambitions for reduced carbon emissions, the refreshed branding that will identify these vehicles is a nod to the company’s strong legacy, with a nostalgic reference to the 2016 award-winning advert featuring the iconic Consol preserve jar.
“The introduction of these Smart Trucks represents a significant milestone in our commitment to sustainable logistics. Not only do they deliver impressive efficiency gains and carbon reductions, but they also demonstrate how innovation can simultaneously benefit business operations, environmental objectives, and road safety. We’re proud to be leading the way in adopting transport solutions that align with our sustainability pillars.” concludes Curnow.
