Achi news desk-
Sustainable business practices have been at the heart of our 100 year history – putting people at heart, building successful partnerships for longevity, and looking at new innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint.
As part of our sustainability strategy, our key areas of progress are climate action, resource efficiency and sustainable partnerships.
As a business we:
â– Maintain and operate a highly efficient fleet.
â– See rail transport as a key element in reducing greenhouse gases, moving over 700,000 containers and taking over 20 million miles off the UK’s rail road network.
â– Trial and use of alternative non-fossil fuels and new power technologies.
â– Participate and use our experience in the industry to inform the future direction of the industry.
This includes our participation in the Zero Emission Vehicle Taskforce (ZETT) which led to the publication of the HGV Decarbonisation Pathway by Transport Scotland in March 2024.
â– Working in partnership with our customers and suppliers to bring added value to all stakeholders.
In 2023, we signed a letter of commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and we are currently progressing with the completion of our short and long term carbon reduction targets across our Scope 1 emissions, 2 and 3.
ROAD TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions – accounting for 26% of total UK emissions in 2021.
Grŵp Malcolm is actively taking steps to help ensure that all our operations are as environmentally friendly as possible.
As with most industries, the shift towards a net zero future brings both opportunities and challenges.
Decarbonising road freight must balance operational needs and customer expectations.
Travel distance, refueling times and delivery schedules must be considered alongside efforts to reduce emissions.
In the longer term, electric and hydrogen vehicles are expected to transform modern logistics.
Until such technologies offer businesses the operational requirements, initiatives such as using alternative fuels, introducing additional rail freight and maintaining a highly efficient fleet help the operation evolve to reduce emissions.
We are continuously increasing efficiency and reducing downtime across our freight operations by operating a highly efficient fleet of operational vehicles together with planning technology systems and our experienced staff – enabling less downtime across our freight operations.
Empty runs are the portions of journeys where goods are not moved.
By reorganizing warehouse and depot locations, this provides more opportunity for additional loaded legs as part of the overall vehicle journey.
Although some ‘idling’ will be part of a vehicle’s overall journey, reducing this distance brings benefits to customers as well as offering reductions in emissions.
Malcolm Logistics has been rated a 5 Star Operator by the European Eco-Star Fleet Recognition Scheme.
The ECO Stars scheme encourages and assists operators of HGVs, buses and vans to run fleets in the most efficient way.
After joining the scheme, experienced industry experts carry out an operational audit to give an overall rating of fleet efficiency.
Malcolm Logistics received the highest accolade of a 5-star rating after the inspection, in recognition of our
a strong focus on the efficiency and environmental performance of our fleet.
OTHER FUEL TRIALS
THE Malcolm Group HAS carried out a number of experiments across alternative fuels and power technology to develop our sustainability strategy.
In order to continue to provide our customers with our first class services, we recognize that we need to fully understand alternative fuels and technology and how they can be used to ensure that goods are delivered on time, from within budget and in locations across the UK.
Our trials have included:
â– Using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) to run ten of our vehicles on a designated route. Compared to diesel, HVO provides a reduction of up to 90% in Well-to-Wheel CO2e emissions.
â– We have carried out trials on the use of tractor units which are powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). CNG is a biogas that offers significant carbon savings. Availability of the gas throughout the UK is limited, however completion of the trial has shown that gas powered tractor units can offer similar performance when compared to diesel engines.
â– We tried 2 numbers. electric rigid trucks for local use. Due to operational requirements, these trucks fell short of our requirements. However, as technology advances, electric trucks are predicted to become more viable alongside the electric infrastructure and capacity required for charging.
RAILWAY FREIGHT
RAIL transport is increasingly seen as a key element in reducing greenhouse gases by taking trucks off the road.
For over 20 years, The Malcolm Group has operated daily Anglo-Scottish intermodal services moving over 700,000 containers and taking over twenty million miles off the UK road network. Offering sustainable solutions means a combination of highly efficient road freight supported by our rail freight capacity.
In 2023 Grŵp Malcolm reaffirmed their long-standing commitment to rail freight by signing a new long-term contract with their freight company of choice Freightliner, which will help facilitate the future growth of the sector.
On 6 March 2024, the first intermodal service run for ten years was arranged, between our Elderslie Terminal and Forth Ports Limited Grangemouth.
This pilot journey was intended to stimulate the growth of rail freight in Scotland and promote the value of modal shift towards Scotland’s decarbonisation strategy. Rail freight is essential for industry and the country to successfully achieve net zero ambitions. We need investment and support for operators in the short term and in the longer term.
Support for the Mode Movement Revenue Support Scheme (MSRS), which helps operators with rail freight costs to make them more competitive with road haulage, has recently been withdrawn by the Scottish Government.
Without this funding, it makes the wider use of rail freight and further developments more challenging.
In order to realize long-term growth targets within rail freight, collaboration between owners, operators, industries and governments is essential to meet the challenges faced.
Targeted infrastructure investments, fixed access regimes and electric traction are all key elements for sustainable growth in rail freight.
Our sustainability strategy is holistic in nature and ensures that every material aspect of our business is continuously improved in terms of efficiency. We look at the whole system approach, from long distance transport, ‘last mile’ transport, handling and storage.
We propose ’48 tonnes for 48 miles’ which seeks to increase the gross vehicle weight of intermodal traffic to 48 tonnes over a limited distance of 48 miles from rail terminals.
Freight by rail can reduce payload by up to 15% compared to road freight alone. This is due to the heavier trailers and specialist containers used for intermodal transport.
Increasing weight to 48 tonnes would open up more opportunities for a modal shift from road to rail, with a reduction in emissions and congestion.
INTERMODAL INNOVATION
THE Malcolm Group has continually pushed the boundaries in exploring innovative multimodal opportunities.
The introduction of our 50′ container demonstrates this.
The 50′ container holds four more pallets of goods than the standard 45′ container.
For goods that often ‘cube before weighing out’ the 50′ container allows more to be transported with less carbon – with an average reduction of 13% in CO2e per pallet moved.
In addition to the 50′ container, The Malcolm Group also pioneered the development of the first Longer Semi Trailer (LST) in 2014 alongside SDC trailers.
Once again, the LST offers our customers more goods to move in one journey – reducing HGV movements, congestion and carbon.
CONSTRUCTION AND RECYCLING
THROUGH our expertise in civil engineering, waste services and recycled aggregate supplies, we offer our clients a unique package with resource efficiency front and centre.
Across our contracted projects, we recognize the value of materials produced during excavation activities.
Using our state-of-the-art recycling facilities and washing plants, we can process such materials and produce recycled aggregates for reuse across the construction industry.
Our operations have always supported sustainable practices within the construction industry, by offering waste recycling and recycled aggregate supplies.
With an increased emphasis on developers, contractors, and the wider value chain to quantify sustainable benefits, we have taken steps to measure the carbon impacts of our operations and the products we provide.
For example, we recently commissioned a detailed ‘Aggregate Emissions Footprint’ calculation to understand the carbon impacts of our products which gives authenticity to our customers.
Changing industry standards and practices require us to have a dynamic in-house training program.
This includes internal engagement on sustainability, established working groups and external training courses.
We also aim to use our industry knowledge and connections, to work collaboratively with our clients, peers and supply chain members to ensure we promote additional benefit for all stakeholders.
We have long argued for an industry change from the typical linear economy of ‘making waste’ to a circular economy of ‘reduce – reuse – recycle – recover’.
Continued investment in our recycling plants, including our new aggregate washing plant at our Loanhead Quarry which opened in 2022, is testament to this.
www.malcolmgroup.co.uk
