The introduction of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) vehicles to its fleet has helped a pioneering heating, plumbing, and air movement materials supplier significantly reduce its carbon footprint. TGLynes started using HVO in two of its 18-ton Euro six lorries late last year. HVO is a cleaner alternative to diesel and is manufactured from 100 percent renewable and sustainable waste, including vegetable oil, tallow, and used cooking oil.
The lorries are refueled by a 10,000-liter HVO tank installed at its Enfield base, producing additional benefits including significant time efficiencies and cost savings. The switch has proved so successful both environmentally and economically that TGLynes is now considering rolling out HVO across all of its heavy goods vehicles.
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John O’Connell, Transport Supervisor at the business, said: “We made the decision to try HVO in two vehicles to see how it worked. We knew that our carbon emissions from these two vehicles would reduce by around 90 percent, but we hadn’t fully appreciated the additional benefits the move would bring. The MPG of each vehicle has improved. These Class 2 vehicles tend to do quite short journeys within the M25 with plenty of stopping and starting. When we were using regular diesel the MPG averaged 11.5. During a similar month this year, with comparable journeys completed, it was 13 MPG."
Furthermore, lorries of this size need to use specific fueling stations to re-fill with diesel"
O’Connell added, "Furthermore, lorries of this size need to use specific fueling stations to re-fill with diesel. This takes planning and time. With our HVO tank on site, there is no queuing or forethought required – the fuel is waiting each morning, allowing us to get on with our deliveries. There’s also the benefit of fuel security. As we saw last year, fossil fuel disruption is not unheard of. Should the country face shortages again, we will have the benefit of a stable supply on site. It’s been a really positive test and we are considering rolling out HVO across other vehicles in the fleet – and perhaps, in time, across all of them.”
Course of 2023
The projected carbon saving through the course of 2023 through the two HVO lorries is 15 tons – the approximate amount an average car would emit were it to drive once around the world.
As well as serving a strong customer base in London, TGLynes also makes regular deliveries to areas including Oxford, Cambridge, and Brighton. Less frequent deliveries are made to places such as Birmingham, Nottingham, Peterborough, Manchester, and even Newcastle. TGLynes has an array of different vehicles in its fleet to meet the needs of any sized delivery.
TGLynes’ e-bike
The business has 7.5-ton lorries in both long-wheelbase and short-wheelbase form
As well as the 18-ton DAF lorries, the business has 7.5-ton lorries in both long-wheelbase and short-wheelbase form. The long-wheelbase lorries are generally used for multi-drop jobs within the M25, while the short-wheelbase vehicles have an increased payload of around three tons.
There are also two 3.5-ton panel vans, perfect for carrying pipe up to four meters in length, and five open-back dropside vans, which have a slightly better payload and can carry materials up to six meters in length. A Nissan Navara is used for long-distance deliveries while, at the other end of the spectrum, TGLynes’ e-bike is perfect for short-distance deliveries of small parts.
Advancements in hydrogen power
John, who has been with TGLynes for 10 years, said: “It is good to have a diversity of fleet vehicles, which gives us a real flexibility to serve all our customers in the most appropriate way. We are also making real strides in lowering our fleet’s carbon footprint, which is a key goal of the business as a whole.”
John said the company is also exploring the possibility of bringing electric lorries and vans to the business, as well as keeping tabs on the advancements in hydrogen power. TGLynes offers a daily delivery service, with the first vehicles on the road at 6 a.m. TGLynes stocks industry-pioneering brands and supplies thousands of products including valves, steel and copper tubes and fittings, press systems, composite and plastic plumbing, drainage solutions, and support systems and tooling. An extensive plant hire service is also available.