RMO
Our Mobile Milk Collection (RMO) transporters drive about 3.7 million kilometers annually to bring the milk from our dairy farmers to our factories. We achieve CO₂ reduction mainly by planning trips more efficiently and through additional measures from our carriers, such as the use of newer and cleaner trucks. Some of them also apply CO₂ compensation. Since August 2023, we have carried out a pilot with Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) with one of our RMO transporters. This is a biodiesel fuel produced from renewable sources such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and waste oils. The use of HVO in trucks results in a CO₂ saving of 90%. By implementing the entire pilot from August 2023 through April 2024, we have saved 534 tons of CO₂ in this period.
Transport to the Customer
In 2024, we looked at what opportunities exist to make our transport within Europe more sustainable. We made more use of rail and short sea shipping for destinations further within Europe, thereby reducing road kilometers. For the transport of finished products, we continue to carry out as much pre-transport to the ports by water as possible and optimally utilize loading capacity. In 2024:
- In Gorinchem, 93% of our finished products were transported by water (in 2022, this was 92%)
- In Scharsterbrug, 97% (in 2023: 89%)
- In Barneveld, 81% (in 2022, this was 82%)
We have also initiated studies on the use of electric transport and/or biofuel by our carriers.
Warehouse Expansion
In 2023, our own warehouse at our factories in Gorinchem was expanded, and in 2024 the warehouse in Barneveld as well. In Gorinchem, it concerns an expansion of about 2,500 pallet places. In Barneveld, we gained 11,000 additional pallet places. Due to these expansions of our warehouses, fewer kilometers are driven to and from external locations. We expect to save more than 600 trips in 2025.