Following a historic commitment to environmental best practices, Buffaload Logistics has recently expanded its LNG fleet with the addition of 20 new FH Aero LNG tractor units, expanding its LNG fleet up to a total of 66 gas-powered units.
Buffaload Logistics (founded in 1995 and incorporated in 2005) is an industry-leading provider of temperature controlled transportation solutions. Supporting many of the UK’s major supermarket chains, the organisation has developed a proud reputation for service excellence and in its ability to offer a comprehensive logistics service tailored around the needs of its customer base; this notably includes: collections, consolidation and cross-docking, warehousing and static storage as well as temperature controlled deliveries into retailer regional distribution centres across the width and breadth of the UK and the North and South of Ireland.
Buffaload Logistics presently maintains an expansive fleet of vehicles, including over 300 double deck trailers (each with a 44 pallet capacity) and 160 tractor units (66 of which being gas-powered). This is supported by storage capacity in excess of 163,600 cubic metres to offer significant capacity for larger customers and to ensure the maximum level of responsiveness to their day-to-day needs and requirements – a particular area of distinction.
Where Buffaload Logistics truly stands apart from key competitors is in its responsiveness and agility. The firm is known for its flexibility and the more personal nature of its service, including a hands-on approach from the company’s owner. However, it’s not just about the company’s structure; it’s the “can-do” culture fostered within Buffaload that is central to the firm’s success.
Offering further information on the matter, Jacqueline Barnett, Brand Marketing and Communications Officer for Buffaload Logistics & Facilities explained: “Service continuity is managed by our excellent colleagues being willing to go the extra mile to complete the task. At Christmas 2019 we had a flood at our Ellington depot. Our owner and CEO Ross Taylor and the team moved the Ellington operation to another Buffaload site overnight and there was no pause in our service. This ‘can-do’ state of mind is backed up by our own VMUs at Crewe and Ellington, which keep units and trailers in tip top condition at all times.”
Furthermore, Buffaload Logistics is supported by a network of mobile tyre fitters and engineers to ensure maximal responsiveness during unforeseen incidents or challenges, even when the vehicles are at distance from the company’s depots. When coupled with 24/7, 364 days per year operation, this ensures a consistent level of availability and optimal service to individual customer requirements, come rain or shine.
Investment into the Fleet: Environmental Strategy and Commitments
Motivated by Ross Taylor’s passion and dedication to environmental regeneration and affirmed by the needs of Buffaload’s customer base, the organisation are well advanced in the journey towards greater sustainability. Buffaload were pioneers in the use of lifting floor, refrigerated double decker trailers, developing the UK’s largest, independently owned fleet, with the strategy to maximise load efficiencies (bolstering pallet capacity from 26 to 44 pallets per vehicle) and to reduce road miles travelled.
In recent years, Buffaload Logistics has increased its focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing its journey toward de-fossilizing operations. As early adopters, they took a bold step by investing in an LNG fleet in 2020, acquiring 43 LNG-fueled Volvo tractor units. This investment delivered an immediate 20% reduction in tailpipe carbon emissions. Since then, the firm has continued to build on these investments, expanding the number of LNG vehicles in the fleet, including the recent acquisition of 20 FH Aero LNG 6×2 tractor units. This brings the total LNG fleet size to 66 vehicles, delivering a 25% reduction in carbon emissions, and, when combined with the double-deck trailers, results in a total CO2e reduction of 45%.
Commenting on the purchase of the 20 new tractors and how it fits into the firm’s wider sustainability strategy, Ross Taylor, Founder and CEO of Buffaload, explained: “Every fleet decision we make now is driven by our impact on the environment. We have been running gas powered Volvos for the best part of five years, very successfully. The technology works well for our operations. By the middle of 2025 we will have 85 LNG trucks on the road, and we are determined to continue on this pathway.”
Aerodynamically designed for fuel-efficiency, each of the new Volvo FH Aero units feature 460 hp gas-powered engines capable of delivering the same performance as the diesel alternative. They are fitted with Volvo’s CMS rear view camera system (as opposed to traditional exterior mirrors) to increase driver field of view along with the deployment of auto-panning functionality to follow the rear of the trailer as it turns. Notably, the vehicles also include Volvo’s advanced warning and emergency breaking systems to minimise accidents out on the road.
Aside from adding LNG tractors, Buffaload Logistics has been working with Greenly, a carbon accounting software that has enabled the firm to better benchmark its emissions and track the progress of its carbon reduction initiatives. While the results of Buffaload Logistics’ operations in 2024 are not yet available, the firm earned a Silver Medal in 2023 within the scheme, placing it in the top 15% of all companies associated with Greenly. According to Greenly, these medals recognize companies like Buffaload Logistics that have demonstrated a true commitment to effectively reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to environmental preservation.
So, what’s next for the business with sustainability at its heart? In 2025, Buffaload will complement its previous fleet investments with further infrastructure developments, including its own supply of biogas. The LNG Volvos will run directly on biogas, allowing the business to achieve an impressive 98% reduction in tailpipe emissions. Importantly, this move is also expected to deliver significant advantages to customer’s carbon reduction targets.
“To meet our sustainability commitments, we feel that biogas is the only option in long distance distribution work, and we are very excited to see what these latest generation trucks can deliver,” clarified Ross Taylor. “We have plans to produce our own gas from organic waste via an anaerobic digestion system. That’s our route to Net Zero and will allow us to offer our customers a truly sustainable transportation solution.”
Transport & Logistics – Driving The Industry Forward
