XPO and its strategic partner Schneider Electric have deployed a road-rail-ferry freight solution between France and the UK to drive down carbon emissions by almost half. The bespoke solution involves moving parts and components on round-trip runs between Schneider’s warehouse in Mions, France and its Telford production plant.

Containers of freight are first moved by road from Mions to the rail terminal in Venissieux, where they then move through the Eurotunnel or terminate at Dourges, where they cross the Channel by ferry. XPO’s HGVs then complete the deliveries to Telford.

“As a market leader in Europe, our growth strategy prioritizes innovation and continuous improvement. XPO excels at developing alternative transport solutions that align with our goals. Their new France-to-UK solution has been delivering more efficiency with less environmental impact from day one of the implementation,” said Klaids Lafon de Ribeyrolles, Vice President – Indirect Procurement for Schneider Electric.

By using rail and ferry to cover more than 650km of the journey, additional capacity has been created and carbon emissions are estimated to be reduced by 46% per year (172 tonnes of CO2) compared to road transport of 200 full truck loads.

“Our multimodal corridors are connecting key trade areas in Europe by road, rail, and sea in response to customer requests. These solutions deliver cost efficiencies and contribute to the decarbonization of supply chains. We are strongly committed to alternative transport solutions and will ensure that our valued partnership with Schneider Electric receives the full benefit of our innovation,” added Luis Gomez, President – Europe for XPO.

XPO has been a strategic partner to Schneider for 10 years, providing Schneider with full truckload, less-than-truckload, and multimodal services in France and Spain.