DB Cargo Logistics Supports Mercedes-Benz in Sustainability

DB Cargo Logistics helps Mercedes-Benz on the path to a sustainable business strategy. Since the beginning of the year, the rail transport in inbound logistics has been switched to a CO2-free energy supply. This represents the next step towards CO2-neutral mobility at Mercedes-Benz.

(Mainz) DB Cargo Logistics supports Mercedes-Benz in implementing its sustainable business strategy and is taking the next step towards CO2-neutral mobility together with the automobile manufacturer: At the beginning of the year, rail transport in inbound logistics was switched to a CO2-free energy supply.

Since January 1, 2020, DB Cargo Logistics has been transporting production materials for car plants in Germany and towards Hungary using green electricity. The transport via the rail network is continuously being expanded and permanently supplemented with sustainable and digital innovations. This is a milestone for the automobile manufacturer’s inbound logistics: The rail transport of vehicle components is now CO2-free. This affects the connections to the plants in Bremen, Rastatt, Sindelfingen, Hamburg, Kuppenheim, Untertürkheim, and MDC Power GmbH in Kölleda, as well as the majority of the route to the Hungarian plant in Kecskemét. “We are pleased that the approximately 270 truck loads per day no longer have to take the road and that rail transport can now also be produced with green electricity,” says Katharina Weiss, the responsible account manager at DB Cargo Logistics.

Rail Transport with Green Electricity

This is achieved with the product DBeco plus – DB Cargo determines the energy consumption of the specific transport and purchases the required amount of green electricity. For rail transports in Germany and Austria, green electricity is used, which is sourced exclusively from domestic renewable energy sources – currently mainly from hydropower plants. The green electricity replaces the classic rail electricity mix to the same extent. Additionally, DB Cargo promotes the expansion of renewable energies and reinvests 10 percent of the revenues from DBeco plus – most recently in the expansion of a hydrogen hybrid power plant. DB Cargo’s customers thus protect the environment in two ways. DBeco plus is available on all electrified routes in Germany and Austria.

CO2-Free Transport Only Possible by Rail

“An important building block for CO2-neutral production is CO2-free transport, which is only possible by rail. To achieve this goal, we offer our customers the perfect product DBeco plus. For Mercedes-Benz, we have been demonstrating true entrepreneurial spirit as a lead logistics provider and integral part of the logistics chain for many years, and we are committed to expanding the network CO2-free to additional new locations,” says Martin Fildebrandt, key account manager at DB Cargo Logistics.

Sustainability has always been an integral part of the automobile manufacturer’s global production network. The reduction of CO2 is one of the central areas of action in the more than thirty plants – and the switch to CO2-free rail transport is a significant step.

Photo: © Daimler

www.dbcargo.com www.daimler.com