More craneable trailers, less CO2 emissions
More than 450,000 loads shifted from the roads to the intermodal network in 2021.
Quantitative growth is one thing, sustainable development another. Lkw Walter has decided to further ramp up its commitment to intermodal operations from west to east. To this end the intermodal operator has augmented its capacities by more than 2,000 craneable trailers in 2021. This 15% increase brings its total to more than 13,000 such units, which are a key to ecological transport services.
The acquisition of further trailers is an important part of Lkw Walter’s business strategy, which has been designed to further expand intermodal transport operations all across Europe.
One of the truck haulier’s priorities is the further development of the intermodal concept. Essentially it’s based on the flexible expansion of additional freight space with modern and craneable equipment with the lowest possible environmental impact. All of these activities are carried out under the agenda of furthering ‘green’ transport.
Intermodal operations save resources
Lkw Walter’s craneable trailers are equipped with all of the state-of-the-art features. For example, the trailers have GPS tracking facilities, are certified for load safety according to the strict ‘DIN EN 12642 Code XL’ standard, and are equipped for the requirements of intermodal transport.
Lkw Walter organises pre-carriage and on-carriage in the road network in a resource-saving way for the long-haul railway transport options it offers, which means that tractors with alternative forms of power can be combined in these transport solutions with low CO2 emissions”. This sustainably improves a shippers’ ecological footprint and creates further solutions to overcome supply chain bottlenecks, which are currently a significant hurdle in many transport tasks.
The trailers can be integrated 1:1 into existing trailer standby systems at both loading and unloading points. The drivers are also happy about this technical improvement, as they no longer have to wait for loading and unloading. Their driving and rest time schedules can be better adapted to their needs in the course of planning their daily routes.
New routes; higher frequencies
In the course of its intermodal activities, Lkw Walter develops a new product almost every six months. On the one hand there are new routes, on the other hand the firm increases its frequencies, in order to increase capacities on existing routes and optimise transit times.
“We shift a third of all our FTL loads to our European intermodal network.”
The credo behind this was explained by the executive management team of the company’s board. “Together with our employees we want to minimise the impact of all our transport services on the environment. That’s why we already shift more than a third of all our full truck loads to our intermodal network in Europe.”
However, the company also relies on closing ranks with shippers. “We’ve noticed that many of our customers have been rethinking their processes for some time now. In addition to securing capacity and strengthening the supply chain, the sustainable mapping of transports through solutions with low CO2 emissions plays a significant role. As a European intermodal transport pioneer, Lkw Walter’s claim since the 1980s has been to offer the best solutions in every respect – in line with the economic and ecological supply chain requirements of our customers.”
Targets for 2021 to 2024
In 2021 this strategy will shift more than 450,000 transports from the road networks to intermodal transport, which goes easier on the environment. This corresponds to a CO2 reduction of 400,000 t.
The investments for this are considerable – and promise a brighter future. Lkw Walter is planning to consistently expand its own trailer fleet through to its 100th anniversary in 2024, in order to reduce CO2 emissions by 600,000 t a year. The company has therefore set itself ambitious additional goals for the next three years.
With further annual investments the company’s craneable trailer fleet will be gradually expanded and Lkw Walter’s European intermodal network will become ever-more closely knit.