Building a sustainable future together

In the world of transportation, sustainability is a prerequisite for growth and progress. For logistics service provider Tielbeke, this is no empty slogan. With the recent expansion of their fleet with three emission-free Volvo FM 4×2 Electric - two tractors and a rigid truck - the Lemelerveld-based family business, together with Volvo Trucks and others, is taking a big step towards emission-free distribution. "We have to do it together," says Gert Naber, Manager Fleet & Sustainable Innovation at Tielbeke. "And Volvo understands that like no other."

As a logistics service provider, Tielbeke has been working for years on increasingly sustainable operations. This involves not only making its own fleet greener, but also creating the right preconditions to realize those sustainability ambitions. Cooperation with partners plays a key role in this. One of those partners is Volvo Trucks. In close consultation with Volvo Trucks dealer Nijwa, Tielbeke is working step by step toward a future-proof, emission-free distribution chain. "You can't do it alone," he says firmly. "If you really want to work on electrification, you have to work together."

Leading the way in industry

Sustainability has been high on the agenda at the transport company for many years, with a fleet of 330 tractor units, 300 towed units and 40 vans. Tielbeke is actively committed to reducing CO2 emissions, both in urban distribution and long-distance transport. "We believe in doing," says Naber. "Taking small steps, but looking ahead. First hybrid and now electric driving is a serious alternative. But it has to remain realistic. That also means: first make sure the infrastructure is in order and only then invest in vehicles."

Exactly that philosophy underlies the joint charging plaza that Tielbeke opened with Nijwa on Botterweg in Zwolle. Located near the A28 highway and right next to Tielbeke's city hub, with a warehouse of more than 25,000 m², this is one of the first public charging plazas for electric trucks and delivery vans in the northeastern Netherlands. "Nijwa is a good neighbor of ours and we got the chance to take this on together," Naber says. "It's a bit of the chicken-and-egg story. If we would have emission-free trucks but no charging point of our own, there would be a problem. Now the charging station was there before both tractors and the bucket truck, but that has since been solved."

Commercial value

The charging bay paved the way for an investment in three FM 4×2 Electric vehicles with six packs, good for 540 kWh of battery capacity. On the Tielbeke side of the site, a 150 kW charger with two outlets has been installed plus several 22 kW AC chargers. On the Nijwa side are a 300 kW and a 400 kW fast charger. "A publicly accessible charging plaza was chosen so that other transporters can also use it. That only speeds up the transition and also offers commercial added value," Naber said. Presumably, the charging station will be scaled up further this year, as six more electric trucks are on order.

"We deliberately choose Volvo, but also deliberately not one brand," Naber emphasizes. "Reliability of the trucks is important, but also the support we receive in the electrification process. Like us, Volvo is in full swing and dares to invest in sustainable solutions." Confidence in the Swedish brand grew thanks to the acquisition of all transport activities of Central Bookstore in June 2023. "That has certainly been one of the reasons why we and Volvo Trucks have moved closer together. Tielbeke used to drive Volvo himself, but through CB we got to know the brand and the organization behind it again. That's ultimately where this purchase came from."

Technology change

The transition to zero-emission transportation requires a different approach. "The world of diesel was fairly chewed out," Naber states. "We had all the knowledge about that and regular suppliers we worked with. The technology change that zero-emission entails causes the cards to be reshuffled. You have to look for cooperation, and it makes sense to orient yourself broadly in the market. If you gather the right people around you, a lot is possible. In the end, we are all facing the same challenge in terms of sustainability."  

This change is also noticeable internally. Drivers who drive the electric Volvo respond predominantly positively. "Most are pleasantly surprised," says Naber. "In the beginning there was still some skepticism. After all, it is new technology that still has to prove itself. But I dare say confidence is growing. Some drivers enjoy driving an FM Electric so much that they are visibly upset when their truck has to go to the dealer for maintenance. Tielbeke believes in a future where sustainable transport is the norm. We work on that together every day."

Current in last mile

At Tielbeke, sustainability does not stop at the city limits. On the contrary: it is precisely in the last mile that the company usually makes the difference. Last mile delivery is not a separate activity at Tielbeke, but an integral part of the total logistics operation. Because of its complexity - think same-day delivery and return logistics - it does require its own approach. Tielbeke has found this in the Stroomlijn concept, a delivery service that cleverly responds to cooperation in white-label constructions. Electric vehicles are indispensable here. "With the electric trucks, we literally set the Stroom Line in motion," he says with a laugh.