Roorda Transport Services first sustainable parcel deliverer PostNL
19 September 2012 at 12:45 CET – Hoofddorp / Leeuwarden – The PostNL parcels delivered in Leeuwarden are fuelled by carbon neutral Greengas (biogas) vans, thanks to a public-private partnership between Roorda Transport Services, OrangeGas, the municipality of Leeuwarden and PostNL Parcels. Roorda Transport Services is the first sustainable parcel deliverer in a nationwide PostNL Parcels programme to promote sustainability among independent parcel deliverers.
Last year, Roorda initiated the purchase of four vehicles that run on Greengas, in partnership with OrangeGas, which realises and operates 100% Groengas refuelling points and which is the frontrunner on the Dutch market. PostNL, already a Roorda services user, was pleased to accept a proposal from these two parties. PostNL even developed a nationwide programme stimulating more independent parcel deliverers to drive with sustainable transport means.
Laurens Tuinhout, director Sourcing & Sustainability at PostNL Parcels: ‘As one of the leaders in the worldwide Dow Jones Sustainability Index we must not stop at aiming at sustainability of our own activities alone. About 80% of our transport activities is carried out by subcontractors. With our nationwide programme we want to stimulate a larger number of independent parcel carriers to consider sustainable transport means. In this programme, we ask our transport partners to make additional investments in sustainable transportation, after which we offer them more certainty to recoup the investment. I am proud of being the first to do this together with Roorda, OrangeGas and the municipality of Leeuwarden.’
Marthijs Roorda from Roorda Transport Services: ‘I am glad that these partners have found one another. This proves that creative partnerships can lead to sustainable solutions that are profitable. By using Greengas I save on the costs per kilometre, due to the lower price and the lower maintenance costs, and moreover it is carbon neutral. Since OrangeGas keeps on expanding the network of Groengas refuelling stations, I can use an increasing number of refuelling stations.’
Marcel Borger, director of OrangeGas: ‘It takes the creative brains of entrepreneurs like Marthijs Roorda to see the opportunities for sustainability. This is why we embarked on this programme with Roorda Transport Services, PostNL and the municipality of Leeuwarden. By the end of 2012, there will be over one hundred refuelling points for Greengas and natural gas, including 50 from OrangeGas. In this way, a growing number of companies and private customers can benefit from cheap, carbon neutral driving.’
Sustainable mobility is one of the key aspects of the partnership agenda Smart with Water and Energy of the municipality of Leeuwarden and the province of Friesland. ‘There is future in Greengas. In Leeuwarden and the rest of the province of Friesland, an infrastructure with twelve refuelling stations provides sufficient coverage. Together with OrangeGas and the Leeuwarden business organisations our specialists inform interested companies about this sustainable fuel. The municipality also makes a subsidy available of 1,000 euro per car. Roorda and PostNL show that it works. It also contributes directly to our ambition that we do not want to depend on fossil fuels,’ says Isabelle Diks, alderwoman for sustainable development of the municipality of Leeuwarden.
About PostNL
PostNL processes 8.7 billion addressed postal items (including 106 million parcels) each year and delivers to addresses in the Benelux, Germany, the UK and Italy. PostNL’s main business is mail, parcels and e-commerce. The company also provides services in the area of data and document management, direct marketing and fulfilment. PostNL employs some 65,500 people. In 2011 the company generated a turnover of nearly 4.3 billion euros.
