Woodland Group and Ball cut carbon emissions by 82% through optimized rail transport

12 Dec 2022 --- Global supply chain company Woodland Group has equipped Ball Beverage Packaging with a new rail route within the transport chain, which has reduced Ball’s inbound supply chain carbon emissions by 82%.

The Woodland Group implemented the rail route at its Doncaster, England, facility, which has resulted in 4.35 times fewer carbon emissions across 1,442 forty-foot equivalent containers. The railway reduced carbon emissions by 886 metric tons than if all the containers traveled by road. 

“Woodland is working with clients to analyze their supply chains’ carbon impact reports to set goals to reduce emissions by assessing sourcing, transport choices, alternative routing and modes such as rail, choosing our carbon-conscious fulfillment options, switching to greener final mile alternatives and improving empty running miles,” Luke Fermor, head of fulfillment for Woodland Group tells PackagingInsights. 

“Achieving 82% reduction on emissions on inland freight so far as a result is a credit to our collective teams’ commitment, innovative thinking, and collaborative approach, and we’re excited to build on this further,” he continues. 

The FirstGB Railfreight train comes into iPort Rail in Doncaster.The packaging industry has more eyes on material emissions reduction rather than transportation emission reduction. Ball says it is focusing on a neglected sector of the supply chain to make it more environmentally sustainable. 

Carbon-based partnership
The partnership was forged in February 2021, while the carbon reductions were recorded between March 2021 and September 2022.

“We have approved a science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goal, and as part of that, a variety of GHG sources will have to be addressed,” Mr.Bjoern Kulmann, vice president of sustainability at Ball Corporation, tells us.

“For Ball, the vast majority of emissions stem from the aluminum we use and, through our circularity initiatives, further lightweighting, and by working with the aluminum value chain on decarbonizing primary and secondary aluminum production, we are positive we can achieve our goals.”

The partnership with Woodland Group reduced the cost and energy consumption for Ball by 70% by installing motion sensing and lux-level detection LED lighting at the Doncaster site.

The railway has also led to Ball’s freight trucking system running more efficiently, leading to fewer demurrage penalties for the late collection of containers and goods compared to the previous year. Ball focuses on reducing transportation emissions as means to reach environmental goals. 

Both companies have identified where reductions could be achieved in the future through a carbon calculator tool and strive to head in that direction. 

Future reductions 
Together the companies “shared vision with sustainability objectives to create tangible change is incredibly encouraging for us and our industry’s future. Together we are already looking at new objectives for future development of carbon-conscious solutions that create opportunity and deliver sustainable supply chains,” adds Fermor. 

“One single step will not have a huge effect, but if Woodland and Ball can demonstrate what is possible to other suppliers and customers in the same supply chain, it will all have a positive impact and create change for a better future,” he continues.

The collaboration was enacted as a means of Ball further pioneering its carbon-conscious supply chain projects and encouraging the development of solutions that will drive down emissions right across the fulfillment value chain.

“We are actively finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint by moving to intermodal solutions and alternative fuels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa,” concludes Harrison. 

By Sabine Waldeck