'Practical changes': Keighley logistics firm Joda Freight investing £250,000 in solar panels and electric forklifts
A West Yorkshire logistics specialist is going the extra mile with investment in its sustainability strategy.
Keighley-based Joda Freight has invested more than £250,000 in green technology, including installing solar panels on the roof of its warehouse and switching its diesel forklift trucks to electric. Further investments in electric vehicles will be made later in the year.
The photovoltaics are being installed in two phases; panels have been installed on half the roof initially, with plans to cover the remaining roof area and add battery storage for overnight charging.
Its aim is to generate and store enough solar power to be able to charge its entire electric forklift fleet daily.
Joda Freight has replaced its diesel forklifts with electric models across three of its four sites.
Kieron Talbot-Sykes, operations director at Joda Freight, said: “As a company whose services rely on transport operations, we cannot fully eliminate diesel trucks, so our focus is on practical changes and efficiency improvements to reduce emissions wherever possible.
“The solar panels generated more power than we used on their first day in situ, so we are confident that the project will significantly reduce our emissions.
“Our customers, which include major supermarkets and high street brands, are increasingly requesting green solutions and that has encouraged us to trial and invest in sustainable solutions, including forklift trucks and electric vehicles.
“We also use a sophisticated transport management system that generates reports for individual customers detailing their logistics carbon footprint, using accurate data rather than estimates.
“All of these measures are enabling us to grow as a business by offering the best and most sustainable service for our customers.
“That’s enabled us to achieve the strongest four months in the history of the company and we’re expecting to see that growth continue for the remainder of the year.”
Joda Freight, which was established 40 years ago, is a founding shareholder member of the Pallet-Track network and provides coverage across the Leeds area.
It plans to purchase two rigid electric vehicles later in the year to support the growth in pallet deliveries via the network.
Stuart Godman, CEO at Pallet-Track, said: “We are delighted to see Joda Freight join us on our sustainability journey and to watch the company making serious investments to reduce its carbon output is wonderful.
“Joda Freight is a very well-respected shareholder member of Pallet-Track and in addition to future-proofing their operations, their commitment to investing in green technology will benefit our entire pallet network which we thank them for.”