DPD UK Accelerates Towards Net Zero with EV & Innovation

DPD UK Accelerates Towards Net Zero with Electric Fleet & Green Innovation Sustainability Update Parcel company DPD UK confirmed in July that it is on target to deliver a 46% reduction in emissions by the end of 2024, equating to a total reduction of 167,664 tCO2e from the 2020 baseline. A third of its final mile van fleet is now electric and 95% of its transport fleet is running on HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil).

As part of Geopost, DPD UK has a Net Zero target of 2040, which is fully validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). DPD UK has confirmed that the UK operation is on track with the trajectory required to meet the group target.

DPD UK feature in T&L issue 268. Click to read

In its latest sustainability update, DPD outlined progress towards that aim including confirmation that a third of its final mile fleet is now electric, with an additional 350 EVs (4.25t Ford eTransits) being deployed over the next few months ready for peak, taking the EV fleet close to 4,000 strong.

Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability DPDgroup UK commented, “Six years into our sustainability journey and we are more committed than ever to delivering real benefits in terms of decarbonising our business and improving every aspect of our operation. While our fully validated Net Zero target remains 2040, we are working hard to bring through as much change and innovation as possible right now and, as these figures show, we are on track with the trajectory required to meet the group target and are making a real difference already. There will be harder challenges down the line, we are well aware of that, but we will continue to work with the best in the sustainability space and invest in the innovation required to get to where we want to be.”

HVO In November 2022 DPD announced that it would begin switching its entire diesel HGV fleet to HVO, (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil).

HVO is a direct drop-in replacement for diesel and can be used in any diesel engine without the need for modifications or capital expenditure. It is approved by vehicle manufacturers, and there is no degradation in performance. As a result, 95% of DPD UK’s 1,600 strong HGV fleet is now running on HVO, which reduces emissions by 83% compared to traditional diesel.

Docklands

In November 2023, DPD opened a new GBP40m London sortation centre in Bromley-By-Bow that will enable the firm to deliver up to 80,000 parcels into London each day on electric vehicles. Docklands is DPD UK’s flagship London sortation centre and the opening ceremony was performed by the then Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP, who praised the investment for helping to drive the sustainable economic growth the UK needs, in front of an audience comprising some of the UK’s leading online retailers. The new facility, which is the size of 8.5 football pitches, will create 650 new jobs when fully operational and will mean that DPD’s delivery service within London’s north and south circular area will be all-electric.

The innovative new site is a hybrid sortation and distribution facility. In addition to the parcel delivery operation, the 430 metre long state-of-the-art conveyor system will automatically sort all intra-London parcels for next-day delivery on-site, instead of them being trunked to the Midlands and back for sorting, as currently. As part of being a diesel-free operation, the site has solar panels on the parking canopy to help charge the 500 electric delivery vans and a 40,000 litre HVO tank to enable the fleet of LGVs and 7.5T trucks to fill-up. The facility also has solar panels on the main roof, which can generate up to 1 million kwh per annum to help power the entire building.

Elaine Kerr, DPD UK CEO commented at the time, “This represents a major milestone in our sustainability journey. We opened the UK’s first all-electric parcel delivery depot in Westminster almost exactly five years ago. Now Docklands demonstrates what is possible, on a much bigger scale. But this is far from the end. We are constantly looking for new and smarter solutions, and we will continue investing in sustainable innovation to accelerate our decarbonisation pathway.”

Robot deliveries

In July 2023, DPD confirmed plans to expand autonomous robot deliveries to 10 UK towns and cities in the UK, following a successful trial in Milton Keynes. In addition to Milton Keynes, the firm currently has robots delivering in Raunds (Northamptonshire), Bristol and Leeds with more locations planned for this year. The robots can deliver within a mile of the depot, utilising the existing network of footpaths.

Powered by AI technology, after manually ‘learning’ the routes, they are then able to find their way to delivery addresses, fully autonomously. Parcel recipients are notified of a robot delivery in advance, and once they confirm that they are at home to accept the parcel, the robot is dispatched. Customers will then be able to track the robot’s progress on a map and are notified when it reaches their property. They then use a code to open the secure compartment and access their parcel.

Once the compartment is closed, the robot will either continue to its next delivery or return to the depot. Tim Jones commented, “The robots have exceeded our expectations, and the feedback has been fantastic. We see people’s reactions when they meet them, and it is overwhelmingly positive. We set out to understand the role that robots could play in certain locations in the UK in terms of effectiveness and we have now identified more sites where we could deploy the robots successfully.”

National Sustainability Awards DPD was honoured at the prestigious 2023 National Sustainability Awards in London, winning the Sustainable Transport category.

At a glittering ceremony on The Strand at London’s Waldorf Hilton Hotel, DPD beat off stiff competition from six other companies to top the Sustainable Transport category. The annual National Sustainability Awards seek to highlight great innovation and breadth of impact across all sectors that can help build a more sustainable and better future. As well as highlighting best practice, the awards aim to show how society can, with good leadership, find a better path so that future generations will be able to live in a more sustainable world.

DPD was the only parcel carrier to feature in the event’s 100-strong shortlist and the win follows success at the same event the previous year when the firm scooped the Supply Chain Initiative award. Other high-profile winners on the night included NatWest, Bellway Homes, OVO, ITV and Arla Foods. The judges praised the breadth of DPD’s sustainability initiatives – which go well beyond the fleet of electric delivery vehicles – as well as highlighting innovations such as robot deliveries and the speed of progress towards Net Zero.

Tim Jones commented, “Sustainability is absolutely core to our business DNA and this award is recognition for the progress we are continuing to make across the whole operation.

From decarbonising our HGVs to the roll-out of our autonomous robot fleet, we are innovating across the board. We aim to be pioneers of sustainability in the UK’s transport sector and winning ten ‘green’ awards in less than three years is outstanding, independent endorsement that we are on the right track.”

Transport & Logistics – Driving The Industry Forward