Masters deploys Volvo FM Electric trucks for British Sugar operation
Masters Logistical has added two new Volvo FM Electric trucks to its fleet as part of its long-running logistics partnership with British Sugar. The battery-electric trucks will move sugar between British Sugar's manufacturing sites at Wissington and Bury St Edmunds, alongside the Masters distribution centre in Cambridgeshire. The operation currently handles more than 3,500 tonnes of sugar every week as part of a wider warehousing and distribution agreement between the two businesses.
Based on the Volvo Trucks Volvo FM Electric platform, the new vehicles are expected to save more than 100,000kg of CO2 emissions each year. The trucks will also allow Masters to assess how electric HGVs perform within a demanding high-volume logistics operation. Humanity continues trying to move enormous quantities of sugar around the country while pretending biscuits are "just a snack".
Progress takes many forms.
Supporting regional distribution work
The Volvo FM Electric range is designed for regional and urban operations, making it suitable for the regular shuttle work required between British Sugar's sites and the Masters distribution hub. Mark Stoodley, managing director of Masters Logistical, said the investment reflected the development of the relationship between the two companies. "Our partnership with British Sugar has grown significantly over the past few years and today plays a vital role in supporting their supply chain," he said. "Handling more than 3,500 tonnes of sugar every week requires a logistics operation that is both reliable and efficient.
Introducing electric trucks into the fleet allows us to continue developing that operation while working closely with British Sugar to explore practical ways of reducing emissions across the supply chain." The relationship between the businesses started in 2018 when Masters provided temporary warehousing support during an automation upgrade at British Sugar's Wissington site. Since then, the operation has expanded into a fully integrated logistics partnership handling more than one million pallets.
Masters became part of Knowles Logistics in 2022, bringing the business into the wider family-owned logistics group.
Wider electric fleet investment
Alex Knowles, chief executive officer of Knowles Logistics, said the addition of the Volvo FM Electric trucks formed part of the group's wider investment in lower-emission transport operations. "British Sugar is a very important customer to Masters and across the Knowles Logistics Group," he said. "The introduction of the two electric trucks into this operation demonstrates the strength of the partnership and our shared commitment to developing more sustainable logistics solutions. "As a group, we now have a total of 11 electric vehicles in our fleet and continue to invest in fleet innovation and new technologies that help support our customers' long-term ambitions."
British Sugar processes up to eight million tonnes of sugar beet annually across four UK manufacturing sites and works with around 2,300 growers nationwide. The company said reducing Scope 3 emissions linked to transport operations remains a key focus. Stewart Dickson, head of logistics at British Sugar, said: "Reducing Scope 3 emissions from our logistics fleet remains a core focus for British Sugar.
The introduction of two electric trucks into Masters fleet demonstrates not only our long-standing collaboration, but the ambition to invest in low and zero tailpipe emission vehicles for a cleaner and more efficient future."
The new Volvo FM Electric trucks will operate from the Masters Cambridgeshire base supporting daily sugar movements between British Sugar's two largest factories and the distribution centre.
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