Customer case: Refresco

Sustainable, Brexit-proof and cost-neutral. This was the starting point for transforming Refresco’s supply chain. Together with Van den Bosch, the world’s largest independent bottler of beverages developed an intermodal solution for refrigerated transport of fresh juices. This ‘modal shift’ proved not only efficient but also halved CO₂ emissions.

“Refresco was looking for a solution for the bulk transport of fresh juices from Eastern Europe to the UK”, says Paul van de Vorle, Manager Business Development at Van den Bosch. “In recent years, their demand for fresh juices has grown and the increase has resulted in various supply chain challenges. We were asked to create a suitable solution.”  

Temperature-controlled transport
“Fresh juices shouldn’t stay in a tank container for too long because that could affect the quality of the product”, explains Van de Vorle. Together with Refresco, we developed an intermodal solution for temperature-controlled transport. The juices are shipped from Poland to the UK in refrigerated tank containers. “We use a combination of modalities: transport by road, rail and short sea. Thanks to our highly insulated equipment, the temperature never exceeds the agreed limit. This keeps the product quality optimal throughout the total transit time.”

Halving CO₂ emissions
By using multiple modalities on the Poland–UK route, Refresco achieves an impressive fifty percent CO₂ savings. “This makes a huge contribution to achieving their mission of supplying one hundred percent sustainable juices by 2030”, says Van de Vorle. “In addition, we now also offer Refresco the opportunity to manage Brexit-related issues by making refrigerated tanks available on demand in the port.”

Next step
The next step is to use higher volume temperature-controlled tank containers. Van de Vorle: “This will allow Refresco to transport ten percent more product volume. This will lead to an even more sustainable supply chain because the number of transport movements will decrease.” 

“Our partnership has allowed us to reduce our road haulage mileage by up to half a million miles per annum. With sustainability at the core of our strategy, the switch to intermodal transport has delivered a 50% reduction in CO₂ for those loads. Looking ahead to the UK’s exit from the European Union, the use of temperature controlled tanks will also mitigate against potential import delays keeping our product at the highest possible quality prior to packing.”

Want to optimise your supply chain?
Van den Bosch is proud to contribute to a better environment alongside the largest independent bottler in the world. Curious about the benefits we could deliver for your company? We would be happy to discuss the possibilities for optimising your supply chain.