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11. February 2021Coca-Cola and DB Cargo join forces to handle beverage transport over long distances between 13 locations of the leading German beverage manufacturer by rail. Rail logistics replace three million truck kilometers. Consistent flexibility is crucial for customers.
(Mainz/Berlin) The transport sector is a major driver of CO2 emissions in Germany: Therefore, the beverage manufacturer Coca-Cola is increasingly shifting long-distance transports between its locations to environmentally friendly rail, with DB Cargo playing a key role in ensuring timely rail logistics. Since February, new routes have been connected to the rail network. By mid-year, a nationwide “rail freight network” for Coca-Cola will be established, incorporating 13 locations. The main winner is the climate. With the new, environmentally friendly transport route from DB Cargo, approximately 1,900 tons of CO2 will be saved annually. And there will also be more space on the highways: about three million truck kilometers are expected to be saved each year on long-distance connections.
Pilot Project Since 2016
“Coca-Cola is best enjoyed cold. And cool for the climate is that Coca-Cola beverages are now also transported by rail over long distances in Germany,” says Dr. Sigrid Nikutta. As a member of the DB executive board for rail freight transport, she states: “For consumer goods, the mix of long rail transfers and the last mile by truck to the customer is ideal. Together, we have realized a logistics network for Coca-Cola that is unique in Germany, with 13 locations in the consumer goods sector.” The goal of a strong DB Cargo is to convince even more customers in Europe of the advantages of rail logistics, according to Dr. Sigrid Nikutta.
Coca-Cola and DB Cargo began a pilot project in 2016 to bring domestic long-distance transport onto the rail. Since then, the services have been gradually expanded: “We produce largely regionally and have predominantly short delivery routes. Where this is not possible, we increasingly rely on rail. This year, we are therefore building a network with DB Cargo consisting of 19 routes between our locations,” says Tilmann Rothhammer, Managing Director of Customer Service and Supply Chain.
Quick Access to Rail Transport
“This is mainly possible because we can commission rail freight transport with DB Cargo just as quickly as road transport – in just three days. Since demand can fluctuate suddenly, this flexibility is particularly important for us as a consumer goods company. It helps us shift more to rail and achieve our ambitious goal of a climate-neutral business by 2040,” Tilmann further explains.
Coca-Cola aims to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions across the entire value chain by 30 percent by 2030 compared to 2019 and to become climate-neutral by 2040.
Facts and Figures at a Glance: Coca-Cola with DB Cargo on Rail
- Since 2016, rail freight transport has been expanded for long distances between locations in Germany
- 2020: 1.7 million truck kilometers and 1,000 tons of CO2 saved
- 2019: 1.4 million truck kilometers and 700 tons of CO2 saved
- 2018-2020: Doubling of locations in the rail network from five to eleven
- 2018-2020: Doubling of routes in the rail network from four to nine
About DB Cargo – Deutsche Bahn
DB Cargo is the freight transport division of Deutsche Bahn.
More than 30,000 employees operate over 3,600 trains daily across 18 countries in Europe plus China. The annual operational performance replaces up to 22 million truck trips per year, saving around 7 million tons of CO2 annually compared to road transport.
About Coca-Cola European Partners Germany
Coca-Cola European Partners Deutschland GmbH (CCEP DE) is the largest German beverage company with a sales volume of more than 3.8 billion liters (2019). It is responsible for the bottling, sale, and distribution of Coca-Cola brand products in Germany. CCEP DE serves approximately 325,000 trade and hospitality customers and employs around 7,500 people. CCEP DE is part of Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP), one of the leading consumer goods manufacturers in Europe. CCEP serves over 300 million consumers in 13 countries with a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages.
Photo: © DB Cargo
