“At ŠKODA we are constantly working on ways to make the logistics more efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly,” says Jiří Cee, Head of Brand Logistics at ŠKODA AUTO. “The area of logistics is fully committed to the objectives of the ‘Green Future’ sustainable development strategy. Our new 4-in-1 transport solution is an important step in achieving our ambitious environmental targets.”
ŠKODA AUTO has developed an innovative 4-in-1 packaging system in cooperation with the packaging supplier company Pilous for shipping painted bodies from the main plant in Mladá Boleslav to the Indian plant in Aurangabad. The Czech automobile manufacturer uses novel wooden constructions, specially made for each model series, to optimize the use of the cargo space in a container. The clever carrier systems arrange two bodies horizontally on the floor and two others diagonally above in the limited space. Manufacturing parts can also be fitted into appropriate gaps in the wooden construction and secured for transport.
The 4-in-1-loading technology reduces the number of containers by a quarter. This saves ŠKODA AUTO well over 800 tonnes of CO2 per year on the 13,270-kilometre transport route. Nearly all materials used can be recycled.
Resource-efficient logistics solutions have a tradition at ŠKODA AUTO: the Mladá Boleslav car manufacturer was using recyclable wooden constructions for container transport as early as 2000 and progressively developed this technology. Before the millennium, two vehicles were sent to India in each container; by 2006, there were three body shells, including all hardware needed for the final product. Further advancements and comprehensive field tests have since enabled ŠKODA AUTO to implement their 4-in-1 transport system.
This even greener logistics solution has now received an award from the Czech Packaging Association SYBA. From the many proposals submitted in the automotive category, the jury selected ŠKODA’s 4-in-1 container system for ‘Packaging of the Year 2016’. The official award ceremony takes place on 3 November at the SpeedCHAIN conference in Prague.
ŠKODA AUTO bundles all their environmental activities under the umbrella of the ‘GreenFuture’ strategy that rests on three pillars: ‘Green Product’ is concerned with the development of environmentally sound vehicles – both in terms of fuel consumption, and recycling capabilities. The brand supports their dealerships with ‘Green Retail’ and servicing garages in environmentally friendly economies. ‘Green Factory’ is primarily concerned with running as resource-efficient production as possible. This pillar also includes the field of ‘Green Logistics’ for sustainable logistics solutions.
