Menzies Distribution seals major extension deal with packaging giant

Menzies Distribution has won a multi-year extension to its long-running distribution contract with aluminium packaging company Ball Beverage Packaging UK, aided by its commitment to help the company cut emissions by adding 30 new longer semi-trailers to its fleet.

The company provides aluminium packaging for customers in the beverage, personal care, household products, and aerospace sector and said Menzies’ willingness to find ways to cut emissions played a part in winning the extension to the contract, which has been running since 1998.

As part of the renewal, Menzies will introduce 30 new longer semi-trailers (LST) over the next 12 months, taking its fleet of 15.65m trailers to 97.

The LSTs will help remove almost 2,000 loads per year, which will cut CO2 emissions by 171 tonnes per annum and boost operational efficiency.

The deal also sees Menzies provide a range of services including just-in-time (JIT) inbound deliveries, outbound customer deliveries and factory clearance.

In addition, Menzies will continue to manage the warehouse operations at Milton Keynes and Wakefield.

The two teams will also continue to focus on the delivery of continuous improvement initiatives to drive further savings and improvements.

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Commenting on the renewal, Mark Davies, Menzies business unit director of transport, said: “Ball is a strategically important customer, so we are absolutely delighted to have secured an extension of our long standing relationship.

“Over the last few years, the Menzies team has successfully delivered a new warehouse and extended the scope of the distribution contract.

“We understand how important sustainability is to Ball, and the introduction of the new LSTs will deliver meaningful carbon reductions in this area.”

Mark Haslam, logistics director at Ball Beverage Packaging EMEA, said: “At Ball we’ve set ourselves ambitious and necessary climate change targets, which are in line with limiting climate change to 1.5 degrees and which have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

“This means making carbon reductions right across the business and we welcome collaborating with suppliers like MDS on adopting new technologies such as the LSTs, which will make measurable impacts in our supply chain.”

Menzies has recently won a welter of environmental awards which includes being named Green Fleet of the Year for the second consecutive year at the What Van Awards 2022, winning Logistics UK’s Green Fleet Van Operator of the Year, the Unipart Logistics award for Sustainability at the Supply Chain Awards and a prize for Green Innovation at the Logistics Leadership Awards.

Menzies has also announced plans to become net zero for Scope One and Scope Two emissions by no later than 2035 – 15 years ahead of the target date set under the Paris Agreement and in UK legislation.