Södra works actively in many ways to reduce the impact of transportation on the surrounding environment. One way is to minimise the driving of empty trailers. This is done through return transports. We also try to exchange timber with other operators, primarily pulp wood and sawmill chips, so that we do not need to transport timber great distances. Wherever possible and for longer distances and greater volumes, we always use the railways.
We are also actively working on optimising and minimising fuel consumption. This is done through computerised logistics planning and fuel-efficient vehicles. Driving in a more environmentally-friendly manner is another way to reducing emissions from lorry transports and it is something we encourage. We have trained our employed drivers in “Heavy ECO Driving”.
In cooperation with the Swedish Road Authority and other companies with transportation needs, Södra participates in the Forum for Sustainable Transportation project which aims at both safer and more environmentally friendly transportation. In order to further reduce the environmental impact in the long-term, we are also participating in several research projects concerning alternative fuels, such as the BLG programme and the CHRISGAS project.
Södra’s own lorry fleet illustrates that it is possible to have a modern vehicle fleet with a low average age of only 2.4 years. Modern engines produce lower emissions. All vehicles driving for us have to run on envirodiesel, use biodegradable hydraulic oil and do not have HA oil in the tyre treads.