MKM invests in green fleet vehicles

MKM Building Supplies has invested in six IVECO compressed natural gas (CNG) HGVs, as part of its wider commitment to sustainability.

The initial order of CNG trucks will bolster the existing delivery fleets of MKM’s branches in Newark, Bishops Auckland, Warrington and Crewe. The first two CNG HGVs were delivered to MKM’s Newark branch at the end of last month (25 November).

CNG is made by compressing natural gas (methane) down to less than 1% of its volume, creating a safe, sustainable and non-toxic fuel solution. This environmentally friendly fuel improves air quality by emitting less NO₂ and Particulate Matter, as well as reducing CO₂ by 95% when operating on Bio-CNG versus Euro VI equivalent Diesel. The trucks are also significantly quieter, just 71 dB(A) (Piek Quiet Truck) when running in Silent Mode. Bio-CNG is cleaner, more sustainable and more cost effective for fleets.  

The purchase of the six CNG-fuelled HGVs from IVECO further strengthens MKM’s relationship with the vehicle manufacturer, which supplies most of the existing vehicles in MKM’s 240-strong fleet. The new vehicles come fitted with an Atlas lorry mounted crane, maximising their versatility.

Shane Thompson, Head of Transport at MKM Building Supplies, said: “The delivery of the first six sustainable vehicles in the MKM fleet is an important step forward for the business. The new vehicles will not only further strengthen the fleets of Newark, Bishops Auckland, Crewe and Warrington, but will also serve as an exciting testbed for the impact of alternatively fuelled vehicles on our wider fleet.

“Investing in sustainable HGVs has long been a priority for MKM, and as a business we’ve thought long and hard about what a mixed fleet should look like. We chose CNG not just because of its obvious benefits in terms of carbon reduction, but also because of the existing infrastructure which makes such an investment viable at scale. With nine CNG fuelling stations currently active in the UK, including one opposite our Newark branch, and more to follow in the next few years, our CNG vehicles have access to a robust fuelling network.”

Rachel Constable, Head of ESG at MKM, continued: “It was great to see the first two of our CNG trucks arrive at our Newark branch earlier this month. CNG is an exciting proposition for businesses looking to make their fleets more sustainable and I’m delighted that MKM is investing in it.

“As a business, we are committed to strengthening our sustainability credentials and reducing our carbon footprint and updating our fleet provision will be an important part of that. In addition to our fleet activity, are also scaling up our customer offering of sustainable products, like air source heat pumps, and continuing to work in close partnership with our branch network on their own sustainability journeys”.