Burton on Trent based pitched roof tile manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles, continues its commitment to sustainability by investing in a fleet of electric forklift trucks.

The company began its sustainability mission five years ago with the long-term ambition of reducing emissions that damage the environment and improve operational efficiency.

The switch to electric is just one of the small changes being made across its two sites, located on Nicolson Way and Wetmore Lane in Burton, and forms part of its wider sustainability mission to become Net Zero by 2040, ten years ahead of the Governments plan.

The £900,000 investment follows on from months of trials that demonstrated Linde Material Handling, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of forklift trucks, had the most eco-friendly range that were easy to handle and efficient for the team.

The electric forklifts will be used across all three sites (inc one in Scotland) to enhance performance and stop harmful CO2 levels being produced into the air, as well as achieving long-term high productivity levels.

Bruce Laidlaw, Operations Director comments,

“The switch to electric is key for us to continue reducing our emissions and forms part of our bigger picture to becoming Net Zero. Our investment in the forklifts is another step towards our sustainability goal so we’re looking forward to receiving the new arrivals.”

The battery-operated vehicles can perform beyond the limits of conventional electric trucks and can master steep gradients and operate within dusty and dirty environments.

Chris Probert, Account Manager at Linde Material Handling (UK) commented:

“We are pleased to be part of Russell Roof Tiles’ pledge to become Net Zero by 2040.The introduction of our new electric trucks will play a big part in reaching this goal. We look forward to working together for many years to come.”

The new electric forklift trucks are set to arrive later this year and will create a more efficient and greener way of working for Russell Roof Tiles. The electric forklifts are an investment for the future and aim to encourage other industry frontrunners to follow their lead and shift to electric too.

Russell Roof Tiles provides roofing solutions for leading UK house builders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects, where sustainability and eco-credentials are of the utmost priority.

www.russellrooftiles.com