After investing just under £300,000 in four new electric forklift trucks, Russell Roof Tiles now has a fully electric forklift fleet at its Burton on Trent production unit.
The latest delivery replaces its last remaining four diesel forklifts at the company's Nicolson Way site and marks an important milestone in its Environmental Improvement Plan to move away from fossil fuels and reduce its operational carbon footprint.
Supplied by longstanding partner Lansing Linde, the new trucks will also support continued manufacturing growth for the firm. Alongside removing diesel exhaust emissions at the point of use, the latest trucks incorporate features designed to improve site safety, visibility, and operator comfort.
The new yard trucks offer faster battery charging and are equipped with Linde's ‘BlueSpot' pedestrian warning system, reversing alarms, additional front and rear lighting, and panoramic mirrors. Three CCTV cameras record movements and driver behaviour, while speed limiters help ensure compliance with site safety rules.
Bruce Laidlaw, Operations Director at Russell Roof Tiles, said: "This latest investment demonstrates our continued dedication to utilising more sustainable technology. This builds on our electric forklift programme, which began in 2023 with almost £1 million invested in Linde ‘X' range trucks across our two Burton and Lochmaben operations in Scotland."
With all forklifts at the Burton tile factory now electric, the manufacturer is working to replace its one remaining diesel piece of equipment with an electric alternative. Subject to securing suitable equipment, this could make all mobile plant at the site 100% electric by the end of 2026.
Russell Roof Tiles EV transition forms part of an environmental improvement strategy rolled out across the company's sites, supporting its ambition to achieve Net Zero by 2040 and has been investing in reducing its carbon footprint for over ten years.
The firm's environmental strategy includes working to source materials locally; it was also the first British roof tile manufacturer to have achieved an ‘Excellent' rating for responsible supplier sourcing accreditation BES6001.
Russell Roof Tiles has also signed up to the SME Climate Hub, which is a government initiative aimed at getting SMEs in the UK on the path to Net Zero. The company has also achieved gold status with the Supply Chain Sustainability School, a multi-award-winning initiative that represents a common approach to addressing sustainability within supply chains.
