Committed to reducing its carbon footprint, Heintz Transports, based in Saint-Avold in the Moselle region, has decided to use Altens’ PUR-100 (B100) biofuel, with the goal of reducing its CO₂ emissions by 3,000 tons by the end of 2025.
“It is deeply rooted in our DNA.” As Dominique Abisse, Managing Director of Heintz Transports, explains, the company has been committed for several years to an environmental approach aimed at reducing its carbon footprint.
“At the end of 2019, we implemented a global corporate project called “Route 2030.” This initiative structures our development around four pillars, including one dedicated to social and civic responsibility, which encompasses the issue of energy transition,” the executive continues.
The company, located in Moselle and operating 110 power units and 150 trailers and semi-trailers traveling throughout France, realized that vehicle energy consumption was its primary source of CO2 emissions.
“During a carbon footprint assessment conducted in 2022, out of the 16,000 t of CO2 emitted by the company, more than 11,000 t were attributable to our diesel consumption,” explains Christophe Veillet, Deputy Managing Director.
Reducing the Carbon Footprint with PUR-100
Faced with this finding, Heintz Transports decided in early 2024 to focus on the incorporation of Altens’ PUR-100 (B100) to drastically reduce its emissions. This biofuel produced from rapeseed, grown in France, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 60% and fine particle emissions by 80% compared to conventional diesel (B7). To date, 20 vehicles use this energy: 19 retrofitted vehicles and one B100-exclusive vehicle. These are divided between “own-account transport” (15 out of 60 vehicles) and “dedicated contract carriage” (5 out of 40 vehicles).
While Heintz Transports has set an ambitious goal of converting nearly 33% of its fleet to B100 by the end of 2025 to reduce CO2 emissions by 3,000 t, the company wishes to integrate this alternative fuel gradually: “Given the current impossibility of refueling with B100 anywhere other than our own pumps, we cannot convert our entire fleet because our sites are very close to each other. When you travel long distances, there is no way to refuel away from our bases.”
Not to mention the economic aspect. Indeed, the use of B100 results in “an additional cost of +3% compared to normal operations,” estimates Dominique Abisse. This increase in costs is notably linked to fuel overconsumption, which can fluctuate on average between +5% and +8%, as B100 has a lower caloric value than traditional diesel. “To prevent overconsumption from becoming more significant, we have implemented real awareness-raising and continuous training for drivers,” says Dominique Abisse.
Altens, a Partner Committed to the Energy Transition
To support this evolution, Heintz Transports chose to partner with Altens. A carefully considered choice, based on Altens’ ability to understand the operational and economic constraints of road freight transport stakeholders.
“Altens was able to offer tailored support. During our discussions with them, we felt we were talking to people who listened, who knew their subject particularly well, and who understood the various decarbonization solutions. They managed to take into account our objectives as well as our business model,” emphasizes Dominique Abisse. “We can also commend their excellent sales follow-up.”
“We are delighted with our collaboration with Heintz Transports. This committed industry player can thus achieve its environmental goals by using Altens’ PUR100, while actively participating in the industry’s energy transition,” says Etienne Valtel, Managing Director of Altens.