How XPO Logistics and Saint-Gobain Will Drive Sustainability

The logistics sector faces mounting pressure to reduce emissions while maintaining operational efficiency. A partnership between Saint-Gobain and XPO Logistics could demonstrate how supply chain operators can address this challenge through strategic fleet electrification and infrastructure investment.

Saint-Gobain, the global leader in light and sustainable construction materials, is adding six new Volvo fully electric Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) to its fleet operating in the UK in partnership with XPO Logistics, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable end-to-end logistics solutions across Europe. The deployment represents a significant operational shift for the distribution network serving construction materials across the Midlands region.

According to XPO Logistics' proprietary intelligence technology, which calculates emissions savings, the investment in these six eHGVs will reduce CO₂e emissions by almost 800,000 kg per year, equating to 3,530 tonnes over the five-year term of the UK Government Zero Emission HGV & Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme. This is equivalent to the emissions produced by 2,353 UK households.

Infrastructure supports delivery operations

The success of electric fleet deployment depends heavily on charging infrastructure that can support operational schedules. Saint-Gobain and XPO Logistics have partnered with Gridserve to create a 'back to base supercharging' infrastructure at the Saint-Gobain Logistics Hub at Gotham, Nottinghamshire.

The six charging points will charge the eHGVs to 80% in just 90 minutes and fully charge them in under two hours.

This charging capability could prove crucial for maintaining delivery frequencies. The facility at the Gotham hub will support customer deliveries from both British Gypsum East Leake and the Saint-Gobain Midlands DC during the five-year programme, aiming to achieve two delivery cycles per vehicle per day across the Midlands.

The infrastructure investment demonstrates the operational commitment required for successful fleet electrification. The rapid charging capability ensures minimal disruption to existing delivery schedules while supporting the transition to zero-emission operations across the regional distribution network.

Dean O'Sullivan, CEO of Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland, says: "Trialling six zero-exhaust emission HGVs across the Midlands is another step forward for us. The extended operational trials of the all-electric vehicles are part of our wider journey to reduce the impact of our business and ultimately meet our goal to be a net-zero carbon business.

"We'll be working closely with customers during this period and our drivers to get their feedback and see how all-electric HGVs at scale can fit into our logistics service offer. We're excited to see what's possible as we push for cleaner, smarter deliveries that support our customers," Dean says.

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Real-world testing informs network efficiency

Saint-Gobain and XPO Logistics have been working closely on the electric HGV project for more than 18 months as part of the ZEHID project to bring 'Zero Carbon' deliveries to Saint-Gobain customers, with the first trial deliveries beginning in Q2 2026.

The innovative programme will see a 'real world' test of 'zero emission' electric HGV trucks over a five-year period, working in partnership and collaboration to make more than 12,000 customer deliveries for Saint-Gobain and avoiding more than 3,500 tonnes of CO₂e in the process.

The scale of this trial could provide valuable data on how electric vehicles perform within demanding distribution schedules. The ZEHID programme was officially launched in October 2023, when the UK Government announced £200m (US$268.5m) in funding to support innovative 'green' projects to roll out zero-emission HGV trials.

HGVs alone account for 20% of all transport emissions across the UK, so cutting these emissions as much as possible could have a significant positive impact. The six eHGVs ordered from Volvo will include five tractor units and one rigid unit, which will begin operating on the UK's roads between April and June 2026.

Abdi Ali, National Key Account Manager at Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland, says: "As part of our long-term partnership with XPO Logistics, we are constantly looking at ways to modernise and improve the environmental impact of its fleet.

"The addition of the six new Volvo FM Electric trucks marks another step forward and demonstrates XPO Logistics' confidence in the technology."

Dan Myers, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain – Europe, XPO Logistics, says: "This is the latest effort in our joint goal of doing business in a responsible way, working towards our shared target of reducing our emissions to zero with Saint-Gobain. This initiative moves us a significant step closer to sustainable construction."

Cross-border logistics operations expand

Outside the UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics also works closely with Saint-Gobain across Central and Southern Europe and Africa, specifically in Morocco, Spain, France and Portugal, providing end-to-end logistics.

The partnership enables top-class logistics management for Saint-Gobain across a wide range of building products, including building glass, high-quality insulation materials, the specialist transport of construction chemicals, fibreglass and reinforced fibres and natural fibres, plus performance ceramics and refractories.

In every country, the partnership is working to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net-zero operations in the most efficient way possible while maintaining exceptional customer service.

The multi-country approach allows both organisations to share best practices and operational insights across different regulatory environments. This coordinated strategy supports consistent emission reduction targets while adapting to local infrastructure capabilities and customer requirements across diverse markets.

For example, XPO Logistics will deliver the first electric truck to the Saint-Gobain Building Glass fleet at its Gennevilliers site in France next month. Regarding decarbonisation, XPO Logistics' global offer for decarbonisation solutions has helped Saint-Gobain in France save 1,900 tonnes of CO₂ by 2025, as per the calculation performed according to the ADEME (Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Énergie) standard (comparison between the carbon emissions of diesel versus those of HVO "Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil").