Present in 10 European countries and the Maghreb, JOST is active in the transport of goods in 11 different sectors. Environmentally aware, JOST was recently awarded the second “STAR” in the Lean and Green program. The company explains its sustainability efforts.
If you're used to being on the road, you've probably already come across the trucks of logistics company JOST. With a kangaroo as their logo, JOST vehicles are easily recognizable on Europe's highways. Recently, the European company earned its second STAR in the Green and Lean program, a European label that aims to reduce a company's supply chain CO2 emissions by at least 20% in a maximum of 5 years, focusing on at least 50% of transport and logistics activities.
JOST was founded in 1958 by Nicolaus JOST, before being taken over by his son Roland in 1985. From 20 trucks, JOST has grown to over 1,700 trucks, 4,000 trailers and 720,000 square meters of warehouse space. “We are present in 10 countries in Europe and North Africa. In terms of logistics, we have a major European hub based in the Liège region,” comments Véronique Hustin, Communication Officer at JOST.
“The company is active in the mass retail and last mile distribution sectors in the Benelux. We are also active in the container sector, where we are the leader in northern Belgium. In other words, we pick up containers in the ports and transport them over a greater or lesser radius, depending on customer requirements”, explains Véronique Hustin.
“JOST also transports chemicals and bitumen in ADR tankers, as well as bulk cereals and foodstuffs (tippers, tankers and bulks), and general cargo, palletized goods which we transport to the countries where we operate. Finally, freight forwarding by road, express inter-airport. As a European company, we work on a multimodal basis for customers with a wide variety of goods, in 11 different sectors”, adds Véronique Hustin.
JOST's strengths? “The main characteristic of JOST is that it combines a multimodal approach (river, sea, rail and road) with a wide variety of different trailer types, optimizing multiple combinations throughout Europe. We also have a very strong strike force. Overnight, we can go from two loads to 50 or 80 loads. We have a lot of highly-trained drivers who make this flexibility possible.
Lean and Green Award
Always striving to be at the cutting edge, JOST holds numerous certifications. The company recently received the second STAR in the Lean and Green program, attesting to JOST's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Since 2014, the company has been paying particular attention to its environmental impact and constantly adapting its processes. “This award is confirmation of the efforts we've been making for years. We're constantly adapting and improving,” advances Craita Doniga, Environment & Safety Advisor at JOST.
“It's a multi-layered process. First of all, we have to work on the fleet. We attach great importance to fleet renewal. Each time, the new trucks are more efficient, consume less fuel and are more comfortable for our drivers. We have bought LNG trucks that run on gas. This has helped us to reduce our emissions. So it's important to constantly work on the fleet as well as on fuel. Every day, we look at what's new,” says Craita Doniga.
“A third of our vehicles use LNG. We're the only company in Europe to have so many. The rest of the fleet can run on HVO, another alternative fuel that reduces CO2 emissions by 90%. Tests are also being carried out on electric vehicles and soon on hydrogen”, adds Véronique Hustin.
To avoid unnecessary journeys, JOST has its own LNG and diesel stations. “This helps reduce the number of kilometers driven,” explains Craita Doniga.
In addition to the equipment, JOST has also trained its drivers in eco-driving. “We have developed in-house software that gives the driver a score according to certain parameters such as braking, acceleration, use of terrain, etc. A report is sent to the trainers every week. The worst-performing drivers are referred to one of the 30 trainers to improve certain aspects of their driving. There's a real follow-up”, explains Craita Doniga.
JOST also uses technology to establish predefined routes that take into account various parameters. The aim is also to prevent trucks from running empty. Everything is optimized.
Competitiveness cluster
JOST is a member of the “Logistics in Wallonia” competitiveness cluster. The cluster helped JOST win the Green and Lean Award. “Logistics in Wallonia allows us to tackle topics we wouldn't necessarily have thought of. It gives us an insight into what's going on in the world of transport and logistics. It also opens doors for us”, conclude our two interlocutors.
