REMONDIS Südwestfalen GmbH is setting a good example at its Soest location in Germany. Sustainability lies at the heart of what the municipal and commercial waste management company – one of the world’s largest waste disposal and recycling service providers – is striving to achieve. And REMONDIS is also helping to conserve resources beyond its core business. The recycling experts, who operate in more than 30 countries, also work with sustainable solutions on a local and detailed level, supported increasingly by digital technologies. “As part of their focus on environment-friendly fleet management, the company uses our Conti360° Solutions package of services – including premium tires, ContiConnect digital tire management and hot-retreaded tires,” reports Annika Lorenz, Continental’s head of fleet management for the replacement tire business in Germany. “A digitalised fleet enables you to plan ahead when it comes to maintenance and servicing, and that makes it an effective tool for cutting CO2 emissions and looking after resources.” For customers like REMONDIS, these are areas that can make a difference on a day-to-day basis. “We gain from greater fleet efficiency, a reduction in fuel consumption of up to ten percent and an increase in tire mileage,” explains Gerhard Pomberg, Operations Manager Logistics at REMONDIS in Soest. As well as benefitting the environment, these are also major factors in customer satisfaction. “We are showing that cost-effectiveness and sustainability go together very well,” adds Pomberg. “At the same time as delivering our services to our customers, we are also helping them to become more sustainable.”
No more on the road punctures: Damaged tires can be changed immediately in the REMONDIS workshop thanks to ContiConnect
Increased operational safety of the fleet
The REMONDIS Group’s branch in Oelde, Germany has played a pioneering role for the company. In March 2020, workshop manager Thomas Feldhaus equipped is fleet with the tire pressure monitoring system ContiConnect. “Thomas told me about ContiConnect and it didn’t take long to convince me of its potential for improving our tire management,” says Pomberg. “With our commercial vehicles serving waste management companies, in particular, we see puncture damage on an almost daily basis.”
Since May 2021, over 40 of the vehicles run by REMONDIS’s Soest location have been fitted with sensors from ContiConnect. Tire damage is now identified before it can cause on-the-road punctures and vehicle downtime: “The system is really fast. I have the tire data at my fingertips within 30 seconds and can get damaged tires changed there and then in our workshop.”
Digital tire management: part of a green approach to fleet management
The digital tire pressure monitoring system ContiConnect helps to make REMONDIS’s waste management logistics more sustainable. “We have put in place a consistent pressure monitoring system for all tires, including on our trailers,” says Pomberg. “This saves fuel and reduces CO2, eases the loads on the tire, prevents punctures and helps to increase the mileage of the tires.” Within the space of year, around six on-the-road punctures have been avoided. One-sided wear and spot wear in the tread are also things of the past. The casing remains intact and the tire can still be retreaded. “ContiConnect is excellent. It is clearly structured, intuitive to use and cost-neutral, and the sensors last a really long time.” It took only 12 months to pay off the purchase costs through fuel savings and the reduction in puncture costs.
All-encompassing solution includes retreaded tires
As well enjoying the benefits of ContiConnect, the REMONDIS branch in Soest also puts its faith in ContiLifeCycle as part of the Conti360° Solutions all-round fleet package. Tire partner Vergölst supplies the fleet with both durable, fuel-saving new tires and hot-retreaded tires from the ContiRe range. “We use the retreaded tires on the drive axles and are very happy with their performance,” says Gerhard Pomberg. On the recommendation of Vergölst, REMONDIS is currently testing the Bandwulc Wastemaster retreaded tire created specifically for urban areas. The tire experts at Continental have developed these premium tires – which have reinforced sidewalls for protection against curbs – specially for the exacting conditions in which waste management vehicles have to work on a daily basis. The use of hot-retreaded tires with a recycling rate of up to 70 percent of tire material is in keeping with REMONDIS’s corporate philosophy and also serves its sustainability goals.
Playing its part in sustainable Logistics 4.0
Sustainability is a key theme for REMONDIS. “We want to set a good example for our customers,” says Pomberg. Digitalisation and transformation are central issues here. For example, the company recently decided to invest in an additional system which automatically reports the fill level of containers. “The aim here is to better utilise the capacity of waste containers, to really only empty them when they are completely full and therefore to avoid unnecessary journeys,” adds Pomberg. The company also has a system in place on board which ensures the drivers use the vehicles more economically. Bonuses and driver training help to achieve a forward-looking, environment-friendly driving style.
REMONDIS’s Soest location shows how Continental works with customers to put in place green fleet management systems. “We see ourselves as helping to shed light on how circular economy measures can improve climate protection, and are keen to also assist our customers in growing their businesses more sustainably,” says Gerhard Pomberg. “The package of services from Continental comprising premium tires, digital solutions and ContiLifeCycle makes total sense for us.”
Image credits: Continental // Photo: Susanne Beimann
