SCM going green with hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles

A Walmart official held up the future of Cornwall's distribution centre as an example of sustainability in the shipping sector.

The Supply Chain Management warehouse will soon undergo a shift to vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells rather than regular batteries, following the model of a Walmart centre in Alberta that is fully serviced by renewable energy.

Virginia Garbutt, logistics director for Walmart, explained the new technology during a meeting with local businesses and industry officials at Cornwall's Nav Centre on Thursday.

"The results have been so phenomenal," she said.

She said over the coming weeks, the entire fleet that flows in and out of the SCM centre in the city's industrial park will be replaced by hydrogen-powered trucks. The change is expected to reduce carbon emissions and improve efficiencies.

Garbutt was one of three experts in the shipping and logistics field who spoke during the morning panel, covering topics such as employee engagement and improving competitiveness.

Paul Cooper, president of SHL Trucking, said his company has jumped into new methods to make their fleet more efficient. But he said it's not always an easy sell when they are investing in new technology rather than workers' raises.

"We're doing it for the right reasons," he said. "We have customers who otherwise wouldn't have done business with us."

The panel, which included Bob Armstrong, president of the non-profit Supply Chain and Logistics Association Canada, urged local companies to move to more sustainable practices as a way to remain competitive.

Cornwall's industrial park already houses SCM and a Shopper's Drug Mart distribution centre, while Target and another company are currently building massive warehouses as well.

Armstrong said it's crucial that the region trains the next generation for the jobs on the way.

"They're not here just looking for bodies, they're looking for skill," he said, adding that St. Lawrence College should consider new programs to educate supply chain workers.

He said technology changes quickly, and both companies and their workforces need to keep up to stay in the game, as it's often the shipping industry that makes or breaks a business.

"It's not companies that complete, it's the supply chain," said Armstrong.

Source: Cheryl Brink, Standard-Freeholder.com