Linde Material Handling (MH) has published its annual sustainability report which demonstrates the progress the equipment manufacturer achieved in reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (GHG) throughout 2024.

The report looks at environment, health, occupational safety, social engagement as well as products and solutions and notes Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions were reduced 3.54% in 2024 from 65,086T of CO2 to 62,780T. However, this is also a 0.8% increase on Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from 2022.

Bernhard van der Westhuizen, head of HSE sales & service for Linde MH says of the 2024 decrease: “We have achieved this, for example, through a high proportion of ‘green electricity’, but also through the use of waste heat and energy-saving measures in infrastructure and production”.

Linde MH says the addition of new electric commercial vehicles in 2026 will further improve its results and contribute to achieving the short-term climate target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 4.7 percent annually by 2030 compared with the base year 2021.

“Beginning in early 2026, two electric trucks will transport forklift counterweights 35 km from the foundry to the assembly plant in Aschaffenburg,” Linde MH states. “Additionally, Central Services will utilise 10 more [electric] transport vehicles, which will contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of journeys within and between the sites in the Aschaffenburg region.”

Linde MH adds that by 2050 it expects “the amount of GHG emissions along the entire value chain (Scope 1, 2, and 3) is to be reduced to net zero”.

The new electric 42T tractor units, the 10 light commercial vehicles, and the charging infrastructure were funded under the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport’s guideline on the promotion of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drive systems (KsNI). 

Part of this funding comes from the EU’s German Recovery and Resilience Plan (GRRP). 

"The procurement of these vehicles is an important step in the electrification of our internal logistics,” emphasises Franz Huber, project manager energy solutions at Linde MH. 

With the new electric fleet, Linde MH aims to save around 180 tons of CO2 per year.

Linde Material Handling has a global workforce of around 9,700 people working at about 700 locations.