Volvo FM Electrics sweeten Masters Logistical fleet

Masters Logistical has introduced two fully electric trucks into its fleet to support its logistics partnership with British Sugar, strengthening the long-standing collaboration between the two businesses while helping reduce supply chain emissions.

The new Volvo FM Electric vehicles will be used to move sugar between British Sugar’s manufacturing sites at Wissington and Bury St Edmunds and the Masters distribution centre in Cambridgeshire.

Masters currently handles more than 3,500 tonnes of sugar each week on behalf of British Sugar as part of a fully integrated warehousing and distribution operation supporting the company’s national supply chain.

It is estimated the two electric vehicles will together save more than 100,000kgs of CO₂ annually while providing an opportunity to assess the performance of electric trucks within high-volume logistics operations.

Based on Volvo’s FM Electric platform, the trucks deliver zero tailpipe emissions and are designed for intensive regional and urban operations, making them well suited to the regular shuttle movements required between British Sugar’s two largest factories and the Masters distribution centre.

Mark Stoodley, managing director of Masters Logistical, said the investment demonstrates the strength of the relationship between the two businesses and their shared focus on continuous improvement.

“Our partnership with British Sugar has grown significantly over the past few years and today plays a vital role in supporting their supply chain,” he said.

“Handling more than 3,500 tonnes of sugar every week requires a logistics operation that is both reliable and efficient. Introducing electric trucks into the fleet allows us to continue developing that operation while working closely with British Sugar to explore practical ways of reducing emissions across the supply chain.”

The relationship between the two companies began in 2018 when Masters initially provided a short-term warehousing solution during a major automation upgrade at British Sugar’s Wissington factory. Since then, the partnership has evolved into a fully integrated logistics operation, with Masters handling more than one million pallets for the business.

Masters Logistical became part of the Knowles Logistics Group in 2022, bringing the operation into a wider third-generation family-owned logistics business with a strong focus on long-term investment in fleet and infrastructure.

Alex Knowles, chief executive officer of Knowles Logistics, said the electric vehicle investment reflected both the importance of the British Sugar partnership and the group’s wider strategy to develop lower-emission logistics operations.

“British Sugar is a very important customer to Masters and across the Knowles Logistics Group,” he said.

“The introduction of the two electric trucks into this operation demonstrates the strength of the partnership and our shared commitment to developing more sustainable logistics solutions. As a group, we now have a total of 11 electric vehicles in our fleet and continue to invest in fleet innovation and new technologies that help support our customers’ long-term ambitions.”

British Sugar is the UK’s leading producer of sugar and the sole processor of the UK’s sugar beet crop, working with around 2,300 growers and processing up to eight million tonnes of sugar beet each year across four manufacturing sites.

Stewart Dickson, head of logistics at British Sugar, added: “Reducing Scope 3 emissions from our logistics fleet remains a core focus for British Sugar. The introduction of two electric trucks into Masters fleet demonstrates not only our long-standing collaboration, but the ambition to invest in low and zero tailpipe emission vehicles for a cleaner and more efficient future.”

The new Volvo FM Electric trucks will operate from Masters’ Cambridgeshire base, supporting the daily movement of sugar products between British Sugar’s two largest factories and the Masters distribution centre.