Bradford, UK: Marks & Spencer is running a six-week trial of six, hydrogen-fuelled pallet trucks at its distribution centre in Bradford.
The hydrogen trial, organised by Sheffield-based ITM, sees six pallet trucks replace the existing battery powered fleet.
The trial is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to produce zero emission trucks with superior performance and a two-minute refuel time.
Graham Cooley, chief executive of ITM Power, said: “The involvement of companies such as M&S is essential to developing commercially viable hydrogen solutions for the materials handling industry.
“We are extremely pleased to be conducting this trial with M&S who continue to lead the way for sustainable technology deployment.”
Darrell Stein, director of IT and Logistics for M&S, said: “We are excited to be trailing this solution with a company like ITM Power, and with a technology which has the potential to drive significant carbon reductions from our warehouse operations.
“If we’re to achieve our ambitious goal of becoming the world’s most sustainable major retailer then we must continue to innovate and push the boundaries in every part of our business.”
The move is part of M&S’s Plan A initiative, an ecological and ethical programme that aims to make M&S the world’s most sustainable major retailer by 2015.
