American brewer Anheuser-Busch intends to replace all 97 diesel-fueled tractors in its St. Louis fleet with new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueled tractors. By transitioning to the latest CNG technology, Anheuser-Busch expects to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,500 tons per year. Approximately 30% of Anheuser-Busch’s heavy-haul dedicated tractors already operate using cleaner-burning natural gas.
The St. Louis announcement marks Anheuser-Busch’s second full brewery fleet transition, following last year’s successful replacement of 66 tractors in Houston.
“Transitioning our entire St. Louis tractor fleet to CNG-powered engines brings environmental benefits directly to our company and our community,” said James Sembrot, Senior Director, Transportation, Anheuser-Busch. “A conversion of this scale is indicative of the commitment we’ve made to deploying more sustainable technologies and processes at each stage of the brewing process – from Seed to Sip.”
The CNG tractors will ship approximately 31 million cases of beer this fall, supporting sales throughout the entire Midwest. Through advanced engine technologies, the company anticipates a 23 percent reduction in greenhouse gases versus conventional diesel equipment, the equivalent of taking approximately 526 passenger vehicles off the road.
Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis brewery is one of the company’s largest facilities, served by a fleet that travels 11 million miles annually throughout the Midwest. The abundance of natural gas filling stations, combined with the fleet’s high mileage, made the company’s hometown of St. Louis a strategic choice for conversion.
“I want to thank Anheuser-Busch for setting an example for businesses across the City by committing to environmentally-friendly business practices,” said St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. “With Anheuser-Busch identifying and implementing sustainable alternatives, the company is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make St. Louis a better place for all of us to live, work and play.”
Part of the company’s ‘Seed to Sip’ environmental commitment, the St. Louis CNG fleet conversion furthers a global initiative to reduce logistics-related carbon emissions by 15 percent through 2017. Parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev has made similar fleet conversions in China, Europe and Brazil as part of an effort to reduce carbon emissions globally across facilities.
The new, Freightliner-produced, natural gas-fueled tractors will be filled at a recently opened CNG station operated by U.S. Gain, near the St. Louis brewery. Amerit will provide maintenance support at a nearby facility, recently retrofitted to accommodate the new CNG fleet.
(Source: Anheuser-Busch)
