Reports of empty trucks in the construction industry continue to increase, despite efforts to increase efficiency.
According to Paul van der Linde, construction cluster manager and secretary of the waste transport market, criticism is too often leveled at transport entrepreneurs. “Of course there is room for improvement, but the greatest potential profit is in the chain with the shippers, especially in construction. Every logistics chain has different dynamics and different links. There are also many similarities, so chains can learn from each other,” says van der Linde.
The construction sector has been working to increase logistics efficiency for years. Various projects, involving producers, traders, transporters, educational institutes and other players, focus on more central control of transport movements to and from construction sites. Alternative modalities, such as water transport, are also considered. Some contractors have already taken steps in this regard, but it remains a challenge. Any change in the construction chain can disrupt or delay the construction process, where time and money play a major role.
Verkaring
During the document Paul van der Linde lists all factors that explain the loading rate in construction. Sometimes an increase is not possible at all and the shippers often determine whether loads can be combined. One of the major problems in construction logistics is the load factor of trucks. “The load factor of trucks in construction is of course not 100%, not even 90%, not even 80%, but will fluctuate on average around 50%. Sometimes I come across the figure 40%,” says Van der Linde. However, he emphasizes that the low figure is logical and explainable in many cases.
According to Paul van der Linde, it is important to always compare apples with apples. Do we assume the load factor is based on weight or volume? Do we only consider the loaded journeys or do we also include the return journeys? An apparently empty truck can be fully loaded by weight, and conversely, a visibly full truck can be less than 50% loaded by weight. Particularly in road construction, tippers almost never take a return load with them and are therefore often 50% loaded: full on the way, empty on the return.
Prefab elements or piles also result in almost empty trucks, although they are still at their maximum weight. In the finishing phase, in which smaller quantities of materials are transported, the load factor can sometimes be higher, but that also depends on when the load is available. In addition, supplier and carrier tours play a role during this phase, with goods being delivered to multiple construction sites. This makes determining the load factor more complex.
"Sometimes an increase is not possible at all, for example tipper trucks, construction waste, and exceptional transport"
However, the arrival of environmental zones and construction hubs in urban areas offers opportunities for a more efficient 'last mile'. Construction hubs, intended to relieve the city center, make it possible to consolidate materials and bring them to the construction site just-in-time with full and zero-emission vehicles. The route from supplier to construction hub is in theory less time-critical, meaning deliveries can also take place in the evening or at night.
This gives carriers more time to combine outward and return freight and thus increase efficiency. A construction hub can therefore offer a solution to some of the previously mentioned bottlenecks. It forms a buffer in time and space and creates optimization space for suppliers to combine deliveries into full truck loads. However, this does require confidence in the delivery reliability on the last mile.
construction hub
However, there are limitations to the use of construction hubs. People would rather not unload heavy materials such as floors, prefab walls and piles at a construction hub. These must be taken directly to the construction site. Still, the construction hub concept offers advantages, especially for efficiency and the environment.
The Netherlands is a leader in the EU when it comes to recycling construction and demolition waste; currently 95% of all this waste is recycled or reused. This means that little to no value is lost and that the secondary raw materials are of just as good quality as primary raw materials. However, a challenge remains in the use of secondary raw materials. Due to image and sometimes falling prices of primary raw materials, the use of secondary materials is lagging behind. This is a task for the government, which should oblige producers to use a minimum percentage of secondary raw materials to achieve the desired circular economy.
