Jack Kent, Engineering Manager, Towmate Trailers
Reducing emissions across utility and industrial supply chains has become a non-negotiable. As the UK moves toward net-zero, there is increasing pressure on businesses to find credible ways of cutting operational carbon, not just within energy generation and end-use, but across all the logistics and transport systems that support core infrastructure.
One of the most carbon-intensive, yet often overlooked, components of these networks is the movement of heavy plant and equipment. From transporting pipe coils and diggers to pulling reinstatement materials between sites, machinery logistics still rely heavily on diesel vehicles, inefficient routing, and outdated trailer designs.
Before solutions can be implemented, companies need to understand where emissions are being generated and how those impacts accumulate across operations.
Identifying the carbon hotspots
The true carbon cost of transporting machinery goes far beyond exhaust pipe emissions; energy is consumed at every stage. Transport is a major contributor to UK gas emissions, accounting for 28% of the total in 2022. This encompasses everything from loading and unloading to wasted mileage caused by poor route planning or underutilised return journeys, as well as unnecessary emissions and escalating operational costs.
Driven by rising environmental concerns, stricter regulations and the need for cost efficiency, companies are now looking at the full picture. This includes reducing vehicle miles, minimising trailer weight, consolidating routes and introducing modular trailer solutions that make equipment more adaptable and suitable for a range of uses.
As with the domestic vehicle market, electrification is playing a vital role in reducing carbon emissions, but it also introduces a new set of challenges. Electric vans and diggers are typically heavier and offer reduced payload capacity, which can undermine efficiency unless the right transport solutions are in place.
This is where lightweight trailer innovation is making a measurable difference, by allowing teams to safely carry more equipment per journey while staying compliant with legal weight limits.
Designing with net-zero in mind
As a carbon-neutral business, we have seen how embedding sustainability into design and engineering processes has a compound effect. Our modular trailer systems, for example, allow customers to transport multiple load types without needing a different trailer for every task. That flexibility reduces fleet size and encourages more circular, lower-impact operations.
In the case of our work with The Kier Group, a leading provider of infrastructure services, construction and property development in the UK, our modular design enabled Kier to complete excavation and reinstatement work using a single crew and trailer, rather than multiple vehicles. By consolidating the equipment and reducing vehicle movements, we were able to improve the company’s efficiency performance, lower emissions and implement more streamlined project delivery.
Kier originally approached us because of our previous experience working with Clancy. We had developed a hotbox trailer, based on an adaptable Ram General Duty chassis, that allowed them two operatives and one vehicle to carry enough hot mix asphalt at working temperature for up to two days’ work; a solution that reduced return trips for refills and shortened time spent on site, enabling their teams to complete multiple jobs in one day.
Better trailer design can deliver tangible carbon savings without disrupting site productivity, streamlining operations and supporting greener, more efficient working models.
Regulatory readiness
The push for carbon accountability is no longer just an internal ambition; it’s baked into procurement frameworks and compliance targets.
In fact, supply chain emissions are being followed more closely than ever today, especially in public infrastructure, with contractors required to show carbon reduction plans. Under the UK’s Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 06/21, suppliers bidding for major government contracts must commit to net-zero and provide detailed carbon disclosures.
These regulations mean that logistics providers, and their subcontractors, must not only provide evidence of safe and efficient equipment but also prove a clear understanding of regulatory compliance and carbon impact.
In this space, fleet data and digital tools are as critical as the physical solutions that can be implemented to lower carbon emissions. GPS-enabled tracking, load monitoring and route optimisation are vital for measuring emissions performance and reporting. Only by developing processes that combine both the digital and physical facets of operations can companies obtain the full picture they need and start to achieve significant reductions in carbon emissions.
Retrofitting for resilience
Environmental impact is a key topic of conversation for many sectors right now, yet another key trend we’re seeing is the industry’s move toward retrofitting. Instead of embarking on the costly and wasteful job of replacing entire fleets, many contractors are upgrading existing pipe trailers with new systems and capabilities like LaySafe. This modular concept enables modernisation and upgrading without the emissions or cost associated with manufacturing new equipment.
These kinds of retrofits don’t just extend the life of existing assets; they also reduce waste, improve safety, and make it easier to adapt to changing legislation. For many of our clients, it’s a smarter path toward long-term decarbonisation that fits within their current operational model.
A shift in mindset
Ultimately, building a carbon-conscious supply chain is less about radical overhauls and more about incremental, well-informed change. Route by route, component by component, efficiency gains and emission reductions are achievable, but they require a joined-up mindset across the value chain.
From trailer design to fleet strategy, every decision now has a carbon consequence. For utility providers and industrial contractors navigating the road to net zero, transport logistics should no longer be an afterthought; they should be central to making decarbonisation work at scale.