As part of its cooperation with the LPG Polonia carrier, the CIECH Group has started a large-scale transport of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate with the use of LNG (liquefied natural gas) powered vehicles, characterised by lower emissions – of both carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulphur oxides, as well as PM10. For this purpose, an LNG refuelling station operates on the premises of its Inowrocław Plant. Low-emission transport is one of the initiatives implemented as part of the CIECH Group's sustainable development strategy, created in accordance with ESG standards (relating to care for the environment, society and corporate governance).

Built by LPG Polonia and approved for use by the Inowrocław County Administrator’s Office, the LNG station, located on the premises of the CIECH soda plant in Inowrocław, is one of the few facilities of this type in Poland. It is intended for use only by the fleet supporting this factory and will allow for continuous refuelling with liquefied natural gas. The station's capacity is approx. 70 refuelled vehicles per day. Trucks transporting sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate from Inowrocław to the Group's customers throughout Poland, account for nearly 10 thousand journeys annually. The use of an ecological fleet and the transition to liquefied natural gas for the purpose of such transport will contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions in the supply chain, of the so-called indirect emissions (Scope 3), by approx. 60%. The agreement with LPG Polonia guarantees the CIECH Group lower costs of transport by LNG-powered trucks than in the case of similar transport carried out by vehicles with diesel engines.

- The use of a fleet of trucks powered by liquefied natural gas is one of the many elements of our ESG strategy, as part of which we are continuously implementing new initiatives in line with the idea of sustainable development. The launch of the LNG station at the Inowrocław plant will enable us, on an annual basis, to deliver several hundred thousand tonnes of soda to the customers of the CIECH Group in Poland – mainly FMCG companies and glass manufacturers – using modern low-emission gas-powered trucks. Apart from reducing the carbon footprint, thanks to our long-term cooperation with LPG Polonia in an optimal business model, we will also generate significant savings in the logistics and transport area – says Adam Czarnul, Member of the Management Board of CIECH Soda Polska and head of the soda business in the CIECH Group.

The use of a low-emission LNG-powered vehicle fleet is one of the initiatives included in the second CIECH commitment – “We decouple growth and energy consumption” - from the Group's ESG strategy announced in May 2021. It consists of eight commitments with regard to environmental, social and corporate standards.

For its soda deliveries, CIECH uses both road and rail transport, and in the case of exports - also sea transport. Annually, approx. 700 thousand tonnes of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are transported by trucks from all soda plants of the Group and delivered, among others, to glass and detergent production plants, including those belonging to global industrial companies.

Currently, there are only 9 LNG stations in Poland, which can be used by several hundred vehicles powered by the fuel. Meanwhile, emissions from transport account for about 25% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union, and instead of decreasing, their volume has been increasing in recent years. For this reason, the European Commission is presenting an ambitious mobility goal to the entire Community - reducing emissions from all transport by 90% by 2050. However, the achievement of this goal requires strategic changes in this area.

- Heavy Goods Vehicles powered by liquefied natural gas are yet another step in the development of LPG Polonia, assuming the use of ecological vehicles intended for demanding customers who are aware of both environmental protection and cost reduction related to logistics services. With our cooperation with the CIECH Group, we are launching this type of transport, at the same time, being in line with the aforementioned ESG strategy. Thus, we started the process of adjusting to the new emission reduction guidelines of the European Union. The LNG refuelling station built on the premises of the plant in Inowrocław provides further opportunities to increase low-emission transport as part of the supply of goods of our strategic counterparty to its customers – says Piotr Walasek, President of the Management Board of LPG Polonia.

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