Real benefits for the region

Henry Transports SA recognised the advantage of quiet yet powerful CNG vehicles at an early stage. Now they are refuelled at their own filling station.

The new CNG filling station in Vufflens-la-Ville VD has been supplying climate-friendly fuel to Henry Transports SA vehicles, among others, since last summer. Source: Holdigaz

Founded by Blaise Henry in 1997, Henry Transports SA is particularly well-established in the construction site transport and material trade sectors in French-speaking Switzerland. With Henry Recycling, it expanded its services in the area of waste collection and recycling from 2016 onwards. This is also where waste collection trucks with a more climate-friendly CNG engine are used. In addition to the four trucks filled with Swiss biogas, which are therefore almost CO₂-neutral, the company from French-speaking Switzerland has also been using two all-electric trucks for collection tours since autumn 2020. These are operated exclusively with solar power from the 3,600- square-metre photovoltaic plants on the company’s roofs and collect municipal waste from 45,000 households in the Canton of Vaud (VD). Henry Recycling is thus an impressive example of how to collect waste sustainably. The biogenic residues are also raw materials and can be processed into fuel for the four CNG trucks.

When the company moved to the industrial district of Vufflens-la-Ville in 2020, the question of a suitable filling station arose. As an energy supplier, Holdigaz SA recognised the win-win situation immediately. “We actively support the development of CNG and biogas mobility in the region, especially in the truck sector. And a new filling station in Vufflens-la-Ville (VD), an industrial area close to the motorway, is particularly attractive for many transport companies,” explains Philippe Petitpierre, President of Energiapro, a company of the Holdigaz Group.

Henry Transports SA was quick to recognize the advantage of quiet yet powerful CNG vehicles and uses four biogas trucks at Henry Recycling. Source: Henry Recycling

Nevertheless, the first step was to convince everyone involved of the project. “Expectations had to be coordinated and the public tender phase completed in order to get construction started quickly,” recalls Eric Morier, Director of Henry Recycling. “Everything is now in place and has been working perfectly since the summer. The CNG filling station is a real asset for the region and for the sustainability of heavy goods transport.”

This is a semi-public filling station intended primarily for trucks. The CNG filling station is therefore also equipped with two types of fuel nozzle (NGV1 and NGV2). This makes it easier to refuel trucks, but also makes it possible to refuel delivery vans and passenger cars. “Companies wishing to refuel their vehicles here and receive a fuel card can send their enquiry to mobilite@energiapro.ch or contact our company directly,” says the Director of Henry Recycling.

Eric Morier adds: “We want to be the greenest player in the Vaud market for the collection, treatment and recycling of waste. Henry Recycling’s goal is to prioritise the pillars of sustainable development: ecological, social and economical. We treat customers, employees and partners with respect. Driving a biogas truck fits perfectly into this vision.” This is because the recycling specialist can use biogas trucks to close energy cycles. “The organic waste we collect is methanised and serves as fuel for our vehicles,” says Morier. (jas, 13 January 2022)