Speedy welcomed Chancellor Rishi Sunak to its 100,000sqft 'innovation centre' in Milton Keynes on Thursday, following the firm’s donation of almost 300 generators to the war effort in Ukraine.
Here pictured with Speedy Chief Executive Russell Down, Rishi Sunak, said: “I know that many people have felt anxious in recent months about rising costs and it was great to hear some of the questions from Speedy staff here in Milton Keynes.
“It was also fantastic to hear about the work Speedy is doing to support people in Ukraine – people all across the UK are doing their part as we stand against Putin’s illegal invasion.”
Powered by 670 solar panels, the innovation centre in Milton Keynes represents the sector’s first net carbon-zero hire centre and employs more than 50 people. It is supporting contractors building the first phase of HS2 from London to Birmingham, providing low-emission equipment to help meet the project’s sustainability goals, from electric lighting towers to track laying machinery.
Speedy recently announced that its ECO range of low carbon and carbon-zero tools and equipment accounts for 30 per cent of its itemised hire fleet, with the aim for its ECO products to account for the majority of its itemised fleet by 2027. All commercial vehicles operating out of the site are either fully electric or fuelled by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which emits up to 90% less CO2e when compared to red diesel.
Russell Down said: “The Chancellor’s visit reflects the importance of the work we are doing in creating carbon savings for major infrastructure projects, such as HS2, and in providing the industry with a blueprint for minimising the environmental impact of supply chain networks across the UK.
“Customers across construction will increasingly need to interrogate the sustainability of their supply chains if we are to achieve carbon-zero. We recognise our role and responsibility as a key intermediary for the sector, which is why we are making significant commitments to invest in the equipment and ways of working that will support our customers deliver more sustainable projects.”
speedyservices.com/sustainability
