Nestlé Purina PetCare Debuts Hydrogen Semi-Truck in California
Purina, as part of their mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has rolled out its first hydrogen-powered semi-truck. The company is also making several other steps to protect the environment. This is the collaborative effort of Nestle Purina Petcare, The Kenan Advantage Group, and Nikola Corporation.
Nestlé Purina PetCare, in collaboration with The Kenan Advantage Group, Inc. (KAG) and Nikola Corporation, launched its first zero-tailpipe-emission delivery with the use of a hydrogen fuel cell electric semi-truck this week.
On its inaugural journey, the truck is transporting Purina products, including Tidy Cats cat litter, between three California cities: Stockton, Maricopa and Modesto. This represents a small part of Purina’s overall strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A collaborative effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
“We are continuously identifying new opportunities within our business and through partnerships to help us meet our sustainability goals,” said Travis Krous, Purina senior director of Supply Chain Operations.
“This truck represents an exciting opportunity to test new technology and determine if it’s feasible to scale.”
Purina’s manufacturing strategy promotes regional production and distribution, minimizing the number of long-distance trucks on the road.
KAG will deliver Purina products using the Class 8 Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric semi-truck, which has a maximum range of up to 500 miles and can be refuelled in 20 minutes or less, all while producing zero tailpipe emissions while driving.
According to Nikola, one truck avoids 97 metric tons of CO2tailpipe emissions per year on average — the equivalent of taking 23 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.
“We’re excited to transport products on our first hydrogen fuel cell truck while helping our valued customer and partner, Purina, drive its sustainability goals forward,” said Tyler Coventry, executive vice president of KAG Food Products.
“We’re committed to implementing more sustainable practices within the supply chain by optimising the use of energy-efficient technologies.”
Steve Girsky, Nikola president and CEO, added: “We are proud to support Purina’s sustainability initiatives by supplying KAG with its first-ever hydrogen fuel cell electric Class 8 truck.
“This collaboration aligns with our mission to drive innovation and environmental responsibility in the transportation industry.”
Developing litter with a focus on sustainability
At its Tidy Cats-producing factory in Maricopa, Purina has implemented solar drying technology for the clay used in both scooping and non-scooping litter — an innovative solution which has led to substantial reductions in energy needs.
Purina is also taking steps to reduce its use of virgin plastics globally. Key to this effort is incorporating recycled content into packaging.
By the end of the year, all Tidy Cats litter jugs will be made with 100 percent recycled content. Specially designed pail refill bags also help reduce plastic waste and allow cat owners to reuse pails.
