Cordstrap
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to become more sustainable.
The time is now for sustainability
At Cordstrap, a specialist in safe cargo transportation, sustainability has long been a top priority. The company has an Environment, Social & Governance (ESG) team in their organisation to work on sustainable developments. Together with experts and partners, this team works hard to achieve a sustainable impact. Groendus acts as a partner to review Cordstrap's energy management and make it more sustainable. Leasing a solar power plant with 4,800 solar panels and 6 charging points is an important first step.
Sustainability is a familiar topic at Cordstrap. Earlier this year, EcoVadis awarded Cordstrap's sustainability efforts the Gold Sustainability Rating. EcoVadis is one of the largest sustainability rating providers and rates companies' sustainability systems in four key areas: environment, business ethics, labour & human rights and sustainable procurement. In terms of sustainability, the gold rating places Cordstrap among the top 5% of companies worldwide and the top 1% of companies in the transportation industry.
Marc Janssen, VP of Operations at Cordstrap: "Cordstrap has always believed it can do better. Our company started out with an innovation for securing loads, and in that same spirit we have long taken ESG seriously. We’re always looking for opportunities to become more sustainable. This project means that more than 10,000 square meters of solar panels provide approximately 46% of our energy needs on site. We feed the remaining 54% back into the electricity grid. On an annual basis, this means that we supply power to more than 370 households and will reduce our CO₂ emissions by 443,605 kg every year. This provides a substantial energy saving and fits beautifully with our goal of achieving optimal customer value with the smallest possible carbon footprint.
Many parts of the country are experiencing electricity grid overloading. At Cordstrap, in Oostrum, Limburg, there is still plenty of capacity to feed in self-generated Cordstrap energy at times when this energy is not being used for their own production.
Following a successful SDE subsidy application, the plant is now complete. Six wall chargers and a total of 12 charging points have also been integrated into the solar power plant facilities. Cordstrap employees, clients and suppliers can now charge their electric cars with 100% green, self-generated electricity. Cordstrap leases the solar installation from Groendus, meaning the transportation company achieved a positive return on investment from day one.
Harold Cornelissen, Maintenance Manager at Cordstrap Oostrum: “Groendus and the suppliers have created a high-quality installation. We chose a new mounting system which ensures that rainwater can drain away even in extreme conditions. During the project phase, we paid a great deal of attention to a safe working environment and execution according to the agreed specifications. This has resulted in a stable supply of green power to both our site and homes in the surrounding area.”
Mathijs de Graaf, Project Manager, Groendus: "Installing a solar power plant increasingly involves a variety of external challenges. Although we enjoy taking these on, it’s also great when a project goes smoothly. We’re pleased to have made Cordstrap a little greener. They’re an ambitious organisation, who, just like us, are used to innovating. We’re pleased to continue to work together to see what we can improve going forward. The next step is to make the various energy flows within the company transparent. This will enable us to combat energy waste and achieve concrete savings. We’re definitely getting closer to 100% clean energy at Cordstrap.”
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