`THE WINE TRAIN` ARRIVES New Train Service Benefits UK Environment and Economy

Released on: March 17, 2008, 7:08 am

Press Release Author: Sarah Chase

Industry: Transportation & Logistics

Press Release Summary: London, 17 March 2008 - JF Hillebrand the UK\'s number one
specialist logistics provider to the wine and spirits industry, has been hard at
work over the last two-years to address major UK transportation concerns.

Press Release Body: With an emphasis on improving freight transport efficiency
through better use of infrastructure, while supporting the wine and spirit
industry's commitment to minimising carbon emissions, JF Hillebrand is proud to be
introducing their innovative Tilbury to Daventry Rail Service. "The Wine Train" will
operate on a daily basis, with each train carrying over 350,000 bottles of wine.

The launch of this service involves a 1-million investment that has been undertaken
by JF Hillebrand to address many environmental issues associated with transport. The
Tilbury to Daventry service is estimated to save an average of 326 km (204 miles)
per road-trip equivalent. This equates to at least 1.7 billion grams of CO2 savings
per-year. The service is estimated to take 6000 vehicles off the heavily congested
M25 and M1 major trunk routes per year. These motorways are widely recognised as two
of the busiest roads in the UK.

Foster's EMEA, the UK's division of Foster's Group Limited, which is a major
provider or wine from Australia, including such popular brands as Lindemans, Wolf
Blass, Rosemount, Penfolds and Beringer is among the primary clients taking
advantage of JF Hillebrand's new rail service. Since trials of the rail service
commenced earlier in 2008, 75% of Foster's containers have been moved by rail from
port to the inland rail terminal at Daventry. From here, they are then road hauled
the short distance to Lutterworth.

According to Rob Hollis, Foster's Director of Regional Supply and Production,
"Foster's is delighted to be supporting JF Hillebrand in this initiative. Along
with measures we have already taken such as the light weighting of glass bottles,
the use of PET bottles and the transfer of packaging of some products to the local
market, this represents another important development for Foster's.

Prior to the launch of this initiative by JF Hillebrand, there was no existing
freight service operating on this route. The company has worked closely with
intermodal train operators Freightliner to develop a commercially viable service
that compliments pre-existing lines. The company invested well-over two-years of
development to create this solution in a cost-efficient manner, whereby their
customers and clients would enjoy both environmental and supply chain performance
benefits without enduring any additional costs.

The Daventry terminal is on the route normally taken by HGVs running up from
Tilbury. JF Hillebrand reports a direct savings in so-called \"road miles," which
equates to roughly 326 per container movement (this is the round trip distance
between Tilbury and Daventry). The savings between road (63gCO2/tkm) and rail
(20gCO2/tkm) is 43gm per tonne km x 326km = 14018 x an average of 20t payload per
movement (conservative) = 280,360gm CO2 emissions per container shipped via the rail
service.

In addition, JF Hillebrand reports that they have already been in negotiations with
a couple of major retailers who have expressed an interest in reloading containers
with cargo emanating from the East Midlands area for delivery to the South East. The
overall positive effect of these new shipping relationships will both benefit the
environment and lead to further reductions in road congestion.





Web Site: http://www.jfhillebrand.com/uk

Contact Details: Sarah Chase
PR Account Manager
Image Line Communications
(t) + 44 (0) 20 7689 9009
(f) + 44 (0) 20 7689 8008
(e) pr@imageline.co.uk

Unit 1A Zetland House
5-25 Scrutton Street
London
EC2A 4HJ

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