CHARGING AHEAD: Balford Farms is adding an electric vehicle terminal truck to its fleet
After adding an electric truck to its fleet, South Jersey-based Balford Farms is moving forward with its commitment to sustainability.
The company – known for its food distribution services and Rosenberger’s dairy brand – recently introduced a state-of-the-art Orange EV terminal truck to support its highly active warehouse and distribution centre, which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The car was acquired through a lease with Penske, and is one of the first cars in the Mid-Atlantic region from Orange, a Kansas electric vehicle manufacturer. In addition to reducing Balford’s carbon footprint by more than 15 tons per year, replacing an existing diesel truck with a zero-tailpipe emission truck is expected to increase efficiency with a 99% uptime, according to a press release announcing the new arrival.
“This new electric truck embodies our ongoing promise to be an environmentally responsible leader in the food distribution industry while providing efficiency and safety in our workplace, and the best service to our customers,” Balford Farms CEO Larry Walker said in a statement. “.
Headquartered in Burlington, Balford specializes in providing customized warehousing and distribution services to quick-service restaurant chains through 60 daily routes, delivering more than 200,000 customers annually. The 130-year-old company also specializes in marketing and distributing high-quality, locally sourced dairy and beverage products under the Rosenberger brand to more than 1,000 retail and foodservice customers in the Northeast.
“We are excited about this opportunity to bring innovation to our truck fleet and expand on our recent commitments and successes in sustainability,” Walker said.
The company’s journey to becoming more environmentally friendly began more than a decade ago with the installation of solar panels in its warehouses and distribution center.
Additionally, over the past two years, the Balford company has converted all lighting to LEDs; It began a partnership with Trenton Renewables, which recycles food and beverage waste into renewable energy, premium compost, and recycled packaging; Expand recycling beyond cardboard to include wooden pallets, rubber films and metals; And I installed ChargePoint EV chargers for staff and guest use.
Overall, the company says the initiatives have collectively reduced carbon emissions by more than 1,800 tons.
