The company secured top honours as the ‘Business of the Year’ at the Rail Freight Group (RFG) Awards for its contribution to growing and expanding the industry, including through investment in new technology, rail-linked facilities and wagons, as well as collaborative working to drive decarbonisation and sustainability.
The judges commended Tarmac for providing “a clear voice in rail industry organisations and bodies” which “leads by example”, citing some of the business’ key innovations and initiatives, including the successful introduction of the first ‘jumbo’ freight trains on the west coast mainline and a partnership with the University of Derby seeking to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.
Chris Swan, head of rail at Tarmac, said: “With net zero becoming an ever-greater priority, the rail freight network is becoming more important in the UK than ever before and we’re proud to play a significant role in the industry and its future. We’re constantly reviewing how we operate to integrate new innovation and ways to accelerate efficiency and decarbonisation, not just from our own operations but across the industry as a whole.
The importance of rail freight
“Rail freight is a hugely important, yet often unseen part of our daily operational activity serving the UK construction industry. To receive the RFG’s Business of the Year Award is testament to the importance of rail freight to our operations and its significance to the construction materials sector. A huge thank you goes to our freight partners for their ongoing support and, most importantly, to our dedicated rail team here at Tarmac.”
In addition to its award, Tarmac also secured the runner up spot in the ‘Community and Environmental Responsibility’ category for its partnership with Rail Forum Midlands and the University of Derby. Established with the aim of exploring how the business could work more effectively with its rail supply chain, the partners launched the Opportunities for Decarbonising Freight challenge – a chance for SMEs to pitch new products and creative ideas with the aim of helping the industry to reduce its carbon footprint.
Tarmac is one of the UK’s largest users of rail freight and is constantly looking for ways to further innovate operationally – both in terms of saving carbon and improving service delivery to its customers.