Food distributor Balford Farms recently added an Orange EV terminal tractor to its fleet through a lease with Penske Truck Leasing.
The electric truck will support Balford’s New Jersey-based warehouse and distribution center.
“We’re thrilled about this opportunity to bring innovation into our truck fleet and expand upon our recent sustainability commitments and successes,” Balford CEO Larry Walker said in a news release. “This new electric truck exemplifies our ongoing promise towards being an environmentally responsible leader in the food distribution industry while delivering efficiency and safety to our workplace, and the very best service to our customers.”
The electric truck is one of the first in the Mid-Atlantic, the companies reported. It’s expected to help reduce Balford’s carbon footprint by over 15 tons annually by swapping an existing diesel truck to a zero-tailpipe emissions truck, while increasing efficiency with 99% uptime.
Balford’s environmental sustainability journey started over a decade ago with installing solar panels throughout their Burlington, New Jersey, distribution center. Additionally, over the past two years, Balford converted all lighting to LEDs; started a partnership with Trenton Renewables, which recycles food and beverage waste into renewable energy, premium compost, and recaptured packaging; expanded recycling beyond cardboard to include wooden pallets, stretch wrap, and metals; and installed ChargePoint electric vehicle chargers for employee and guest use.
Overall, these initiatives create a collective annual environmental impact of total carbon emissions reduction by more than 1,800 tons.
