Covestro & DB Cargo Build Sustainable Supply Chain in Poland

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Covestro is building the future of sustainable supply chains with DB Cargo (Credit: DB Cargo)
Logistics leader DB Cargo is helping Polymer manufacturer Covestro enhance circularity by developing a more sustainable system for chemical transportation

Covestro, a global manufacturer of polymers, aims to boost the sustainability of its supply chain through a partnership with logistics specialist DB Cargo BTT.

Their collaboration focuses on Covestro’s supply chain in Poland, where significant volumes of methylene diphenyl isocyanate (MDI) are transported.

This chemical raw material is used in various polyurethane products, such as thermal insulation for refrigerators and buildings.

As part of the partnership, DB Cargo BTT is delivering an end-to-end transport solution enhanced by a range of key sustainable features.

Hanno Bruemmer, Head of Supply Chain and Logistics EMLA at Covestro

"The entire value chain must be involved to achieve our joint goal of climate neutrality by 2050," says Hanno Bruemmer, Head of Supply Chain and Logistics EMLA at Covestro.

"Reliable, efficient and sustainable logistics for our ever more sustainable products are integral to this effort. We collaborate with our customers and transport companies to optimise the supply chain.

"This includes improving load capacity, selecting the best transport modes and routes, and introducing using sustainable and future-oriented energy sources like green electricity or HVO to replace fossil fuels.”

Enhancing supply chain sustainability

The first feature involves transporting the chemicals in tank containers from Covestro’s production sites in Germany to a local railway terminal using bio-fuel-powered trucks – one of the most sustainable alternatives to fossil diesel.

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Next, the tank containers are transported by rail to a distribution centre in Poland, reducing road traffic and cutting emissions.

From there, trucks are used once more to deliver the chemicals to end customers across Poland.

This transport method reduces CO2 emissions by at least 70% compared to traditional road transport and is designed to scale flexibly with growing business demands.

As Covestro targets climate neutrality by 2050, this approach supports that goal while sending a vital message to customers such as the Polish Selena Group.

Torsten Lüders, Managing Director of DB Cargo BTT GmbH

 “At DB Cargo BTT, we also rely on working with external partners across all modes of transport in order to arrange traction or first and last mile services as efficiently as possible for our customers," says Torsten Lüders, Managing Director of DB Cargo.

"For Covestro, we have recently transported essential chemical products to Poland and we’re now happy to combine our rail expertise with bio-fuel-driven trucks for the first and last mile.

"This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to enabling more sustainable supply chains and supporting the transformation of the chemical industry. Projects like these demonstrate how we, as part of the DB Cargo group, offer our customers a significant degree of added value and are an essential part of European supply chains.”

The Polish Selena Group and pursuing circularity

The Polish Selena Group, a prominent manufacturer of construction materials and chemicals, relies on Covestro for methylene diphenyl isocyanate (MDI).

Their partnership now enables deliveries with a reduced carbon footprint, contributing to lower Scope 3 emissions.

Bernd Hennig, Head of Trading Cluster MDI at Covestro

"Together with Selena Group, we are committed to advancing sustainable solutions across the entire value chain, offering our valued customers not only more sustainable materials but also sustainable transportation solutions," adds Bernd Hennig, Head of Trading Cluster MDI at Covestro.

Covestro is deeply committed to fostering collaboration to advance circularity, paving the way for further projects with the Polish Selena Group.

The two companies have jointly developed high-performance polyurethane (PU) foams for enhanced building insulation, using MDI from the Desmodur CQ product range.

These ISCC Plus-certified foams incorporate plant-based raw materials through mass balancing, significantly reducing their carbon footprint compared to fossil-based alternatives.

With Covestro’s support, these foams can now be delivered to Selena in an even more sustainable way.

Michal Specjalski, Member of the Management Board of Product and Innovation at Selena Group

“Today, sustainable business no longer means having to compromise between efficiency and quality. In Selena Group we are constantly increasing our commitment to the development of sustainable construction," continues Michal Specjalski, Member of the Management Board of Product and Innovation at Selena Group.

"We carefully follow trends and changes in the world around us and we are constantly working on minimising our environmental impact and rational resource management. That’s why we're delighted to have Covestro and DB Cargo BTT at our side as strong partners who share our commitment to reducing emissions and achieving climate neutrality targets in Europe and worldwide.”


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