Sustainable HVO Road Logistics for Specialty Chemicals

Sika Schweiz AG is part of Sika Group, a Swiss specialty chemicals company active in the building sector and industrial manufacturing. Its products are used for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protection. For its logistics operations, this creates specific requirements for the transport and handling of liquid products.

Bertschi and Sika Schweiz AG have worked together for over 15 years. Over time, this cooperation has led to dedicated transport solutions tailored to Sika’s operational needs. The latest example is a new truck developed for Sika and now in operation in Switzerland.

The vehicle is a DAF XF480 FAX 8x4 with a Hydro axle and a specialized tank body. It is designed for demanding liquid transport operations and equipped with a tank capacity of 32,000 liters, divided into five separate chambers. This allows different product quantities to be transported flexibly while maintaining the separation required for each delivery. The truck is also fitted with a calibrated weighing and measuring system, allowing deliveries to be measured in kilograms.

For Bertschi, the project reflects a practical form of customer-specific logistics. The vehicle was built around the requirements of the transport task, rather than adapted from a standard setup.

The new Sika truck is also operated with HVO fuel from Bertschi’s own fuel station in Birrfeld, resulting in a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions for this transport chain. HVO, or hydrotreated vegetable oil, is a renewable diesel alternative that can reduce the carbon footprint of road transport compared with conventional fossil diesel.

Bertschi thanks Sika for the continued cooperation and trust, and all teams involved for bringing this tailored logistics solution into operation.