Volvo CE talks fuel efficiency at the Volvo Ocean Race

During the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in Lisbon, Portugal, on Friday 8th of June, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) held a fuel efficiency seminar to help its customers reduce fuel consumption as well as cut costs.

Well-known for promoting fuel efficiency within the construction industry, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has arguably – and deservedly – the industry’s best reputation for demonstrating and encouraging environmental care. It is the first company in the construction industry to join the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Climate Savers program, which sees the company commit to an ambitious agreement to reducing over 15 million tons of CO2 emissions from its products and manufacturing facilities by 2014 (read more at www.volvoce.com/wwf).
As part of its dedication to environmental care, Volvo CE is helping its customers to reduce fuel consumption and cut costs in their businesses. As part of this, a fuel efficiency seminar was held at the Volvo Ocean Race stopover port in Lisbon to educate participants about how they can contribute towards maintaining the environment while still benefitting commercially.
The seminar involved everything that customers need to know – from simple things like what CO2 is and how it effects the environment, to more complicated subjects like engine technology and systems. At the event Volvo CE also explained what it’s doing to further reduce CO2 emissions in terms of its products as well as future incentives. It also touched on its available programs and training courses that customers can utilize to optimize their machines while remaining environmentally aware.
David Kristianslund, Marketing Manager for Volvo Maskin AS, one of Volvo CE’s dealers in Norway, invited several customers to the event: “We invited our key customers to the seminar to talk about being fuel efficient. It’s our moral obligation as a big organization for us, and our customers, to improve our efforts together.”
Arvid Rinaldo, Market Communications Manager for Volvo CE, led the seminar: “We took the opportunity to use the Volvo Ocean Race to educate our customers about how they can reduce fuel consumption in their businesses and cut costs. We also wanted to promote our forward-thinking agenda when it comes to fuel efficiency and the environment. Volvo CE is continually developing more fuel efficient machines and programs that reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions and we have a long term strategy when it comes to environmental care.”
The four-prong approach

The seminar discussed how Volvo CE can focus on fuel efficiency using four main strategic and technical approaches. The four different approaches center on future technology, systems, operating behavior, and engine technology.
There are a number of advancements that Volvo CE has made to build up a portfolio of fuel efficient tools and products that are used throughout the business. The Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB emissions legislation compliant engine development is one of Volvo’s success stories. Volvo CE’s new generation of V-ACT (Volvo-Advanced Combustion Technology) engines are even more efficient thanks to ultra-high pressure variable fuel injection systems, cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), precise control of the turbochargers, powerful new EMS engine management systems and an integrated exhaust after-treatment system that features a particulate filter and thermal regenerator. Also Volvo CE’s Optishift technology, available in its larger wheel loaders, optimizes fuel savings by up to 15%.
The operator also has a large effect on fuel consumption and productivity in today’s machines, so Volvo’s Eco Operator program is a good example of training that gives operators the practical and theoretical knowledge they need to become safer, more efficient and environmentally conscious while operating equipment.
As Volvo CE continues to reduce its environmental impact it remains dedicated to working with its customers to help them to also reduce the environmental footprint of their businesses.
Brede Sukk, a customer from Håkonsen og Sukke Landskapsentreprenor in Norway attended Volvo’s fuel efficiency seminar: “I thought the seminar was great! I thought it was going to be a long and heavy session, but it was really interesting and engaging. Volvo is really in the forefront of environmental thinking, this is good to see. Now I will certainly keep track of my machines and fuel consumption to minimize the environmental impact.”
Source: Volvo News Room