With a goal of improving efficiency and reducing costs, Dean Foods plans to remove 50,000 metric tons of carbon from its transportation system by 2013, the equivalent of removing 9,500 cars from the road. Taking one step toward that goal, the nation’s largest dairy processor unveiled a new delivery vehicle equipped with a new prototype truck refrigeration system developed by Thermo King. The electric-powered refrigeration units replace traditional mechanical models that rely on a separate diesel-powered engine to facilitate cooling while en route and require oil, filters and anti-freeze as part of their routine maintenance. The new unit reduces emissions and waste by operating on electricity both while parked and while driving, eliminating the need for an independent engine in the refrigeration unit.

Dean Foods, the nation’s largest dairy processor and owner of one of the largest refrigerated direct-store delivery distribution networks in the food and beverage industry, on Monday, June 21, unveiled a delivery vehicle equipped with a new prototype truck refrigeration system developed by Thermo King, a provider of temperature and climate control products for the transportation industry. The companies say the advanced cost-efficient and environmentally-sustainable truck refrigeration system significantly reduces the emissions associated with traditional diesel-powered transport refrigeration.

Thermo King says the diesel-free hybrid electric-powered refrigeration technology will help Dean Foods reduce its carbon footprint while creating operational efficiencies and cost savings. The technology also represents a step toward achieving Dean Foods’ commitment to remove 50,000 metric tons of carbon from its transportation system by 2013, the equivalent of removing 9,500 cars from the road.

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