Driving sustainable change for customer Hilti

DHL Freight and Liechtenstein-based tool maker Hilti are cutting carbon emissions with the help of the Mercedes eActros electric truck.

Hilti and DHL Freight can look back on a long partnership. Freight has been transporting goods for the Liechtenstein-based construction technology group since 2009. And Hilti’s transports are getting more and more sustainable – thanks to the recent addition of a Mercedes eActros 300 electric truck and three routes powered by hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO100).

Hilti Group’s own operations have been carbon-neutral since the end of 2023. As part of its further commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, the company is aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. To achieve this, Hilti and DHL Freight switched to biofuel (hydrogenated vegetable oil) for several direct transport routes and shipments to Hilti plants in 2024.

Introducing the e-truck

And their transition to more sustainable vehicles continues. In early February 2025, DHL Freight deployed the eActros 300 electric truck for its Hilti pre-carriage transports. The e-truck is logging some 360 kilometers on a daily basis, moving freight from DHL Freight’s terminal in Weißenhorn near Ulm, Germany, to Hilti’s logistics center in Nendeln, Liechtenstein. Hilti has installed a rapid charging station for trucks located directly at the loading dock and powered by rooftop solar panels. On the return trip to Germany, the truck transports cargo from Lauterach in Austria. In its very first month of deployment, the e-truck shipped some 320 metric tons of freight on this route.

Simon Wirtz, Chief Sales Officer Germany and Key Account for Hilti, laid the foundation for this in July 2024 at a joint sustainability meeting with Hilti. “We’ve been in talks with Hilti about this for some time now. Now the infrastructure is far enough along that we’ve been able to deploy the e-truck”, and Wirtz adds: “With the eActros 300, DHL Freight and Hilti save 4.7 metric tons of CO₂ emissions that a diesel truck would normally emit on this route.”

DHL Freight as sustainable partner

Roeland Baaijens, Head of Global Logistics at Hilti, underscores the importance of the partnership with Freight: “Sustainability has a long history at Hilti going back decades. Today, our collaboration with DHL Freight is an important milestone on the road to sustainable logistics. The introduction of electric trucks in our global logistics process significantly reduces our carbon footprint, while also making our operational processes more efficient.”

At DHL Freight, alternative drives and sustainable fuels are crucial levers to reduce GHG emissions in road freight.

Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight

“The logistics industry is currently responsible for approximately 11% of global carbon emissions. To support the fight against climate change, the transport sector requires genuine decarbonization. At DHL Freight, alternative drives and sustainable fuels are crucial levers to reduce GHG emissions in road freight," says Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight. "We are pleased to have partners like Hilti who share our vision and join us on the journey toward a sustainable future.” The sustainable logistics infrastructure continues to expand. DHL Freight’s terminal in Weißenhorn features mobile charging stations, Hilti is installing solar-powered charging stations at its own facilities, and the network of HVO filling stations continues to grow. All of this opens the door to deploying more sustainable vehicles for Hilti’s logistics.

Photos: Hilti AG, DHL Group