Innovative transport company Macharis grabs first with first Green Energy solar cells in Belgium
For 80 years, the Macharis family has been pursuing their passion: transport. In Dendermonde, Belgium, Alfons founded the company and started transporting animals with two trucks. More than 80 years, three generations and 48 trucks later, Marc Macharis (the current manager) decided to be the first transport company in Belgium to fit part of their fleet with Green Energy solar cells. Why did they do this, how do they like it and what does the future hold? You can read all about it in this article.
Problems with start-up and battery
Start-up problems and battery problems are issues Marc’s father was already struggling with at the company. ‘Drivers are also just people, they might forget to turn off the cooler once or leave the lights on. However, you want to be sure that you can just start again. If you want to get that fixed, you easily spend €1000 to €1500,’ Marc says. Artour Parguevian, representative of PartsXpert Beneparts, visits Macharis every week to discuss things. He has suggested fitting solar cells on the trucks so that these problems would be solved. Thus, by 2022, the first 10 trucks will be fitted with solar cells.
The first step has been taken
Now that the first 10 trucks are fully powered by Green Energy’s green electricity, it tastes like more. ‘On the trucks where we have now installed the solar cells, we have had no more problems. At night, for example, drivers can leave their electrical appliances on. Previously, the battery would have stopped working at some point or would not be able to be started, but now those problems are a thing of the past.’
Future plans
Ideally, Marc would like to install solar cells on all 50 trucks so that he no longer has start-up and battery problems. However, the battery of trucks driving short trips can also be charged with a charger. About 70% of Macharis’ trucks drive abroad of which the longest trip is to Lyon and most transport is in the Ruhr region. So there is still plenty of room for expansion and Macharis plans to do just that. ‘There are currently five trucks still in ‘On the trucks where solar cells are now installed, we haven’t had any more problems.’ order and those trucks we will all be fitting with solar cells.’ The next generation of Macharis is also ready to take over from Marc. Son Bram and nephew Ben are eager to get started with the sustainable approach Marc started.
