Six fully electric MAN eTGX trucks in daily operation, the company’s own charging infrastructure and proven routes in automotive logistics: the Weets haulage company from Emden shows that electromobility has long since moved beyond the pilot stage. Part 6 of our series “E-mobility in practice – the future of logistics”.
- New Image
- New Image
- New Image
The Weets haulage company from Emden is one of the logistics providers actively shaping change in the transport industry. The medium-sized, family-run business has recently begun using fully electric transport solutions – and now has six MAN eTGX trucks in service. With this, Weets demonstrates that electromobility does not only work in pilot projects, but already today in demanding day-to-day operations, particularly in automotive logistics.
A key component in Weets’ successful start in electromobility is its own charging infrastructure, which the company has built at its sites. Having charging available in-house means the eTrucks can be efficiently integrated into daily processes and charged in a predictable way overnight or between runs – a decisive advantage in fleet operations.
From Bremen to Denmark, the trip went very well. We were able to charge properly everywhere. “
A quiet start to a new era
Jan‑Sibo Hinderks is among the first drivers at Weets to switch from diesel to the fully electric MAN eTGX. Any concerns? None at all. “I like challenges – that’s why I consciously decided to drive an electric truck. It’s a really pleasant, quiet drive – it’s genuinely enjoyable.”
One of his very first assignments was a special job: transporting a battery repair container from Bremen to Denmark, made for specialist repairs by the Danish MAN organisation. A demanding route – and precisely for that reason an ideal stress test. “From Bremen to Denmark, the trip went very well. We were able to charge properly everywhere. The infrastructure in Denmark is actually better developed than in Germany – you can see perfectly here that it works.”
For Hinderks, the biggest change is not the vehicle itself, but the new environment: “The challenge in switching from diesel to electric is actually the infrastructure.” Even so, it quickly became clear to him that the eTGX is entirely workable in everyday use – and fun to drive.
Essentially, these tours work very well – even without intermediate charging. Only in winter is an additional stop necessary. “
Keeping an eye on optimal processes
Weets mainly deploys its eTGX fleet on fixed routes – especially between Emden, Osnabrück and Bielefeld. For fleet manager Gerhard Neemann, these regular runs have proved their worth: “Essentially, these tours work very well – even without intermediate charging. Only in winter is an additional stop necessary.” Weets is currently working on further optimising charging and break times: “We need to synchronise that with the drivers’ driving and rest periods. We’re currently developing the optimal concepts for the routes.”
His overall conclusion on the new eTrucks is unequivocal: “In general, you can say that electromobility already works well in everyday transport operations.” The reason Weets has consciously opted for the MAN eTGX Ultra, particularly in automotive logistics, is straightforward: the tractor unit is perfectly suited to transports with a 3-metre loading height – exactly right for the industry’s standardised transport containers.
Rooted in tradition, focused on the future
For more than 40 years, Weets has stood for reliable logistics “Made in Emden”. What began as a one-man operation has grown into a medium-sized transport service provider with more than 500 employees and a broad portfolio of services – from conventional curtain-sider transport to container logistics and comprehensive warehousing solutions.
The Weets Group has an extensive, high-performance logistics network: around 200 trucks operate daily in hinterland transport, equipped with GPS, mobile data transmission and modern haulage management software that provides seamless information on location, tour status and orders.
The warehousing facilities in Emden cover more than 150,000 square metres of indoor and outdoor space, include separate rail connections for intermodal transport and, thanks to automated storage systems, offer maximum efficiency and flexibility. Customers benefit from weather-protected goods-in areas, tailored access solutions, digital transparency via the Weets network and a reliable, experienced team.
Weets sees itself as a company that combines tradition and the future. This is reflected not only in the use of LNG vehicles and the early integration of electromobility, but also in its involvement in forward-looking projects focused on CO₂ reduction and digitalisation.
Innovation in autonomous driving too
That Weets is at the forefront technologically is also shown by its participation in the future-oriented Hamburg TruckPilot project. Together with MAN Truck & Bus and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), an autonomous truck was tested in container handling operations at the Altenwerder terminal.
As the logistics partner, Weets delivered the containers to the terminal, where the truck drove autonomously around the site, navigated precisely to its destination and manoeuvred independently. After the container handling, the driver took over again outside the terminal. Through this project, Weets made an important contribution to the further development of autonomous transport processes.
Electromobility is already a reality at Weets
The experiences of driver Jan‑Sibo Hinderks and fleet manager Gerhard Neemann show that, for Weets, the move into electromobility is far more than a trial balloon. With its own charging infrastructure, working routes and six eTGX vehicles in real-world operation, electromobility is already part of everyday life at Weets. At the same time, the company is involved in pioneering innovation projects such as Hamburg TruckPilot, actively shaping the future of transport. Weets shows that anyone who wants to be successful today must not merely accompany change – but drive it forward.
Text: Christian Buck
Fotos: MAN
