DHL, Formula E Co-Create Schedule To Reduce Series’ Environmental Impact
"Our dedication is maximum reduction of carbon emission," said Pier Luigi Ferrari, managing director of DHL motorsports. As Formula E's official logistics partner, DHL aims to use aircrafts only twice during the inaugural season, which spans 11 events in 10 cities across four continents.
The company increasingly bets on more eco-friendly modes of transportation from more fuel-efficient aircrafts to electric fork lifts. "We are the first logistics company looking to reduce its carbon emission by 30 percent before 2020," Ferrari said. He added that while environmental reasons are important to DHL, the partnership with Formula E is also a great platform to showcase its capabilities. Ferrari said, "Even though logistics doesn’t appear in the first line, it’s indispensable."
NEED FOR SPEED: DHL's cooperation with Formula E is just one of several motorsports affiliations. The company is also the official logistics partner of F1, WTCC and WEC. In the U.S., it has a deal with Andretti Autosport and is the title sponsor of Ryan Hunter-Reay's No. 28 car in the IndyCar Series.
Ferrari said that the concept is the same, no matter what series. But running logistics for F1 is a different beast in terms of quantity, number of events and staff. He said that compared to F1, Formula E represents less than a third in terms of quantity.
F1's 20-race schedule is also not designed to be efficient and environmentally cautious, according to Ferrari. DHL's staff for a Formula E event is only half its F1 staff. Providing logistics for some of the world's biggest motorsports circuits comes at a price.
"The service has to be paid. It’s not free-of-charge from our side," he said. "However, our intention is to help our partners save money. That has to be our mission, for all customers, not only Formula E." In addition to its motorsports involvement, DHL's sponsorship portfolio includes ManU, Bayern Munich and the Rugby World Cup. HJ Mai/SportsBusinessDaily.com