Amsterdam, 1 October 2010. Today, Heineken became the launching customer of the Alpherium, the new container terminal in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. The Alpherium which was opened today, has the capacity to handle at least sixty thousand containers annually. It will be the largest in-land terminal in the Netherlands, which supports the waterborne transportation of huge quantities of goods as an alternative for road transportation.
For a number of years Heineken and the Van Uden Group which operates the terminal, have worked with the Province South-Holland, the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, ProRail and the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn to develop the area of Steekterpoort aan de Gouwe, South of Alphen aan den Rijn.
In the near future Heineken will transport its export-beer from the brewery in Zoeterwoude to the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp through this in-land shipment terminal, reducing road transport by a hundred thousand trucks annually. The energy efficiency of a boat is roughly three times better compared to truck transport of similar goods. Jean-François van Boxmeer, CEO Heineken International, comments: "To start from tomorrow, about 6 million truck kilometres will be lifted from the Dutch motorways, amounting to a total CO2 emission reduction of 35%. This represents a considerable contribution to the sustainability of our logistical chain."
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About Brewing a Better Future
Heineken's long-term ambition is to become the greenest international brewer in the world. The company has formulated this in its new sustainability programme 'Brewing a Better Future'. The company aspires to reach its long-term goal by continuously improving the environmental impact of its brands and business, by empowering its people and the communities in which it operates and by positively impacting the role of beer in society. Heineken is a member of the UN Global Compact and subscribes to the UN Water Mandate and actively promotes responsible consumption via brand communication and responsibility activities in partnership with other beverage companies. For more information about Heineken's sustainability programme Brewing a Better Future go to www.heinekeninternational.com.
Press enquiries Heineken
Hester Swart | Anoeska van Leeuwen |
Tel: +31 20 5239 355 | Tel: +31 20 5239 355 |
Hester.swart@heineken.com | Anoeska.vanleeuwen@heineken.com |
Editorial information:
Heineken is one of the world's great brewers and is committed to growth and remaining independent. The brand that bears the founder's family name - Heineken - is available in almost every country on the globe and is the world's most valuable international premium beer brand. The Company's aim is to be a leading brewer in each of the markets in which it operates and to have the world's most valuable brand portfolio. The Company operates 140 breweries in more than 70 countries and sold 165.7 million hectolitres of beer on a 2009 pro-forma basis. Heineken is Europe's largest brewer and the world's third largest by volume. Heineken is committed to the responsible marketing and consumption of its more than 200 international premium, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. These include Amstel, Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo, Dos Equis, Foster's, Kingfisher, Newcastle Brown Ale, Ochota, Primus, Sagres, Sol Star, Strongbow, Tecate, Tiger and Zywiec. On a 2009 pro-forma basis, including FEMSA's beer businesses, revenue totalled €16.9 billion and EBIT (beia) was €2.3 billion. The average number of people employed is more than 75,000. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares are listed on the Amsterdam stock exchange. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on the Reuter Equities 2000 Service under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. Most recent information is available on Heineken's home page: http://www.heinekeninternational.com.