Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Holmen Skog, region Norrköping, is located in an area with good potential for backhauling because a large number of geographically scattered mills. However, despite these factors there are many difficulties preventing the realization of this potential.

The purposes of this study were twofold. First, from a hauling contractor perspective, to calculate backhauling profits and suggest a profit sharing scheme. Second, to identify and quantify obstacles and possibilities for realization of backhauls.

The study required the use of three different types of methods. The first was economic modelling of possible backhaul profits in truck transportations. The second was interviews with owners of the hauling companies in order to identify attitudes towards backhauls and conditions for profit sharing schemes and also for identifying obstacles. The third was a load-specific questionnaire aiming to quantify obstacles and possibilities for backhauls.

The results for economic modelling show that hauling contractors backhaul profit varies with the loaded transport distance per load, the proportion of saved unloaded distance and possibilities for the truck to leave its crane at the landing. According to the hauling contractor interviews there has to be an improved effort made by the charterer regarding backhaul and tariffs, before they are entitled to profit sharing. According to the load-specific questionnaire the proportion of backhauling increased with increasing volume of road-side stock (m3) and contractor company size (number of trucks). On average the backhaul flows recorded in the study reduced the unloaded distance with 50 percent. The majority of realized backhauls were carried out within the individual company. Sixty percent of all backhaul flows arose through a combination of different charterer’s round wood flows.

A larger volume of roundwood stocks and an improved information exchange between all parts involved in backhauling should reduce many of the existing obstacles for backhauling.