Profile & Expertise
Founded in 1932 and currently managed by Mrs. Delphine André, the granddaughter of the original founder, the Charles André Group (GCA) has successfully developed and diversified its historic road haulage business to meet its clients’ needs, and is a Europe-wide player in the transport and logistics realm. The family-run group recorded a sales turnover of one billion euros in 2015, mainly from its businesses of logistics for dangerous goods, automotive logistics and interior tank cleaning. GCA cultivates its values of dependability and professionalism through a European network of subsidiaries/affiliates servicing industrial customers. GCA has been in the multimodal transport business since 1978, and took over the businesses of Novatrans (a former subsidiary of the SNCF group) in 2013, so as to avail it expertise in railway transport and develop a complementary offering of road transport that is more ecologically friendly yet financially sustainable. The enterprise is working towards reducing its polluting emissions, holds the CO2 label certification, and is a signatory to the ADEME charter.
Role in the project
The role of GCA is to gather information in an early stage within the project on commercial, technical, operational and environmental issues, by gathering data from 100 LNG powered trucks. Around 50% of these trucks will be used for ADR (dangerous goods) transports. This task provides for analyses of vehicle performance levels and their greenhouse gas, Nitrogen oxide, fine particulate matter and noise emissions. These trucks will be deployed for freight transport, along the core corridor routes on which fuelling stations are available and that are representative of GCA’s normal operations. GCA has received pledges of support from OEMs to study topics like truck configuration, LNG/CNG refilling performances from truck perspective, fuel consumption and safety. GCA will also contribute to develop business case for operating a large fleet of LNG powered trucks by using data gathered on many routes to assess price performance.
Key personnel
Stephane Joffre
Business Director since 9 years at GCA and graduated from IAE Lyon (MSc in logistic), Stephane worked for many years for major companies in logistic sector such as Auchan Group and Munster Logistics across the functions (studies manager, Operational Director, BU Director) and the geographies (Europe, Morocco and Guadeloupe). He is specialising in hazardous substances especially in gas.
