Graphic Packaging deploys eight RNG trucks to measure the real impact of Scope 3 transport emissions

Graphic Packaging International has integrated a dedicated fleet of eight renewable natural gas (RNG) trucks into its Midwest logistics network. Operated in partnership with freight carrier Paper Transport (PTI), the vehicles are now running daily routes between Chicago, Illinois, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. The deployment moves beyond a simple equipment upgrade, serving as a live data-gathering operation to quantify the actual impact of alternative fuels on the company's supply chain.

The fleet is equipped with Cummins X15N natural gas engines and relies on RNG supplied by a Clean Energy fueling station in Romeoville, Illinois. Domingo Amunategui, Vice President of Logistics at Graphic Packaging, emphasized that the initiative is designed to provide real-world insight into alternative fuel performance. By tracking these daily freight operations, the company aims to evaluate transportation emissions accurately and tackle its Scope 3 targets with hard, operational data rather than theoretical models.

The specific route choice directly supports the circular nature of the paperboard industry. On the outbound leg, the trucks deliver finished paperboard to facilities and customers. On the return trip, they haul recovered fiber back to the Kalamazoo mill for repulping and reuse, ensuring that the logistics loop mirrors the lifecycle of the packaging materials themselves.

This deployment is a core component of Graphic Packaging's broader "Better Logistics" strategy, which tests alternative fuels and electric vehicles in select regions to optimize supply chain efficiency. For PTI, the partnership builds on a proven track record of decarbonization efforts, having already surpassed its goal of five million natural gas miles in 2025. The collaboration demonstrates how dedicated shipper-carrier agreements are successfully transitioning low-emission transport from pilot programs into permanent, daily industrial operations.